After the devastating earthquake in Nepal on April 25th, 2015, many hundreds of thousands of Nepalese were left stranded without access to critical medical care and basic necessities such as shelter, clean water, and food. At such an uncertain time when people feared the safety of their lives, good hygiene and sanitation took a back seat. As first responders in the Sindhupalchowk district, an area severely affected by the earthquake, we provided relief support to hundreds of households. During our disaster relief efforts, we observed that people who were forced to camp outdoors had no proper sanitation facilities. They either resorted to open defecation near water sources or used makeshift latrines that were constructed in unsafe ways. Additionally, with the destruction of water lines, villagers started using river water for drinking, which increased the risk of waterborne diseases. Recognizing the importance of sanitation and hygiene in the recovery process, we decided to prioritise these issues.

To scale up our sanitation efforts, we partnered with Clean Up Nepal (CUN), a registered NGO with a strong track record in the field of sanitation and the ability to mobilise a large number of volunteers. Together, we supported CUN by distributing 1,150 hygiene packs and providing WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) training in four Village Development Committees (VDCs). Each hygiene pack contained essential items such as laundry soap, bathing soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, sanitary napkins, a nail cutter, a comb, oral rehydration solution (ORS) packets, a mug, a soap case, and a 10-litre bucket with a lid. These hygiene packs were designed to meet the needs of a six-member household for at least a few weeks.