Donation
Project Background
Many schools in far-west Nepal continue to operate in traditional or non-engineered buildings with limited protective measures for children during earthquakes. Difficult terrain, scattered settlements, limited technical resources and weak quality-control systems further constrain school-safety improvements. The 2015 Gorkha Earthquake reinforced the need for practical, scalable measures that reduce immediate risk while longer-term retrofitting and reconstruction continue.
The Earthquake Desk is an interim life-safety measure: a precisely manufactured classroom desk intended to provide students with a stronger protective space during seismic shaking. Phase 3 moves beyond isolated prototypes by building local production capacity, introducing quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC), prioritizing vulnerable classrooms, and seeking government support for monitoring and endorsement.
Why Earthquake Desks?
They provide an immediately deployable protective measure for children in buildings that cannot yet be replaced or retrofitted. The project combines the product with manufacturing controls, classroom planning and government oversight.
Project Purpose
To create safer learning environments in vulnerable schools through the Nepal-based production and placement of quality Earthquake Desks, while establishing the technical, institutional and coordination systems needed for reliable scaling.
Specific objectives
- Co-develop practical processes for volume production of Nepal-made Earthquake Desks.
- Prepare initial QA/QC guidelines and promote standardized manufacturing and certification.
- Identify and prioritize high-risk classrooms and prepare appropriate desk layouts.
- Strengthen coordination among governments, schools, manufacturers and technical partners.
- Build awareness, institutional capacity and government commitment for sustainable school safety.
Target Groups
- Students and teachers in vulnerable schools
- School management and local governments
- Local desk manufacturers and fabricators
- Engineers, technical institutions and DRR stakeholders
Expected Results
- A Nepal-based production process capable of delivering precisely manufactured desks at limited volume.
- Local manufacturers with improved technical knowledge, production discipline and understanding of required safety standards.
- Initial QA/QC guidance for manufacture, inspection, approval and ongoing monitoring.
- Priority classrooms identified through seismic vulnerability, student need and implementation feasibility.
- Earthquake Desks delivered and positioned in selected classrooms, supported by layout planning and handover arrangements.
- Stronger collaboration among NSET, GHI, municipalities, schools, manufacturers, technical institutions and communities.
- Greater government ownership of desk quality, school earthquake preparedness and replication pathways.
Implementation & Monitoring
NSET serves as the national technical and implementation contributor, coordinating closely with GHI and local stakeholders. Progress will be tracked through workplan updates, technical meetings, stakeholder consultations, manufacturer support, classroom assessments, monitoring visits, desk-placement records, QA/QC documentation and final reporting. Procurement and service management will follow NSET procedures and donor compliance requirements.
Sustainability
Sustainability will be pursued through trained local manufacturers, practical QA/QC systems, government endorsement and monitoring, municipal and school ownership, technical documentation, and continued collaboration to replicate the model in other vulnerable schools.