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One week after Nepal's devastating earthquake, millions are struggling to carry on

Kavre District, Nepal - May 3, 2015: With devastation as far as the eye can see, Kavre is one of the worst-hit districts in Nepal following the country's massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake of a week ago.

Within Kavre district, Rampur village symbolizes the utter devastation wrought. Most of the homes have been flattened to the ground. The vast majority of the area's residents, including women and young girls, are at hastily-erected camps for the displaced. Among them are pregnant women as well as new mothers and their babies.

The United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, is supporting its implementing partners, including the Family Planning Association of Nepal (FPAN), in Kavre and elsewhere, by providing lifesaving reproductive health and dignity kits, and working to prevent gender-based violence in the camps and other environments.

20-year-old Sajina Aryal was one of the many young women receiving sanitary pads and other essentials provided by UNFPA. "Without these items, our lives here would be even more miserable," Aryal noted.

"We wouldn't be able to function properly, and our trauma could be even worse. We're also grateful for any help we can get to stop men from abusing women in our camp. Such violence happens even during ordinary times in our village, and could get even worse at this time."

Many pregnant women in the wake of disasters need urgent obstetric care. In post-earthquake Nepal, there are an estimated 126,000 pregnant women, as of this writing, in need of urgent services. Sabina Danuwar, just 17 years of age, is one of them. The earthquake, Nepal's worst in almost a century, destroyed her flimsily-constructed home within seconds. "I was indoors when the ground starting shaking," Dauwar recounts.

"I ran away so fast without considering that I'm already three-months pregnant. Fortunately, I have enough food for now, but I need materials that meet my health needs. I need to protect myself and the baby inside me."

New mothers, including those who are breastfeeding, need special care as well. Rabina Danuwar is the mother of a 14-month-old boy. Her home, too, was destroyed on April 25, and her family is at a temporary camp for now. "I am glad you came to see us with concrete help," Danuwar said.

"Agencies who support us with action, and not just words, are genuine supporters. Even simple supplies like soap, scarves, saris and sanitary pads are so useful at this time. I can take better care of my baby if I can take better care of myself too."

Despite their misery and hardship in post-earthquake Nepal, millions of survivors are demonstrating that the human spirit endures, and triumphs. "I am so struck by the optimism and fortitude I've seen in Kavre and other affected areas," said Priya Marwah , UNFPA Asia-Pacific Humanitarian Response Coordinator.

"Even though many of the women and girls I met are traumatized, and it will be a while before their lives approach a semblance of normalcy again, they are helping each other -- and in the process helping themselves. UNFPA and its partners are there to ensure they get the support they need."

To support UNFPA's lifesaving work in Nepal, please donate whatever you can via Friends of UNFPA athttps://www.friendsofunfpa.org/NetCommunity/sup port/dn-nepal-earthquake-relief