On April 25, 2015, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake hit Nepal. Over 9,000 were killed and another 22,000 injured as unreinforced stone houses and buildings collapsed en masse across the country. As the mountainous country dusted itself off, help arrived from a number of agencies. Right on cue, the humanitarian heroes of the Red Cross and Médecins Sans Frontières arrived to provide emergency medical attention. The Nepalese Army mobilized rescue efforts, and international aid from countries such as India and the United States arrived to help rebuild Nepal's infrastructure. Also arriving among the waves of helping hands was a quieter volunteer corps, but one with a lasting legacy. The International Table Tennis (ITTF) Foundation also arrived in 2016, driven by its mission to make the world a more just, inclusive and equitable place through the power of table tennis. The ITTF Foundation's rallying cry is "Table Tennis for ALL." Arriving in Nepal, they saw an opportunity to develop programs for persons with disabilities. Thus, they dubbed their campaign, "Table Tennis for NepALL." Working with the UN, the National Physical Disabled Table Tennis Association of Nepal, and the All Nepal Table Tennis Association, the ITTF Foundation offered table tennis training to children with disabilities at six different locations across the county. Australian Paralympian Melissa Tapper gamely volunteered her considerable talents to the cause. The Foundation also left a lasting, brick-and-mortar legacy in the form of six Para Table Tennis Centres across the country. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by ITTF President Thomas Weikert, among many players, sponsors, donors and volunteers. The grand opening was timed to celebrate World Table Tennis Day on April 6, 2016. Hundreds of para table tennis players have since received weekly training at the centers. "Table tennis for Nepal is very important, due to the fact that we can use sport as a tool for development and peace," said Wilfried Lemke, UN Secretary General Special Advisor on Sport for Development and Peace. "We have to see all over the world that we integrate and not isolate people with a disability. In table tennis, you can do it in a wonderful way." For many in Nepal, the physical and psychological wounds from the 2015 earthquake may never heal. With the opening of the Para Table Tennis Centre, however, Nepal is rebuilding a more inclusive society.

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