Rest in peace Prakash

The International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance IRHA is saddened to learn of the untimely demise in Kathmandu last Friday September 16 of our good friend Prakash Amatya.

During the last 25 years Prakash has been a great inspiration to many in Nepal active in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene sector. Prakash was a driving force behind the revival of Dhunge Dhara (traditional stone water spouts) and in different capacities facilitated local initiatives to public sanitation and to rainwater harvesting. He has been particularly active in promoting uptake of rainwater harvesting by municipalities and institutions in Nepal, through advocacy, training and projects.

Following the 2015 Nepal Earthquake, Prakash , through Guthi, a local NGO, initiated relief activities for schools in Kathmandu and affected families in Bhaktapur. IRHA was able to assist an emergency project by supporting rainwater collection and storage. In the Liwali area of Bhaktapur Prakash demonstrated the utility of rainwater harvesting in the IDP camps. This work also led to rainwater harvesting activities taken up by the Bhaktapur Municipality.

Prakash will be dearly missed by many in the community and in the WASH sector and by the rainwater harvesting proponents in Nepal and the South Asia Region for his dynamism and creative influence.

May he rest in peace.