School Relief, Nepal

Following the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, Suman Kumar provided temporary shelters for people whose homes had been destroyed by the disaster. Suman collaborated with an American organisation to design and manufacture machines that made temporary shelters. By partnering with over 130 organisations and individuals, they were able to deliver over 5,300 shelters which housed over 26,000 earthquake victims. The structure of the shelter was designed so that all construction materials could be sourced within Nepal, ensuring sustainability and making the project economically viable whilst also supporting domestic industry. The shelters were also designed so that when they were taken apart, the components of the structure could be used to assemble more permanent buildings or homes. The President of Nepal voiced his support for the project, boosting visibility in the early stages. Many schools were destroyed by the earthquake and so Suman cofounded School Relief to rebuild schools and help children to return to education as quickly as possible. School Relief uses earthquake resistant technology to rebuild schools, making them more durable and increasing capacity for learning. School Relief has rebuilt the Shree Daurali Mahakali Primary School in the Nuwakot area, enabling 25 children to return to school to date. Interlocking brick technology is used to provide structural reinforcement for the new schools. School Relief plans to build many more schools in the coming year and is currently fundraising to ensure that as many children as possible have access to secure learning facilities in Nepal. At the One Young World 2017 Bogotá Summit, Suman met some Ambassadors from GE who have subsequently worked with him to aid his fundraising efforts and support his work.