At 11:56 a.m. on April 25, 2015, Nepal was hit by a massive earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale. The number of dead has been estimated at over 8,000. A second quake measuring 7.3 caused further casualties and has left those trying to rebuild their lives even more scared and vulnerable.
For partners in Nepal working with children, the concern is not only for the immediate safety and physical wellbeing of children affected by the tragedy, but also their chronic vulnerability at such times. Next Generation Nepal released a statement of their concerns that the current situation would accelerate the trend of institutionalization and family separation - supported by those from other countries donating to orphanages, and potentially arriving in the coming months to volunteer.
Members of the Better Volunteering, Better Care Global Working Group have been active in trying to spread awareness of this issue in the media, the volunteer travel sectors, and other areas where they have influence. We have collected an overview of some of the coverage below. We encourage any readers who are in a position to support this message through their own networks to do so. Please email volunteering@bettercarenetwork.org for more information, connections, or resources.
UNICEF Nepal has produced a "What you should know" FAQ sheet on orphanage volunteering in Nepal which can be used to encourage people not to donate to orphanages in Nepal.
Next Generation Nepal (NGN) is providing regular updates about their work on the ground with vulnerable children, and have produced a press release about the situation, “Post-Earthquake, NGN Focuses on New Anti-Trafficking Effort,” that can be referenced in any advocacy material. You can also listen to the episode of BBC Newshour, “Obstacles to Nepal relief effort,” which includes an interview with Martin Punaks from NGN talking about the situation.
In a blog post entitled “Nepal earthquake could lead to a rise in institutional care,” Family for Every Child highlights how the earthquake could see a rise in institutional care and calls for anyone supporting the situation in Nepal to prioritise families, not orphanages in relief efforts.
Eric Hartman from Globalsl.org – who strives to encourage positive international service practice in universities in the USA – has highlighted the efforts of actors in Nepal to discourage post-quake volunteering with vulnerable children, and also gives some guidelines for prospective volunteers on how to choose responsibly when it comes to selecting a volunteer placement. Read his blog post, “Global Development Professionals’ Advice: Don’t Serve with Children in Nepal.”
Claire Bennett from Learning Service, who lives and works in Nepal, has been generating a great deal of interest and debate with two impassioned pieces on responding to the disaster and supporting vulnerable children. Read her piece about donating to orphanages here. Read her piece about volunteering in Nepal here.
Other media coverage includes:
Nepal's Children at Risk as the Sharks Circle Orphans after the Quake - The Australian, 9 May 2015
Nepal Earthquake: Further Crisis For Children - Friends International, 6 May 2015
Want to help the children of Nepal? Don't fuel the orphanage industry - London School of Economics, 5 May 2015
Nepal earthquake: Strangers wanted her little boys - World Vision, 2 May 2015