We have heard about the concept of ‘wealth from waste’, and have probably used it ONLY during craft classes. However, here is EcoBling, an Australian organization that is working in Nepal to help uplift those affected by the 2015 earthquakes.
A Little Background
On April 25th, 2015, an earthquake of magnitude 7.8 hit about 48 miles to the northwest of Kathmandu. It caused large-scale devastation of property and even lives. Sadly, this was just the start. Nepal experienced quite a few aftershocks in the following days. A 7.3 aftershock struck Kathmandu on May 12, and injured nearly 1,900 people and claimed the lives of over 100 people. The state was torn down.
Thanks to technology, Nepal soon received funding an aid to help in reviving from the quake. However, this too died with decreasing media coverage, and soon Nepal was left to survive on its own.
Enter EcoBling
EcoBling believes that nothing is ‘waste’. Materials that find their way to landfills are upscaled to gorgeous accessories by this organization. It also works towards rebuilding livelihoods that have been disaster-stricken.
The plight of the people in Nepal attracted EcoBling to rush there and help the civilians. They did not provide them with food or other kinds of aid but worked towards helping people uplift themselves from the disaster and lead a normal life, again.
EcoBling came up with a concept where they started working with the locals in Nepal and began creating some beautiful ornaments from the rubble found there, and 18 months ago, it launched a project called ‘Shake-It-Up Nepal’.
How Does This Help The Locals
The main aim of EcoBling was to help people uplift themselves, and for someone who has lost almost everything in an earthquake, the most important aspect to come back to normality is the need for money.
EcoBling, with the help of the locals in Nepal, not only creates beautiful jewellery out of the rubble but at the same time ’employs’ the people and pays them approximately $20 AUD per hour, ensuring the growth of the people.
Soon, the products created will be up for sale on EcoBling’s website. Their initiative brings to light the fact that one just needs an idea to grow and facilitate growth. At the same time, it is sad to know that most of our efforts die the minute the media stops covering it. We talk about globalization and world peace but fail to justify it when the time comes.
The action that an organization all the way from Australia has taken for Nepal is so simple yet so thoughtful. If countries all over the world just cared to understand this interdependence, the world would definitely be a better place to live in.
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