09/29/2026
Two days in Nepal. Over 125 miles through flood-affected communities. And a level of devastation that is difficult to comprehend from thousands of miles away.
Sewa International USA’s President Srikanth Gundvarapu ji recently spent two days in Nepal to understand firsthand the impact of the devastating floods, meet affected families and relief teams, and assess how Sewa can best support both immediate relief and the longer journey of recovery. The visit began with discussions in Kathmandu with officials and local response leaders about rescue, recovery and the immense challenges facing affected communities. The following morning, the Sewa team left Kathmandu at 7:30 AM and returned after 10 PM after traveling through difficult, mud-covered roads to Nuwakot, Betravati and Devikot.
What he saw was heartbreaking. Homes had been washed away. Roads and bridges had disappeared. In some areas, mud, silt and rocks had piled up against buildings several stories high. The force of the floodwaters had reshaped parts of the landscape itself.
At Betravati and Devikot, sacred temples near river confluences were washed away. In communities where rivers divide towns, the destruction of bridges has separated families and made it difficult for children to reach their schools. Temporary zip-line crossings are being used in some areas until connectivity can be restored.
But the most powerful part of the visit was not the physical destruction. It was meeting the people living through it. Sewa team met families still searching for loved ones. They met children who had lost parents and siblings. One young child staying at a hostel had lost both an older brother and sister in the floods. They met a school principal responsible for nearly 800 students whose own home had been washed away — yet she continues to care for and support her students.
After witnessing the devastation firsthand, Sewa International’s President reflected: “Having come here gives me a much greater appreciation of what Sewa is doing on the ground.”
Sewa volunteers and partner organizations have been engaged in the response from the beginning. Today, immediate relief remains important.
The next phase will be about rehabilitation and rebuilding lives — supporting vulnerable and orphaned children, restoring access to education, providing hostel facilities where needed, helping people develop skills and livelihoods, and supporting communities as they begin rebuilding.
For those of us in the United States, it is difficult to fully understand the scale of a disaster like this until we see the people, families and communities behind the images.
Your support can help Sewa continue serving families. Today while preparing for the long road to recovery. Please donate to Sewa International’s Nepal Flood Relief and Rehabilitation efforts. Every contribution can help a family, a child or a community take another step toward rebuilding. Donate. Share. Stand with Nepal.
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