KATHMANDU, MARCH 5

US Ambassador to Nepal, Randy W. Berry, along with United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Nepal Mission Director Sepideh Keyvanshad, handed over two newly reconstructed secondary schools to the Government of Nepal on Friday.

The small ceremony saw the attendance of National Reconstruction Authority (NRA)'s Chief Executive Officer, Sushil Gyawali, and Asian Development Bank's (ADB) Officer-in-chief, Sharad Bhandari.

The US government, through USAID, has partnered with the NRA, and the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology to complete the reconstruction of 29 permanent schools in Nepal. Today's event marks two more of those primary and secondary schools as ready for use.

During the event, Ambassador Berry said, "The US government shares Nepal's priority of getting children back in school. As part of this commitment, we partnered with the ADB and NRA to construct seismically safe, well-equipped, and child- and disabled-friendly schools. This reflects the longstanding and continued support of the American people to help rebuild a safer Nepal."

Since the 2015 earthquakes, the US government has invested more than $190 million in earthquake response and recovery.

Issuing a press release, the US Embassy in Kathmandu stated that for more than 70 years, the United States has had a strong and enduring partnership with Nepal, and the Embassy looks forward to continuing the friendship.