Our Work in Nepal: 10 Years of Hope

Published: Apr 28, 2025 Reading time: 7 minutes Share:

On April 25, 2015, a powerful earthquake struck Nepal; it left behind more than crumbled homes and broken roads—it left fear, uncertainty, and a need for help. Among the first to respond was a team of humanitarians from the Czech Republic, quietly determined to support communities through the chaos. That was the beginning of People in Need (PIN) in Nepal.

As we mark a decade of solidarity, resilience, and partnership with the people of Nepal, we reflect not only on the projects delivered but also on the lives touched, the trust built, and the commitment sustained. From humanitarian relief to long-term systemic change, our mission has remained constant: ensuring that no one is left behind adapting humanitarian nexus.

From the high hills of Gorkha to the floodplains of Rautahat, from humanitarian response to building resilience, we have been guided by one principle—leave no one behind.

2015–2019: Rebuilding Safer Together to Protect and Empower

Our work in Nepal began in the earthquake-affected districts of Gorkha, Rasuwa, and Sindhupalchowk. In those early years, we provided emergency shelter, food, protection, hygiene kits, non-food items, and psychosocial support.

Over the course of the recovery period, PIN Nepal supported approximately 369,900 people through its recovery and reconstruction initiatives. More than 125 kilometres of rural trails were restored, and nearly 4,000 individuals accessed dignified work opportunities. Over 1,200 homes were rebuilt using earthquake-resistant designs, with local masons trained in safe construction practices.

To foster economic recovery, we trained 200 survivors—mostly women—to knit warm clothing for displaced families, blending compassion with skill-building. In parallel, we extended mental health support through Hello Saathi, a mobile-based interactive voice response initiative reaching young mothers in Sindhupalchowk with messages of emotional well-being and empowerment. Hello Saathi was kindly funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

As Nepal transitioned from emergency to recovery, our focus shifted toward strengthening systems that would protect lives and foster resilience. This period marked our transition from short-term support to long-term, community-led solutions.

Our long-term efforts included the UKaid-funded Durable Solutions Programme, which worked with the National Reconstruction Authority to help 2,734 households obtain land ownership certificates for safe relocation. At the same time, 11,038 families were supported to remain legally in their places of origin across 14 districts. With advocacy at the district level, we unlocked NPR 5.2 billion (€37.5 million) in government housing and infrastructure grants, benefiting over 14,000 families.

Meanwhile, our commitment to inclusive education took shape under the UKaid-funded Girls’ Education Challenge (2018-2024), helping more than 9,000 out-of-school girls across remote Terai districts return to learning. This initiative offered alternative learning pathways to girls aged 10–19, many of whom had never been to school or had dropped out due to poverty or early marriage. We addressed barriers like poverty, child marriage, menstrual stigma, and, most importantly, co-created solutions with the girls themselves whilst also strengthening government schools through gender transformative programming.

2020–2023: Towards the new pathway- Anticipatory Action, Inclusive Education and COVID-19 Response

In 2020, we launched the Pratibaddha I project with European Union funds in Sindhupalchowk and Dolakha. Pratibaddha I focused on landslide risk management. Communities were empowered with the tools and knowledge needed to reduce disaster risks and develop locally owned resilience strategies.

Together, these efforts reflected our integrated approach—one that combines housing, mental well-being, economic opportunity, and environmental preparedness to foster long-term empowerment.

The COVID-19 pandemic tested communities and systems across Nepal. We responded by partnering with over 50 municipalities to deliver Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) sets, including masks, gloves, and clothes; we also provided hygiene kits and reliable information. Digital learning content was developed to address school closures, and we advocated for the continued inclusion of girls and children with disabilities in response and recovery plans.

We followed this up with the launch of Pratibaddha II in 2022, where we expanded our disaster preparedness work to new districts, including Rasuwa. The project facilitated safe relocation for 75 families, supported 202 with home reconstruction, and guided over 1,000 through the grant application process. Water and slope management systems were introduced to reduce future risk in new settlements.

Through Pratibaddha I and II, our system-strengthening approach supported 10 disaster-affected Local governments in developing and implementing the Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan, Rural Road Construction Guideline, with an increase in the government of Nepal budgeting for disaster preparedness.

In parallel, we supported informal urban settlements with sustainable waste systems, training 200 individuals in segregation and identifying 20 potential entrepreneurs in plastic recycling—laying the groundwork for a circular economy through the Urban Resilience Project.

We advanced women’s economic inclusion through intensive training for 155 women in business planning, financial literacy, and market linkage. At the same time, we strengthened local service providers to ensure support systems were accessible and responsive.

From relocation to recovery, entrepreneurship to the environment, our work remained rooted in the belief that empowered communities can lead their own path to resilience.

2024–2025: Innovation, System Strengthening and Scaling Impact through Local Leadership

In 2024 and 2025, we deepened our impact by advancing local leadership, innovative approach for climate resilience, system strengthening to eliminate gender-based violence and equitable access to education across both urban and rural settings.

We launched the ACCESS (Accelerating Civil Society’s Role in Securing Education for All) project, funded by the European Union, to strengthen the role of civil society organisations (CSOs) in advancing equitable education across Madhesh, Karnali, and Sudurpaschim provinces.

The initiative focuses on three key areas. First, ACCESS enhances the capacity of CSOs to support the implementation of Nepal’s School Education Sector Plan (SESP), ensuring their active role in shaping and monitoring education policy. Second, it promotes the inclusion of girls and children with disabilities by establishing strong advocacy and accountability mechanisms that push for systemic change. Lastly, it mobilises local education networks to foster transparency, strengthen community voice, and encourage meaningful participation in education governance at all levels.

Simultaneously, the RIVER+ project advanced efforts to reduce plastic pollution in the Bagmati, Bishnumati, and Manohara rivers. Over 500 informal waste workers—particularly women, persons with disabilities, and marginalised groups—were trained in waste segregation and connected to a zero-emission recycling facility in Simara. The facility transforms low-value plastics into sustainable building materials, promoting both social and environmental outcomes.

Pratibaddha III expanded our integrated approach in Lumbini, Karnali, and Sudurpaschim through peer-to-peer sharing of learning between local authorities and supporting governments to act early on landslide and flood risks. Through the RAIN initiative supported by UK International Development, we aim at scaling up early warning systems and locally led adaptation practices co-developed with community-based organisations across Madhesh and Lumbini—aligning with national disaster preparedness frameworks.

To further our commitment to gender inclusion and social justice, the Security and Justice Programme, funded by UK International Development, works to eliminate gender-based violence by providing agency and strengthening local actors, improving access to inclusive public services and creating the enabling social and political environment to challenge and change harmful norms.

These initiatives reflect our enduring belief that sustainable change must be driven by the communities we serve—through inclusive systems, climate resilience, and empowered leadership.

A Message from the Heart

This ten-year journey has never just been about projects or numbers. It’s about people. The grandmother in Sindhupalchowk who rebuilt her home. The girl in Rautahat who returned to school. The woman waste worker in Lalitpur who now advocates for her rights.

These are the stories that have shaped us, grounded us, and continue to guide our work.

To every community member, partner, and colleague who has been part of this path—we extend our deepest gratitude. Here’s to the next decade—one rooted in compassion, courage, and co-creation. PIN Nepal is committed to collaborating with the Nepal government and stakeholders in supporting the community through our three strategic pillars.

1. Emergency response and recovery,

2. Climate resilience, and

3. Civil society and inclusive governance.