Nepal Earthquake Relief Efforts
On April 25, 2015, Nepal was struck by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake, the worst in eight decades. With its epicenter near Gorkha, just outside Kathmandu, the quake killed nearly 9,000 people, injured more than 22,000, and displaced 2.8 million. Entire villages were flattened, infrastructure collapsed, and communities were left without food, shelter, or medical care. Just weeks later, on May 12, a powerful 7.3-magnitude aftershock struck again near Mount Everest, compounding the devastation and fear.
Within hours of the first quake, Bumi Sehat’s Robin Lim received a call from Direct Relief asking the inevitable question: “Are you going?” Known for responding with compassion in times of disaster, Bumi Sehat mobilized swiftly. Partnering with One Heart World Wide, midwives from Bumi Sehat traveled to Nepal to bring safe childbirth care to mothers and newborns in crisis — and were on the ground when the second quake struck in May.
At a Glance
Ibu Robin Lim is a Filipino–American midwife, mother, grandmother, and founder of Yayasan Bumi Sehat, a nonprofit organization that provides free maternity care for pregnant women, mothers and their babies, plus healthcare for all those in need.
Born in the Philippines in 1956, Robin decided to become a midwife in 1991, when her sister and niece tragically died during childbirth. She qualified as a midwife in the United States and Indonesia, and founded the Bumi Sehat Foundation International in Bali, Indonesia. To date, she has birthed over 9,000 babies and is known by locals and international fans alike as “Ibu Robin” (Mother Robin). Bumi Sehat (which translates to “healthy mother earth”) operates clinics in Bali, Sumatra Island Aceh, Papua and the Philippines, as well as temporary clinics in disaster areas around the world such as Haiti and Nepal. Through the foundation, Robin trains and inspires more than 6,000 midwives and nurses per year, and over 300,000 people have benefitted from Bumi Sehat’s services to date.
Living Life for Love: If Not for Love, What Else Would You Live For?
Thanks to the generous support of donors, Bumi Sehat established a Childbirth Center in Dhading District, beside the ruins of a government health post. In two makeshift tents lit by solar lanterns, Indonesian and Nepalese midwives worked together to provide safe deliveries and essential maternal care. For many women who had lost access to hospitals or clinics, these tents became the only safe place to give birth.
World Peace Starts with Saving One Life
Among the many stories of survival, one stands out. Dewi, a 16-year-old mother from Bhumistan, arrived at the center in a half-broken ambulance, already in labor. Without any prenatal care and with a tragic history of losing her first child, she faced enormous risks. Within minutes of her arrival, she gave birth to a baby boy, followed by a second, unexpected twin, a baby girl who was struggling to breathe. The midwives resuscitated her, and both babies survived. Dewi, however, began hemorrhaging critically. Without immediate intervention, she and her second child would not have made it. That day, because of Bumi Sehat’s presence, two precious lives were saved.
Bumi Sehat’s work in Nepal was a testament to what is possible when communities rally together. From the ashes of disaster, midwives and mothers, donors and partners, came together to protect the most vulnerable, ensuring that even in the darkest of times, life could be welcomed with safety, dignity, and love.
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