Case Study: UNDP advances Nepal disaster recovery with Microsoft cloud and mobile technology

UN and Microsoft aid disaster recovery, economic development in Nepal

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Nepal faced an immense challenge coordinating the rebuilding effort after a devastating 2017 earthquake, which destroyed hundreds of thousands of buildings and crippled the local economy. Their existing paper-based systems were inadequate for the massive task of managing logistics, personnel, and payments for debris removal and reconstruction across the country's difficult terrain.

Working with Microsoft Corporation and a local Microsoft Innovation Center team, the UNDP developed a mobile application built with Visual Studio and powered by Microsoft Azure, Office 365, and SQL Server. This solution replaced $2,000 worth of equipment with a single $70 Windows phone, enabling crews to digitally record building assessments, track debris removal, and manage a cash-for-work program. The results were significant: over 2,000 safe demolitions were completed, $11 million in recyclable materials were recovered, and over 3,000 local people were employed, creating an efficient, secure, and revolutionary template for future global disaster response.

UNDP

Dan Strode

Debris Management Program Manager