Updated August 2021

On April 25, 2015, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Nepal, killing more than 9,000, injuring more than 23,000, and leaving tens of thousands lacking food, shelter, and water. Aftershocks continued in the following days and months, including a 7.3 magnitude quake on May 12 that killed or injured another 2,700.

In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, Nepali students at MIT raised funds to send back home. They also requested that MIT assist in addressing the country’s plight. In response, the MIT Chancellor at the time, Cynthia Barnhart, asked History Professor Jeffrey Ravel to coordinate the Institute’s efforts.  Since then, the MIT-Nepal Initiative has sent MIT researchers and students to Nepal to work in fields ranging from energy, to WASH (water/sanitation/hygiene), to sustainable architecture, to education. These efforts are ongoing, and we continue to expand our networks in Nepal and across the MIT campus. 

We are guided by two core principles in this work:

• Engage in projects that will benefit the people of Nepal.
• Seek enriching educational experiences for MIT researchers and students.

On this web site you will find descriptions of current projects in Nepal and past work we have undertaken.  In spite of the pandemic, our work continues.  We welcome all members of the MIT community who wish to participate in this work, and we invite all Nepalis who have ideas for collaborations to contact us.

Launch of the ECC Vial Kit, Kathmandu, Nepal, January 2020.