Locals of Jugedi Pari in Dhading’s Naubise VDC are more than gratified after they were handed over 30 earthquake-resistant houses with proper sanitation, road and solar light facilities by Asian Paints Nepal on Sunday.

Terming the day as “Day for Solidarity”, the company granted the facilities to mark a day of new beginning for those who lost their houses to the quake in the VDC.  

The bamboo and mud houses were built with local participation while the funds, materials and technical education were imparted through collective effort

of Asian Paints group and

SEEDS, an INGO who has been working in Nepal for post-quake relief support.

The locals organised a ceremony, on Sunday, in the village to welcome the group of contributors who provided them shelters.

The locals lived in poorly-managed makeshift tents for months post-quake before Asian Paints Nepal stepped up the relief effort. “We were living in tents with no proper facilities but now we have fine structures, road, solar lights and toilets to protect us,” Jiwan Rai, a local youth said. “The houses were ready in a month and we started living there post-October.”

“Asian paints group has healed wounds of these villagers by minimising their woes and providing them rooftops along with water and health facilities,” VDC Chief Khem Bahadur Khatri said, “The locals will never forget the support from Asian Paints Group and SEEDS.

Meenakshi Raghubanshi, representative of Seeds India, a volunteer organisation which imparted technical knowledge to the villagers said, “Our work here was not focused only on reconstruction. Not only the earthquake resistant houses we also handed over technical capabilities to the villagers.”

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Laxmi Gopal Shrestha Chairman of Asian Paints Nepal said: “The Company is committed towards welfare of Nepali society and we will continue to aid and support those in need in the future as well.  Apart from the emergency relief on field, We have also donated Rs19,000,00 in Prime minister relief fund as a part of our corporate social responsibility.”

Apart from the house grant, the Company had initially reached out to victims of earthquake through an emergency relief effort in Lalitpur and Makwanpur Districts.

“The Gorkha Earthquake of Baisakh 12, 2072 was a tragic moment for Nepal which left many citizens without a roof above their head and without families to lean upon. Asian Paints Nepal has tried to extend helping hands to victims in form of financial and in-kind support,” the company said in a statement.