08/31/2026
Engage Nepal Newsletter
August 30, 2026
Dear Friends.
“The bigger question… the bigger challenge… is how do you rebuild lives?”
That was the last line in this New York Time video linked below.
It’s the right question to ask. The answer, however, is not as easily found. Many organizations have rushed to provide immediate support in the face of the climate disaster that struck Nepal this past week. We have too and will continue to do so. Almost immediately we sent a bit more than $4000 to one of our partners, Fusion Nepal, that was on the ground and able to provide much needed immediate help in terms of clothing and dignity kits (soap, toothbrush, sanitary pads, etc.). I’ll share their message on the impact, below.
Tomorrow we’ll be sending another $25K to help address immediate needs in 5 wards in Nuwakot. All are on the north side of the Trishuli River and have become more inaccessible due to the bridge disappearing in the torrent of water that roared down the river last week. The needs include clothing, generators, tents, gas burners and cylinders, more dignity kits and medical kits, and mosquito nets. It’s is not an exhaustive list, but an illustrative one. There’s a need for trauma counselors as well. We’re on it. Then there’s the cost of transport and porters. And the children, who are vulnerable in so many ways, will need added support.
It’s just a start though.
And, although at the moment there are many actors rushing, like us, to provide immediate humanitarian relief, many, if not most, of them will be gone in a few months, moved on to the next disaster. That’s not a criticism. Just a statement of fact.
We’ll still be there. Sharing the journey. That’s what we do.
And so begins the Bhote Koshi Flash Flood Relief and Rehabilitation Program.
We know it is going to ultimately be a multi-year, multi-focal effort because disaster response is not just about food and water and shelter. It is also about risk reduction and planning for the future to ensure that this does not happen again. It’s about trauma recovery and mental health support for people who have lost everything. People who will need livelihood retraining, who will need health support, who will need a helping hand to make it through the first winter that will draw closer every day.
Then there are the kids. In temporary shared quarters that could last for months, keeping them safe from exploitation, continuing their education, and helping them come to terms with the horrors of what they experienced is no small task. This too will take time and care and resources.
All that, and more, is for the days to come. We will build the project framework one step at a time and, with your help, and the generous support of the Heinz Family Foundation, we have a strong start. I hope you’ll continue to share the journey with us, helping as and when you can. We’ll need it.
It’s hard to explain how much it matters but perhaps this message, from our partners at Fusion Nepal, will give you a sense of how much even our first, comparatively small, transfer of funds has meant.
“Dear Sir,
We are deeply thankful for Engage Nepal’s generous support for the flood-affected families in Nuwakot.
Today, we distributed many hygiene kits, T-shirts, trousers, and women’s dresses to families who have lost almost everything. For many, receiving clean clothes and basic hygiene items such as soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and sanitary pads brought much-needed relief.
One mother shared that she had no dry clothes to change her child into. Moments like this remind us how important even these simple things are during such a difficult time.
Several families shared that government relief had been promised but never reached them. "We heard supplies came, but it is still in store,"
Perhaps the most moving moment came when we distributed menstruation pads to the women. Many wept, not from sorrow, but from being seen in a need so many are too ashamed to speak of. They had been suffering quietly, and today, someone finally stood beside them in that suffering.
The distribution is not finished yet. We still have materials remaining from the supplies we prepared, and we will continue distributing them to more affected families in the coming days.
Families are also asking for pressure cookers and basic kitchen utensils so they can prepare warm meals, as well as blankets and warm coverings for the colder days ahead.
In parts of Nuwakot where electricity has returned, mothers are asking specifically for electric jugs, just to warm milk for their babies.
The need ahead is still vast. We want to reach the next part of Nuwakot, but the river crossing remains difficult; though we're hopeful it will open soon. We are preparing additional packages for when it does.
Thank you from our hearts to your donors for making this possible. Their support is bringing practical help, dignity, and hope to these families when they need it most.
With heartfelt gratitude and prayers,
Fusion Nepal “
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I wanted you to know, just how much your generosity matters. It is true in everything we do but, tonight, as we work to bring even more help to those in need, it means even more than ever.
If you have not yet donated, please, consider giving now.
And for those who have already donated, let me thank you once again for the generous outpouring of support. I cannot tell you how deeply grateful I am for all of you.
Thank you for your compassion and support. You can donate at www.engagenepal.org
https://fb.watch/JkCqtlggwT/?fs=e
