When a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal in April 2015, it brought devastation and heartache to the Himalayan country. This tragic disaster—which was followed by a series of powerful aftershocks— took more than 8,800 lives and damaged or destroyed more than 800,000 homes. The earthquake’s effects were far-reaching: collapsed schools, broken water systems, and lost sources of income among them.

Thanks to generous donations in the quake’s aftermath, the global Red Cross network was able to deliver lifesaving support and supplies to people in need. Nearly 8,000 Red Cross staff and volunteers mobilized to provide humanitarian aid such as medical care, emergency shelter, food, water, hygiene kits, blankets, kitchen items, and cash to help families survive in the critical days and weeks after the disaster. Demonstrating the power of crowd-sourcing in the midst of disasters, volunteers from around the globe made edits to digital, open-source maps—which were utilized by responders on the ground.

The American Red Cross continues to provide vital support in Nepal as people rebuild their lives and communities. This includes helping restore families’ sources of income, constructing water systems in remote villages, ensuring kids get vaccinated against diseases like measles, and teaching people the skills they need to make their homes safer during future disasters.