Langtang valley, the closest trekking destination to the capital city of Kathmandu, is the site of the most significant catastrophe of the 2015 earthquake. Over 300 are estimated to have met with the tragic incident. The LanTherefore, the valley, which got immeasurably wrecked, was the next destination on our list for restoration. Once again, the MMA team, including the chairperson, set out for the survey.

earthquake damage school

The survey team was greatly traumatized to witness the demolition of the school building and was undoubtedly thinking about what would have been the gravity of the tragedy if only the earthquake had occurred sometime during the weekdays – it could have cost the lives of thousands of innocent kids. However, in Langtang, Rasuwa district building schools appeared more significant and the team geared up for the reconstruction. We build about five schools, three shelters, a water supply project, and three health posts in the district of Rasuwa, and the account of it goes as follows.

tin rasuwa

Due to the fuel shortage, we had difficulty finding the loaded truck to transport our building materials for the school. However, after much negotiation, we finally managed to get one who realized the excellent work that we were up to, and soon all went well. Once we got to the village – villagers, including the students, were all prepared to help to get the materials to the right place.

school building rasuwa

One of the most prominent schools in the region, Titanic size that we were to build as the number of students in this school of Langtang region was pretty vast. Still, with the support and consistency of the MMA team, it didn't take longer than we had speculated.

building school

mma with local

school builing rasuwa

The team gave their best to finish the started project of constructing the school and didn't bother about the high temperature or the heavy rain. We didn't stop, nor did we take a break; we went steady and achieved our goal of finishing it in good time since school was to resume the next day. Had we not done it for the sake of those little kids who were eager to see their new classrooms, they would have been sharing the tarp-tented classrooms in the burning heat the next day. Thanks to the MMA team.

school kids rasuwa

After school completion, we took a picture with the happy kids who showed up to help us through the day despite being a holiday. They were very pleased, and we were delighted to see the sunny smile on their face and the way they were acting and getting prepared for the next day's class.

The following day we divided our team into two different groups for two separate schools under the coordination of two professional leaders. Soon after breakfast, team 'A' hiked 500m below to the bottom of the valley to the village of Bansbhanjhyang, where the MMA team was to build a reasonable size classroom for the primary school. This was crucial regardless of the size of the students, as their cozy building was sternly hit hard by the earthquake and was skinny to the ground. And thanks to the villagers who equitably assisted the team in transporting the materials, making grounds for the pillars, and of course, the fabulous lunch.

mma guides rebuilding school

roofing school langtang

Once again, the team was getting all wrapped up for their assigned job.

student and villagers

working in langtang

The villagers of Bansbhanjyang were curious about how their new school would turn out, built by these amateur designers who turned out great.

villagers

By the time the second school's job in the Langtang region was done, and as we hiked up to our local shelter for our days off, Team' B' had just finished overbuilding the third school between the first and second. Hats off to our team for a great job, and then together, we took off, giving it a break for our next day's mission.

BETANG VILLAGE

This was our third conjugative day of continuous working in Langtang building schools. On that particular day, we ascended roughly 300m to the beautiful village of Betang. This primary school had a reasonable number of students and was one of the oldest schools ever established in the province. Mr. Pradeep Limbu, the chairperson of Mountain Monarch, was a vital part of the entire Langtang project and shared a good amount of inspiration and supervision.

work school

The moment we got to the site, the team, as usual, got into full swing with a great sense of humor and smiles. Few inspected the site, and with the instinct, much of a professional engineer started with the task of building a school that would certainly be worth our effort. They didn't need supervision; automatically, they divided themselves into several small sets and did things they thought best that would eventually make things more appropriate and attainable.

making school

working on field

School of Betang being reasonably sized, pillars are to be set up for the borderline, roof support, and additional pillar backing.

roof pinning

Since we started with the rehabilitation project of building shelters, schools, and health posts, we didn't have extensive equipment like a driller, molder, or chisel, but we did cope with doing a lot of essential tools. It could have taken days for an average person to build the size of the building that we were to construct in the village of Betang, but our teamwork was designed so that a day was enough.

happy with work

school roofing

school students langtang

After the accomplishment of our assignment, we were once more felicitated by the villagers with vermilion tika on our forehead and holy scarf. Some of our team, out of fun, interviewed a few of the students on what they think of our effort and what grading they would give us for building their new classrooms – to our astonishment, their answers were way escalating than we had expected – they said – they didn't suppose that anyone would be generous enough to come over to their remote settlement and do the things that we did. They were more of a hope of relief tarp-tents from the private or government organization. Each gave us 10 out of 10, and some rated us with a million hilarious stars. Soon we were led to a place where villagers had gathered to felicitate us again with a great dinner and local wine. The following day we were given a grand farewell, and most walked to the bus station to see us off where we had parked our motorbikes. Our next project was building a health post in the same region week later, which meant going back to Kathmandu and having a week off.

LANGTANG HEALTH POST

A week later, the team again set out for Rasuwa, Langtang region, to restructure the health post as people with common ailments were having a hectic time standing in a queue and being examined in the open against the fierce summer heat. So Mountain Monarch was determined to build a health shelter that would ease the villagers and was desperately pining for our arrival.

rasuwa building

roofing school angtang

The team arrived, and without troubling for a tea break, they underwent relentlessly with their tasks of construction as the weather didn't look much promising that day. Nevertheless, it didn't take long for us to set up the framework as, by this time, we were reasonably specialized in the structure procedures.

ram tour guide

This time with the health post, the MMA team includes leaders, assistant guides, and even the city tour guides who permanently work with Mountain Monarch. The equal share effort was well maintained till the completion, by which time the villagers had all assembled for another felicitation.

rebuilding school rasuwa

It was a great moment to treasure serving the people of these remote areas who were in grave need of liberation from the tragic incident that devastated them and their hope of advancement. Now we were to head back to the capital and prepare for our next assignment in the village of Pokhari, Dolakha district, to rehabilitate another school with the slogan "Rebuild with Mountain Monarch."