Nepal Earthquake Update and How You Can Help

buildOn is deeply saddened by the tragedy that continues to unfold in Nepal following Saturday’s earthquake that took the lives of thousands and injured many more. While we are relieved to report that all buildOn staff, volunteers, and their families are safe, our hearts remain with all those continuing to suffer from this tragedy and all those currently helping with the relief efforts.

Serving the people of Nepal has been central to our mission from the beginning, and buildOn remains committed to providing access to education in Nepal. Since 1993, buildOn has worked in partnership with the Nepal Ministry of Education and rural villages to construct 131 schools, where more than 20,000 Nepali children, parents and grandparents learn each day.

buildOn is currently working in the far-western part of Nepal, hundreds of miles from Kathmandu. Due to the distance from the epicenter, we believe at this time that most buildOn schools are unharmed; however, three buildOn schools are located in remote villages close to the center of the quake. Our Nepali team is actively assessing the evolving situation on the ground and will be visiting our partner villages in the coming days to inspect the schools. We will provide updates as we receive more information.

Our plan to build 25 schools in Nepal this year remains unchanged. We plan to move forward with building these new schools because we know that investing in education is the best long-term solution to ending extreme poverty.

While buildOn is not a disaster relief agency, we know that immediate disaster relief is what is most needed right now in Nepal.

Please consider making a contribution to one of the organizations helping with disaster relief in central Nepal. Use the links below to find recommended charities, and be sure to always vet a charity using a resource like Charity Navigator before making a donation.