Nepal: OneWorld Initiative helping on the ground

The OneWorld Initiative has been active in Nepal since 1998. Peter Effenberger and Shyam Hada run OneWorld – A Learning Center, grow herbs bio-dynamically and have built up the Nepali Gardens brand (tea, incense). The farm called Land of the Medicine Buddha was lucky when the violent earthquake struck. Although the farm is only 35 km from the epicentre of the earthquake, none of the employees was harmed. However, some have lost their houses and, because communications have been disrupted, there is still no information on the Chepang project belonging to the OneWorld Initiative that is located further away in the mountains.
 

Picture: Food rations being distributed in Kathmandu

Appeal for donations and specialists


Demeter partner OneWorld is now appealing for donations to set up soup kitchens and emergency accommodation and to help rebuild houses. Food, tents, timber, cement and bricks all have to be bought. The OneWorld team wants to concentrate in particular on the area surrounding their farm and the project region populated by the Chepang in the terai, because the population there has known the project workers and appreciated their input for many years. OneWorld guarantees the proper use of donations. The head of Demeter, Klemens Fischer, is appealing for solidarity with the aid campaign of the OneWorld Inititative. Demeter e.V. will support the aid campaign with a donation.

Picture: Destroyed house belonging to the farm team
 

Ralph Liebing, who is responsible for the market development of the Nepali Gardens brand in Europe and is also personally closely connected with the project, was able to acquire 300 robust family tents from the sports trade in Austria and they are now waiting to be transported to Nepal. One tent plus air freight costs around 160 euros. Moreover, they are looking for specialists who are prepared to help with rebuilding for at least two weeks. Above all, they need architects, bricklayers, carpenters and structural engineers, because the aim is to rebuild as many houses as possible before the monsoon begins. 

Picture: Emergency accommodation: whole families sheltering from the rain under a makeshift roof.


Donations can be sent to the following accounts


FAIR Bildung und Entwicklungshilfe e.V.
Volksbank Raiffeisenbank Dachau eG,

IBAN: DE57 7009 1500 0101 8050 61
 BIC: GENODEF1DCA
, purpose: Nepal
or:
Demeterbund Österreich, IBAN: AT72 1200 0006 1522 0407 BIC: BKAUATWW, Austria/ Unicredit, "Erdbebenhilfe Nepal"

Demeterbund Österreich, IBAN: AT72 1200 0006 1522 0407 BIC: BKAUATWW, Austria/ Unicredit, "Erdbebenhilfe Nepal"