On August 26, 2026, devastating flooding struck Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, and surrounding areas, causing significant loss of life, displacement, and destruction of homes and infrastructure. As the scale of the disaster became clear, the <a href="https://nusan.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nepal-U.S. Alumni Network (NUSAN)</a> convened its alumni family to coordinate a collective response. August 26: Convening and SolidarityNUSAN convened on short notice to discuss a coordinated response. The discussion covered four key areas: checking in on members' well-being, issuing a solidarity statement, planning fundraising efforts, and mapping the way forward. The response was structured across three phases: rescue, relief, and recovery. <img src="https://nusan.sgp1.digitaloceanspaces.com/notice/notice/vvab6-1788777042125-day-1.png"> A solidarity statement was issued the same day, expressing condolences to affected families and appealing to members and the broader Nepali community to stay engaged in supporting rescue and relief efforts, while cautioning against the spread of misinformation during the crisis. As part of immediate outreach, NUSAN identified and personally reached out to members from the affected districts to check on their well-being. All members contacted confirmed they were safe. August 27: Channeling Fundraising Support to the PM Disaster Relief FundNUSAN made a deliberate decision to channel fundraising support directly to the Prime Minister's Disaster Relief Fund. On August 27, NUSAN asked all its members to support the fund through financial contributions, and extended the same appeal to all interested members of the public. This effort was supported by promoting the official donation gateway (<a href="http://pmdrf.nchl.com.np" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://pmdrf.nchl.com.np/</a> and <a href="https://donate.gov.np/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://donate.gov.np/</a> ), which supports domestic and international donations via card, mobile banking, connectIPS, UPI, and other wallets. August 29 to September 3: In-Kind Relief CollectionNUSAN coordinated an in-kind relief collection drive, with a defined list of priority items including medicines and first-aid supplies, baby food, diapers, sanitary pads, water purifiers, ready-to-eat food, hygiene supplies, blankets, and clothing. A drop-off point was set up at the NUSAN Office, Kalopul, open daily from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM, coordinated by NUSAN members Smita Singh and Purnima Chalise. Clothing donations followed specific guidelines (clean, undamaged, and paired items) to ensure dignity for recipients. Collections were extended to the general public, with NUSAN members staffing the office to receive walk-in contributions.<img src="https://nusan.sgp1.digitaloceanspaces.com/notice/notice/lge4q-1788777069435-img_1423.png"> September 3 and 4: Packaging and Segregation of In-Kind ContributionsTo prepare the collected materials for an efficient and dignified handover, NUSAN members screened all in-kind contributions received from members and non-members alike. Each item was sorted and segregated by category: clothing, food items, hygiene and sanitation supplies, medicines, and baby and infant essentials, and checked for quality and usability. Clothing donations were reviewed against the earlier shared guidelines, ensuring only clean, undamaged, and wearable items were retained, while items not meeting these standards were set aside. This screening and packaging process ensured that materials arriving at the affected areas were ready for immediate distribution, without requiring further sorting on the ground, and helped receiving teams prioritize and allocate supplies efficiently across different holding centers and needs. September 5: Blood Donation ProgramNUSAN, in collaboration with <a href="https://internationalclub.com.np/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The International Club</a>, Sanepa, and the <a href="https://nrcs.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Nepal Red Cross Society</a>, Lalitpur, organized a Blood Donation Program on Saturday, September 5, 2026, from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM at The International Club, Sanepa. A total of 25 participants, including members from both the U.S. Exchange Alumni and U.S. Graduate Alumni communities, took part in the program. The initiative was organized to support the blood requirements of recent flood survivors and contribute to relief efforts during this difficult time. The program was promoted as a call to action for members and the wider community to directly support flood survivors and frontline responders. September 6: Dispatch of Relief MaterialsNUSAN dispatched all collected in-kind relief materials to the affected districts. Collected and dispatched items included: Kids' clothes, Jeevan Jal, soap, sanitary pads, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, mineral water, water purifiers, packaged ready-to-eat food, baby wipes, glucose, Wai Wai, real juice, blankets, slippers, baby food powder, salt, biscuits, women's innerwear, sattu, sleeping mats, infant clothes, herbal mosquito repellent body spray, bedsheets, men's clothes (summer/winter), jerseys, canned sausages and fish, dalmot, women's clothes (summer/winter), beaten rice, rice, baby diapers, men's shoes, pillowcases, baby toys, teenager clothes, bottles, and mixed basic medicines. <ol><li data-list="bullet" class="ql-align-justify">To Nuwakot: Two vehicles carrying medicines, infant and baby items, clothes, and other relief materials were dispatched and distributed across three different holding centers running in Nuwakot. The remaining items were handed over to a team coordinating further dispatch to additional locations.</li><li data-list="bullet" class="ql-align-justify">To Rasuwa: One vehicle was dispatched in collaboration and coordination with the <a href="https://www.sanopaila.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sano Paila</a> team. The materials were directed to the safe house currently holding flood-affected individuals and families from Bogatitar and Uttar Gaya, Rasuwa.</li></ol><img src="https://nusan.sgp1.digitaloceanspaces.com/notice/notice/ml7x4-1788777199163-img_1616.png"> Looking AheadThe Nepal-U.S. Alumni Network (NUSAN) would like to thank all its members and non-members who supported these initiatives. Every contribution, big or small, made a meaningful difference for the communities affected by this disaster. As we wrap up this phase, we look forward to a broader opportunity for further work, especially in:<ol><li data-list="bullet" class="ql-align-justify">Mobilizing our networks and the expertise of our members</li><li data-list="bullet" class="ql-align-justify">Raising our voice for climate justice, and more</li></ol> If you have further ideas on how we can proceed, or would like to collaborate or offer suggestions for additional projects and initiatives, please feel free to write to us at <a href="mailto:info@nusan.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">info@nusan.org</a>, or <a href="mailto:sg@nusan.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sg@nusan.org</a>.

Alumni in Action: NUSAN's Journey Through Nepal's Flood Relief Efforts

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