Kathmandu, April 6
USAID/Nepal Deputy Mission Director Karen Welch, Mayor of Gaindakot Municipality Madan Bhakta Adhikari, representatives from the engineering and local construction community have participated in the launch of two laboratories that test construction materials for their strength, durability and sustainability in Nawalpur and Kathmandu districts.
USAID is partnering with the private sector to establish a new construction material testing laboratory in Nawalparasi district and upgrade the existing laboratory in the Kathmandu valley to meet the high demand for reliable testing of construction materials post the 2015 Gorkha earthquake.
These labs will help ensure that construction materials used in Nepal meet modern safety standards, making buildings and infrastructure more resilient in the event of future natural disasters.
"This reflects the long-standing and continued support of the American people to a more prosperous and resilient Nepal," Welch has been quoted as saying in a press statement.
USAID has also awarded grants to two private sector companies to build mobile applications that will bridge the communication gap between service seekers and service providers in the repair andmaintenance sector and construction material supply chain. These apps will help make it easier for individuals and organisations in Nepal to access reliable construction services and materials.
Since the 2015 earthquakes, the US government has invested more than $190 million in earthquake response and recovery in Nepal. This funding helped homeowners rebuild more than 16,000 homes using modern safety standards, trained more than 15,000 engineers, contractors, architects, masons, and carpenters on earthquake-resistant construction techniques, and supported the reconstruction of twenty-nine state-of-the-art schools and seven health facilities in mainly remote areas of Nepal.
These facilities are now providing critical health and education services to more than 240,000 Nepalis, the majority of whom are from historically disadvantaged ethnic groups and communities.
Overall, USAID's efforts are helping to promote a more prosperous and resilient Nepal.
The new construction material testing laboratory and upgraded Kathmandu valley laboratory, as well as the mobile applications, will contribute to the continued recovery and reconstruction efforts in Nepal, ensuring that buildings and infrastructure meet modern safety standards and are better able to withstand natural disasters.
A version of this article appears in the print on April 7, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
