• 
• 
• 
• 

In April 2015, a massive earthquake struck Nepal, flattening entire villages and leaving hundreds of thousands of people homeless. In helping the country build back safely, Build Change now has more than 30 staff – mostly Nepali citizens – on the ground to provide the hardest hit communities with the tools to construct earthquake-resistant buildings.

In the past year, Build Change has worked alongside local builders, homeowners, NGOs, and government offices to advance the long and slow process of recovery. This includes providing training to local masons so they can learn to rebuild their homes and schools using cement instead of mud. It means preparing homeowners with the right knowledge to rebuild safely and collaborating with a community theater group to engage the public. And it involves educating government officials so they can enforce the building codes properly.

The right construction techniques can help make any single building safer. But Build Change depends on the dedication, passion, and innovation of Nepal’s own citizens to create permanent change for the entire country.

Getting the right tech to the places that need it most

Many of the Nepali districts served by Build Change are badly damaged and accessible only through muddy roads and shallow streams during the rainy season. It takes all types of construction technologies to make a difference in these communities – from the most basic tape measures and shovels to higher technology like cellphones, laptops, and tablets. When technical engineering is required, Build Change will count on Autodesk tools like AutoCAD, run to their max on reliable Lenovo workstations such as the ThinkStation P310 and ThinkPad P70.

“We don’t work for people – we work with them. From scouting for employees to training builders and working with homeowners, we work with people in the areas impacted by the earthquake.”