Nepal has been severely affected by COVID-19, both in the area of health and in the economic fallout related to strict lockdowns, business closures and the large decline in tourism.
Months of periodic lockdown measures, which halt transportation services and business operations, have meant many of the countries most vulnerable populations lack access to food and water, perpetuating poverty, hunger and malnutrition.
Without a near end to this pandemic in sight, and Nepal’s slow vaccine rollout, local NGOs and grassroots movements are turning to global citizens for support.
In this blog, I share a number of local organizations that are working to serve Nepal’s most vulnerable.
Empowerment Collective
Empowerment Collective is responding to the immediate needs of vulnerable citizens of Nepal by providing nutritious meals and eco-friendly masks to children, women, and elderly people who are most in need.
The organization, led by human rights activist Nasreen Sheikh, has a goal of providing 500 meals per day for 100 days (50,000 meals total). 1 nutritious meal costs as little as $1.28 and each meal provides a crucial lifeline to help the most vulnerable survive during strict COVID-19 lockdowns.
Clean City Nepal
Clean City is a social enterprise working to educate locals on how to segregate waste, build a waste management facility, and implement the first trash collection program of its kind in Chitwan, Nepal.
Clean City is raising funds to provide emergency relief for Nepalese communities that are being ravaged by the second wave of COVID-19.
This past week, their team went to Dhading to distribute food and hygiene packages to 115 Chepang families. It is important to them that they don’t contribute to the single-use plastic waste crisis, so every food package (which feeds 5 people for 1 month) includes reusable masks and sanitary pads.
Help provide support to those in need by donating here.
Girls Empowered by Travel (GET)
GET-Nepal are using their local knowledge of the supply chain to create a nutritious food basket for new mums and pregnant women.
Lockdown has meant that many families who depend on daily income cannot go out and work. This means many are faced with loss in income and an inability to afford basic needs. This is disastrous for anyone, but for a growing baby, toddler & mother a lack of nutritious food can have detrimental short and long term health effects.
Support their relief efforts and purchase a care package here.
Related Reading: Nepal’s homegrown COVID heroes
Conscious Impact
Conscious Impact is serving Nepal through grassroots, sustainable and community-led development solutions. Their work continues to collaborate with Nepali families to plant thousands of trees in the Himalayas, and to support long-term, community-driven, sustainable and resilient development work.
Join their sustainer team by donating monthly.
Institute for Indigenous Affairs and Development
Institute for Indigenous Affairs and Development (IIAD) provides community outreach to reduce poverty, empower women, improve health, and encourage sustainability through financial and management support.
Their recent fundraising campaign is a collaborative effort of the Institue of Indigenous Affairs and Development (IIAD) (Non-Profit), Pariwartak Nepal (NGO), JMT Youth Club Association (Rapti, Chitwan), Stories of Nepal, Miteree Foundation, Youth for Agri, Bairen Agro Consultant and Traders, and NIWF, working together to support vulnerable communities of Nepal affected by lockdown during COVID-19.
Contribute to the fundraiser here.
