World Renew has been responding to the April 25 and May 12 earthquakes in Nepal and recently had the opportunity to talk with some children about their experiences. They bravely agreed to share their stories with you.

Dawa (12)

“Thank you to the many people who gave to World Renew so that they could help my family,” Dawa said to World Renew’s International Relief Manager, Annie Bergshoeff.

Dawa is twelve year-old and has not had an easy life even before the earthquake. Despite his age, he is only in grade one. Education has not been easy to come by. The school is a long walk from his home and his parents have not always had the funds to pay for his uniform and school fees. In fact, when Annie met Dawa he was wearing pants that are much too short for him. Each set of clothes must last him several years.

Another complication to Dawa’s education is the fact that lessons at school are taught in Nepali, which is not his first language. This makes learning more difficult when he is able to attend.

Dawa was at home when the first earthquake hit but was playing outside with friends. He told Annie that he is extremely grateful that none of his family was inside the house when the quake hit. The entire thing collapsed within seconds. Anyone who had been inside would have been killed. In fact, that is exactly what happened to Dawa’s uncle who lived in another house nearby.

Dawa is currently living in a tent with his father, mother and six siblings. Although he refused to admit that he was scared during the earthquake, he did express concern about sleeping in a tent when the monsoon rains and colder weather comes.

That’s why he was so grateful for the supplies that his family received from World Renew. The tarp and rope will help them make a better shelter and the food will keep them from being hungry.

His favorite item, however, was his new toothbrush. Before receiving the hygiene kit form World Renew, his family shared one toothbrush, now they have six brand new ones.

Konsan (6)

Even though Konsan is only six, she is a great helper to her grandfather. The two arrived together to receive supplies from World Renew and carry them back to the rest of her family. The rope, tarp, hygiene supplies and two-weeks’-worth of food will make a big difference.

Konsan is from a village called Mandada. It is high up in the mountains and is a fair walk from the World Renew distribution site. Konsan’s grandfather told World Renew’s Senior Program Manager, Grace Wiebe, that of the 82 houses in Mandada only two are still standing after the earthquakes. The same is true for their latrines. Sixty of the 65 latrines have been totally destroyed and their water source has also been damaged. Rebuilding the community will take some time.

For now, the family is taking things one step at a time. Konsan proudly demonstrated to Grace how she would carry these emergency supplies home. Using a bit of fabric, she tied the load around her forehead and balanced the weight on her back. Her grandfather carried the 30kg (66 pounds) of rice, but Konsan carried the other supplies.

Ranjita (12)

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“I hope that someone will soon send help to rebuild my school,” Ranjita told Annie. The shy grade five-student normally loves going to school, but the building that houses her classroom is currently in shambles. Even if the school were fixed, the teachers are all too busy right now repairing their homes and caring for traumatized family members.

Ranjita lives in a remote community high in the mountains of Nepal. As in many other villages nearby, nearly everyone has been affected by the devastation of the recent earthquake. Ranjita is currently living in a tent with her grandfather, mother, father, and fourteen-year-old brother. She told Annie that her home was not destroyed by the quake but is so damaged that it wouldn’t be safe to sleep there. Her family is hoping to have it repaired before the monsoon rains come.

Ranjita was fascinated to watch the trucks arrive with supplies from World Renew. She especially liked the soap, towel and flyer with health tips that were included in the World Renew hygiene kit, but she also appreciated the tarp and rope.

The people in her mountain village are mostly farmers who grow corn and rice, and raise goats, cows and water buffalo. Many animals were killed in the earthquake, but Ranjita told Annie that the tarp and rope from World Renew will help provide the remaining animals with good shelter during the monsoon season.

Despite being shy, Ranjita is like other children in her village and loves being photographed. As she smiled for the camera, she proudly showed off a well-worn necklace that she salvaged from the earthquake wreckage.

Like this necklace, the hope and potential in these children’s lives can also be salvaged from this disaster.