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The Fifth Floor

Factual: Life Stories

Global stories from the BBC’s 40 Language Services, with Faranak Amidi

Faranak Amidi presents global stories from the Fifth Floor, home to the BBC’s 40 Language Services.

Faranak Amidi presents global stories from the Fifth Floor, home to the BBC’s 40 Language Services

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The Fifth Floor: Rebuilding Nepal

Documentaries

Rebuilding Nepal

22/04/2016 GMT

BBC World Service - The Fifth Floor, Rebuilding Nepal

Survival and new beginnings: a year after the earthquake through the eyes of BBC Nepali

A year after the earthquake, David Amanor joins BBC Nepali in Kathmandu. But as he discovers, there's more to Nepal than earthquakes, Everest and temples.

This week The Fifth Floor comes from the studios of BBC Nepali in Kathmandu.  It's a year since the devastating earthquake of 25 April 2015, which left more than 8000 people dead and half a million homeless.

The BBC Nepali team share memories of living and reporting the disaster. Producer Gani Ansari was the only person on duty and had to take shelter under a desk. Editor Rabindra Mishra was driving when the earthquake struck and had no idea whether his family had survived. Once team members were reassured that their families were safe, they all headed to work.

To mark the anniversary, reporters have travelled to the worst-affected areas to find out how survivors are trying to rebuild lives and livelihoods. BBC Nepali's Sanjaya Dhakal has been further afield, flying to Santiago, Chile to ask why Chile leads the world in earthquake preparedness. 

David also asks what it means to be a Nepali. In a country of more than one hundred ethnic groups and as many languages and dialects, is there a national identity?  Gani Ansari explains Nepal's miteri friendship system which builds bridges between communities. When he was 5 years old, he became the 'mit' of a 5-year-old Hindu boy in his village, as organised by the two grandmothers. Gani is Muslim, but he and his mit are totally accepted in each others' families.
 
A year on from the earthquake, reconstruction is still painfully slow.  Presenter David Amanor visits the BBC Media Action programme Sajha Sawal, or Common Questions, that lets ordinary Nepalis hold their leaders to account.  He spoke to presenter Bidhya Chapagain about their recording this week with the head of the National Reconstruction Authority.

Image: Buildings being restructured in the town of Singati in Nepal's Dolakha district
Credit: Gani Ansari/BBC Nepali

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