Singapore Red Cross to rebuild 70 community facilities, with focus on education and healthcare

Singapore, 15 September 2015 – Five months post-Nepal earthquake, the Singapore Red Cross has identified and committed to rebuild 70 community facilities in the most severely affected districts of Dolakha, Dhading, Gorkha, Sindupalchowk and Khotang. These include 39 schools (for 8,000 students), 21 medical facilities, 10 community halls, a residential facility for vulnerable children and women, and water solutions, totalling S$6.2 million.

A Singapore Red Cross team led by its Secretary General/CEO, Mr Benjamin William, is in Kathmandu, Nepal, to work out details and finalise the arrangements for the rebuilding projects that will benefit vulnerable groups such as children, women and elderly.

“We have taken the approach to provide holistic support for specific village development committees which comprise a number of villages”, said Mr William. “We have also worked with local partners to identify the most devastated and needy communities, some of which are in very remote locations. This will allow us to make a meaningful difference in the lives of many communities and families. Our emphasis on rebuilding schools is also part of our desire to invest in the future of these communities.”

“To ensure that these projects are completed efficiently and meet the local authority standards, we have also met with officials from the Education and Urban Development departments to understand their requirements for these community facilities. We have in turn emphasised to our partners the need to obtain all the needed approvals from the relevant local authorities, as well as to meet our own high standards of governance and financial management.”

The Singapore Red Cross will continue to work with its partners to identify more projects to assist the affected communities in this recovery phase. The public appeal launched on 28 April collected over S$11 million in donations, of which more than S$600,000 was disbursed in the immediate relief phase for the distribution of relief items and emergency supplies, as well as the deployment of five medical teams and medical supplies.

Please refer to attachment, Annex A, for rebuilding projects in Nepal.