Flood Relief and Education Support in Nuwakot and Rasuwa, Nepal
When the floods struck Nuwakot and Rasuwa, Nepal, relief began arriving in places that could be reached by road. But beyond those roads were remote villages where families had lost everything—and where almost no one knew help was needed.
Among the people affected were communities close to Laxmi Magar’s own village.
Laxmi is an 11-time national mountain bike champion and the founder of Nepal Cycling School. But when disaster struck, she faced a challenge far more urgent than any race: reaching families who had been cut off from the outside world.
First Visit: Reaching Isolated Village with Immediate Relief
Homes and businesses had been swept away. Many people had lost loved ones and were sheltering with neighbours and relatives. Electricity lines had been destroyed, communication had stopped, and even basic tasks—such as milling rice—had become impossible. Reaching the villages meant traveling for nearly three hours from the city along rough off-road routes where vehicles rarely go.
Most relief supplies were reaching areas connected by good roads. The isolated villages of Siyale, Kuwa Paani and Mahabhir in Nuwakot remained largely out of contact and without support.
Laxmi decided to act.
One of her students’ parents, who runs an organization, helped gather immediate relief supplies for approximately 200 families. On 27 August 2026, just two days after the floods, Laxmi and her team began their journey to Siyale. The next day, they reached the village and became the first group to deliver relief supplies there.
But Laxmi did not simply distribute aid and leave. She listened.
The villagers told her that they urgently needed electricity—not only for light at night, but also to charge their phones and reconnect with the outside world. They needed basic medicines such as paracetamol and oral rehydration salts. They needed food, communication and reassurance that they had not been forgotten.
Second Visit: Food, Solar Power and Support for Multiple Villages
As news of Laxmi’s work spread, friends in Nepal and abroad began offering support. She used the donations to search for solar-powered lights and additional food supplies. Solar lights were difficult to find because demand was high across the flood-affected areas. Fortunately, the parents of another student helped locate 20 small solar power units and donated them to the villages.
On 1 September, Laxmi and her team returned to Nuwakot for a second relief mission. This time, the Taekwondo community of Nuwakot also joined the effort, contributing additional relief supplies. They distributed food and solar power units to families in three remote villages: Kuwa Paani, Mahabhir and Siyale. During that visit, they discovered even more victims—families who had not appeared on official lists and had not yet received support.
Third Visit: Discovering the Education Crisis
When Laxmi returned to Kathmandu, more people came forward to help. Rather than wait for a large organization or a perfect plan, she continued identifying the most urgent needs and using the resources available.
On 4 September, she returned for a third visit.
By then, 11 days had passed since the floods. Many families had lost hope of recovering the bodies of their loved ones and had begun funeral rites. Laxmi and her team went from house to house, speaking directly with the affected families.
They learned that the disaster had taken more than homes and possessions. It had also taken away the children’s access to education.
Schools had been swept away or damaged. Children had lost their books, notebooks, schoolbags and other learning materials. Their families did not know when classes would resume—or how their children could continue studying in the meantime.
The parents told Laxmi that even simple educational materials would make an enormous difference.
Fourth Visit: Delivering Educational Materials to Children
She listened, returned to Kathmandu and began planning.
A few days later, she went back to the villages with books, notebooks and other learning supplies so the children could study at home while longer-term solutions were explored. Laxmi is now working to find sustainable ways to reconnect these children with education and help them return to school.
Rasuwa Mission: Reaching Families Still Waiting for Relief
At the same time, families in nearby villages of Rasuwa were still waiting for relief. Laxmi took a truck loaded with food supplies to the affected communities. The journey became a four-day round trip because the main highway had been destroyed by the floods, while landslides frequently blocked the narrow rural roads.
Every journey has taken time, effort and courage. But Laxmi continues to go where others cannot easily reach.
Her work is not only about delivering food, medicine, solar lights or school supplies. It is about finding the people who have been overlooked. It is about listening to families, understanding what they need next and reminding them that they are not alone.
The immediate emergency may eventually fade from the headlines. But for the families of Nuwakot and Rasuwa, recovery will take months and years. Children need education. Families need safe homes and livelihoods. Communities need reliable communication, electricity and long-term support.
How You Can Support the Project
Laxmi is now seeking volunteers, donors, organizations, educators and anyone with ideas that can help create sustainable educational services for children in the affected villages.
You can support her work by:
- Contributing educational materials, food, medicine or solar power units
- Supporting transportation to remote communities
- Volunteering your time and skills
- Connecting her with schools, educators, relief organizations or development groups
- Sharing her story so more people learn about the villages still waiting for help
- Offering practical ideas for long-term education and recovery
- Making a monetary donation or Setting up a monthly contribution
Now, the children and families she reached need others to walk with her.
Together, we can help them rebuild—not only their homes, but also their hope, education and future.