Shelterbox volunteer, Bangor-based Nicola Hinds with (l) Hon sec Stephen Connoplly and (r) President Ian Wilson
In a return visit to our Club after having spent some time in Nepal with Shelterbox – one of the first aid agencies to enter the country after the earthquake – Nicola Hinds told of the difficulties they met.
Much of the destruction was to already poor infrastructure and reaching the rural areas was hampered.
Likewise, bureaucracy worked against their best efforts, but Shelterbox has still been able to help thousands of Nepalese and hopes to help many more in the aftermath of the earthquake.
The earthquake had followed severe monsoon floods which had already displaced an estimated 20 million people across a great swathe of northern India, Nepal and Pakistan.
In Nepal’s Terai region an estimated 70,000 homes were destroyed by the floods.
Nicola told us that local Rotary and Rotoract Clubs assisted ShelterBox in getting aid to the worst affected areas.
For more information on the work of Shelterbox, please click here