Prince William speaks to charity rebuilding Nepal schools after deadly floods
The Prince of Wales spoke to the charity aiding recovery efforts after a ‘tsunami wave’ of floodwater hit the Nepal-Tibet border three weeks ago.
Prince William has spoken with charity staff rebuilding Nepal after devastating flash flooding killed over 1,300 people.
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The fatal flash flooding occured when a ‘tsunami wave’ of floodwater was triggered by a glacial collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border three weeks ago. Around 5,000 people are still missing, including more than 30 British nationals.
Build Up Nepal assists those living in towns and rural areas in building affordable, eco-friendly, disaster-resilient homes. The charity spoke to The Prince of Wales about its work over a phone call.
The social enterprise, founded after a large earthquake struck Nepal in 2015, is preparing to build temporary shelters and learning centres and rebuild safe schools for displaced children following the fatal flooding.
Around 7,500 homes, as well as entire villages and towns, were wiped out on August 26, according to Kensington Palace.
Read more: Charles makes personal donation to British Red Cross after flash floods devastate Nepal
Build Up Nepal was a finalist in the 2024 edition of William’s Earthshot Prize, when it was recognised for “revolutionising house building with a low-carbon and cost-effective alternative to clay-fired bricks”.
On the call on Friday were Bjorn Soderberg, the co-founder of Build Up Nepal, and the company’s partnerships manager Shweta Sijapati.
The Prince of Wales also spoke to Aashish Gautam, a civil engineer at partner company Community Impact Nepal.
“Sorry that we are chatting at such a difficult time for you guys, but I know how brilliant you’re probably doing out there, and how necessary your solutions and your product is to help people in Nepal,” William told them, in a video of the call posted on Instagram.
“I just wanted to check in and really hear from you guys what it’s like on the ground and what kind of plans you hope to put in place and maybe what some of the barriers are at the moment for you to be able to help more people.”
This comes as the King made a personal donation to the British Red Cross’s disaster fund for the Nepal flash floods, the humanitarian charity has announced.
In a message of condolence, Charles said he and the Queen were “heartbroken” and sent their “most profound sympathy” to those affected by the “devastating” floods.
Nepal Red Cross teams were among the first to respond to the emergency, with volunteers working around the clock to help those affected.
The British Red Cross is working closely with the Nepal Red Cross Society, including on life-saving support, long‑term recovery, health services, and water and sanitation interventions.
Rajesh Srivastava, British Red Cross regional representative for South and East Asia, said: “Nobody knows how many people are still trapped under the mud as the full impact continues to emerge.
“The ground reality is much more challenging than what we are seeing in the media.
"Houses are completely submerged in mud, with mud levels reaching 15 to 20 metres high.
“The weather conditions are extreme here, and they are making the response even more difficult.
“One of the things I have noticed is that most of the staff and volunteers have also been severely impacted.
“They are in a state of shock. They have lost their homes and, in some cases, their nearest and dearest. But despite these challenges, they are still working tirelessly.”
Nepal held a day of mourning on Monday to remember those who died, with government offices lowering flags and family members carrying out rituals.