Emergency Response

Standing with the people of the Himalaya

As we approach the 10 year anniversary of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, will you support AHF to be there for vulnerable communities?

You can also donate directly to
AHF (Account #: 302381 | BSB: 032-298)

Nepal’s 2015 Earthquake: 10 Years On

Earthquake emergency response & rebuilding

On April 25th 2015, when a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Nepal, AHF immediately pivoted to emergency response, leveraging our long-standing local partnerships to deliver medical aid, emergency shelter, clean drinking water and other critical supplies to those most in need. 

Ten years on, our long-term recovery efforts have focused on rebuilding schools, training teachers and improving healthcare facilities, ensuring communities are better prepared for future challenges. However, these communities continue to face poverty, hardship and the ever-present and increasing threat of natural disasters. 

The dedication of our local partners and Australian supporters enables us to remain committed to empowering the people of Nepal and honouring their incredible strength and perseverance.

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Responding to the 2015 earthquake

2 emergency medical clinics

established to respond to the immediate health needs in Sotang and Kinja, which had been cut off

80 locals trained

in masonry and school retrofitting as part of the reconstruction project, creating a skilled local labour force

1,600 teachers

received psychosocial counselling and training to support earthquake-affected children and families

30 temporary learning centres

built to get children back in school as soon as possible while their schools were being reconstructed

87 classrooms

rebuilt using earthquake-resistant designs across 26 different schools in the Everest region

$1.3 Million provided

by AHF supporters for the emergency response and rebuild and reconstruction program

Mountaineers respond

Volunteer disaster relief workers

Following the April 25th earthquake, Andrew Lock OAM and Geoff Bartram OAM—renowned mountaineers and trained disaster relief workers—travelled to the lower Solukhumbu, where no aid had yet arrived. Teaming up with Nepali medics, REED Nepal staff and porters, they transported hundreds of kilos of emergency supplies, including food, water, medical essentials and shelter materials. Amid the destruction (and enduring the powerful magnitude 7.3 May 12th aftershock), they distributed aid, provided medical care and coordinated evacuations for those in critical need. The group reached over 20 villages, delivering urgent relief and gathering vital information for AHF. In recognition of their efforts, Andrew and Geoff were awarded the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal.

Himalayan Art Award

Art therapy

In 2015 the Himalayan Art Award winners traveled to the Solukhumbu to aid in earthquake relief efforts, supported by the Australian Himalayan Foundation and REED Nepal. The artists dedicated their time to conducting art therapy sessions for over 300 students and teachers from across the region at MehandraJyoti Secondary School in Chaurikharka. Students used art to express their trauma and were invited to understand more about their relationship to their environment through these workshops.

  • "It seemed that the majority of damage was to schools. Frugal building budgets and basic local materials comprising mostly rock and mud, had created structures that were in no way designed to cope with the massive shaking of two 7+ magnitude earthquakes. Rock wall collapses had rendered most schools inoperable or only partially functioning. One can only look to the skies and thank God that school was out when both quakes occurred. But even after that second shake, those optimistic, innocent and stoic children returned to their schools either to sit on the ground outside damaged classrooms or under makeshift structures. That optimism and commitment gave me greater hope for the rebuilding and indeed the future of Nepal, than any other image."

    — Andrew Lock, mountaineer, AHF Ambassador & volunteer disaster relief worker

  • “Nothing prepared me for the sensation of the earthquake. We were climbing up to a ridge, me behind Andrew and I said to him that a helicopter was coming. The whooomp, whooomp noise got louder and then the hillside began to shake, rocks started to come from above. It was over as quickly as it started within a short distance we came across the first family outside their house which was still standing, but split from the ground to the roof of the two storeys.”

    — Geoff Bartram, mountaineer & AHF volunteer disaster relief worker

  • “Working with the school teachers, principal and local parents was an inspiring process. Whilst we were teaching the school about some of the latest ideas in education design, we learnt far more from them about resilience and the value of community.”

    — Neill Johanson & Tom Singleton, Davenport Campbell architects

  • “Us being there gave people the confidence support would come and they would not be left to rebuild alone, that we would be there to help and the sort of support that communities need to look to a future, like rebuilding schools and getting kids back to education”

    — Geoff Bartram, AHF volunteer disaster relief worker

  • "We were so proud of our supporters – our AHF family. Your love of the Himalaya came to the fore in 2015, you could not wait to give. You were ringing us daily to ask us what was happening in Nepal, and how you could help. You volunteered your time, your support, your funds. This response was, and continues to be, an inspiration for our organisation."

    — The AHF Team

  • “In the wake of the devastating 2015 earthquake in Nepal, REED Nepal, with invaluable support from the Australian Himalayan Foundation, embarked on a transformative journey to rebuild schools in the Solukhumbu region. Our approach went beyond constructing buildings; we committed to fostering hope and empowering local communities and governments. Together, we worked to ensure that future generations have access to safe and nurturing learning environments. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this vital mission - you are helping make quality education a reality.”

    — Bhim Bogati, CEO REED Nepal 

  • “Earthquakes, and increasingly other natural disasters, are a part of life in Nepal. Thanks to our long-standing, vibrant relationships with partners on the ground and Australian supporters, AHF is able to respond quickly and effectively in the critical first weeks following a disaster. However, we are also there for the long haul, after the initial emergency response, through the whole process of building back better.”

    — Andrew Judge, CEO, Australian Himalayan Foundation

  • “I was just below Everest Base Camp at Gorak Shep when the earthquake struck and every second that it shook the mighty Himalayas I wondered if we would survive as the ground slumped and avalanches poured from the peaks all around.”

    — Peter Hillary, AHF Founding Director & 2015 earthquake survivor

Our ongoing commitment

The Australian Himalayan Foundation is an agile, and responsive organisation, deeply connected to Nepal through our trusted local NGO partners.

When a magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Bahjang district in West Nepal in October 2023—where we support education and health programs—we acted swiftly, providing emergency shelter and constructing temporary learning centres. Since then, we’ve helped communities rebuild by renovating and reconstructing schools in Khaptadchhanna.

More recently, in August 2024, we supported the emergency response in Thame after two glacial lakes burst, flooding the Sherpa village. Through these efforts, we remain committed to standing with Himalayan communities in times of crisis and recovery.

Support us

A little goes a long way in helping to overcome disadvantage in the Himalaya. By making a one-off, annual or monthly donation to AHF, you can help communities become better equipped for future challenges, including natural disasters, which are an ongoing reality in Nepal. Ten years after the earthquake, progress has been made, but there is still so much more to do—especially for remote mountain communities.

Stories in the Media

  • Peter Hillary

    AHF Founding Director Peter Hillary on surviving the 2015 earthquake and AHF's rapid response

    Radio 2SM

  • Former REED Nepal officer Rati Maharjan, AHF Advisor Mark Morrissey & AHF Ambassador Andrew Lock on AHF's emergency relief efforts

    ABC Northern Tasmania

    Click Here
  • Neill Johanson

    Architect & mountaineer Neill Johanson shares his story trekking during the 2015 earthquake

    ABC Conversations

  • AHF Ambassador Andrew Lock shares his story as a volunteer disaster relief worker for AHF

    ABC Hobart

    Click Here

  • ‘A terrifying time’: NZ mountaineer Peter Hillary remembers Nepal‘s 2015 earthquake

    SBS Nepali

    Click Here

  • ‘A good news story out of the chaos’: Greg Mortimer OAM on building back better in Nepal

    Radio 4BC

    Click Here