Three months after a devastating earthquake in Nepal (25 April 2015) centred in Ghorka district that caused the death of 8,884 peoples, completely destroyed 598,400 houses and other 283,600 partially damaged, and 1 million in need of immediate food assistance and subsequently followed by a second earthquake on 12 May 2015, centred in Sindupalchowk district, Nepal now is on the road to recovery and rehabilitation. Technically, emergency phase is over but bigger challenges for recovery (physical and personal) now lie ahead that need adequate and sustenable response.

The Camillian Task Force-Italy will be sending Fr. Samuel (Sam) Cuarto, MI together with one volunteer from India Mr. Chand Pasha to finalize the design of the project and set-up the implementation plan. He will fly from Rome on August 30 and expected to remain in Nepal until October 15, 2015. They will work and coordinate closely with Caritas Nepal. Caritas Nepal have already a comprehensive plan for recovery and rehabilitation. The Camillian Task Force will work within this framework. It shares in the principles of building back better (BBB), in reducing vulnerability and building up resilience of local communities in an inclusive way. Furthermore, the Camillian Task Force promotes and works for the strengthening of social capital as approach to building up the resilience of communities affected by disasters. Fr. Sam has been with the CTF Italy since the beginning of the Ebola intervention program in Sierra Leone together with Bro. Luca Perletti, MI. His primary responsibility is program development for disaster interventions as well as building capacity of the CTF organizations in our different provinces and delegations.

Fr. Sam affirmed, that working within the framework, comprehensive intervention and priorities of Caritas Nepal, the Camillian Task Force shall draw up a LogFrame for its assigned area of intervention particularly in the area of psychosocial intervention which is barely lacking in the recovery efforts of Caritas Nepal and their networks. Furthermore, he claims that while the Camillian Task Force has gained experience in psychosocial support intervention, it is open to undertaking other activities within the domains of health and development consistently mindful that the focus of its intervention are the poorest of the poor and including those groups mentioned earlier as the most vulnerable. The duration of CTF intervention in Nepal is one year at the minimum and could extend up to 6 months. This mission will be led by CTF Italy in close collaboration with CTF India who had responded immediately at the height of the emergency delivering healthcare services to the remotest villages affected by the earthquake.