Nepal is a land locked country bordered by India to the south, east and west and by China (Tibetan Autonomous region) to the north. Covering an area of 147,881 sq. km., Nepal is roughly rectangular in shape, with an average length from east to west of 885 km and a width from north to south varying between 145 to 241 km. Located on the lap of the Himalayas, Nepal’s elevation varies from 70 m to 8848 m (Mount Everest). Geographically, Nepal is divided into three parallel belts consisting of the mountains to the north, the hills in between, and the Terai plain to the south. The total population of the country is 26,494,504 (12,849,041 male and 13,645,463 female) according to the census report, 2011.

0.26% of the total population in Nepal are the indigenous Chepang people. They are one of the most marginalized nomadic groups in the country . Because they are very poor and don’t have enough land and food to survive for an entire year, they travel nomadically and often subsist on a diet of forest fruit and forest food. The majority of the Chepang settlements are in the hills of Gorkha, Dhadhing, Makwanpur and the Chitwan districts of Nepal. Their settlements are isolated and in remote areas which are prone to disaster.

One example of a community displaced by disaster are the Chepang of the Jirayat community who were living in the hill country of Makwanpur district. Three years ago, their houses and fertile land were all lost in a landslide. They had to find a safer place to live and moved to the district of Sarlahi.

Currently there are thirty-two (32) Chepang families (of the Jirayat community) now living in this area. They’ve built temporary shelters of straw and bamboo which are their homes (photo on left). The Sarlahi Municipality Office has provided some zinc sheets to be used for roofing. However, the shelters are open-sided and not protected from rain, wind, storms and the bitter cold. Sadly these people are unable to complete the construction of their shelters because the only available work is labouring, and the pay is very little.

When I (Rabindra Das) visited the Chepang community, I met with Indra Bahadur Chepang. He said that to complete each shelter with a cement block wall would cost at least Nrs. 30000 (USD 233) per house. I discussed this situation with the Deputy-Mayor, Ms. Pakhrin.

*My visit with the deputy mayor of the community. Inside the house of Indra Bahadur Chepang*

She will speak to the local business owners and ask them to assist with sand and stone for the blocks. This work, to complete the construction of thirty-two houses in the Jirayat community, could be a joint effort between Transform Nepal, Bagmati Municipality and the Chepang Community.

Indra Bhadur Chepang said that Chepangs have been compelled to live in unsafe and open houses. They are very hard-hit during cold weather when they suffer from winds and storms and it is unsecure and unpleasant during the nights. Completing the thirty-two houses will give them a safe and protected living environment.

Pr Rabindra Das

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