Mero Dhangadhi

meru-hung-meru:

Shechen Monastery, Nyingma tradition, in Boudhanath

theworldon35mm:

Between Periche and Gorak shep, Nepal.

Nepal: Donations

nepal:

Here are a couple trusted organizations you can donate to. Only donate to trusted sources as there might be spammers and exploiters out to take advantage of this devastating situation. 

Save the Children

UNICEF (click donate to be taken to your country’s donation page)

Canadian Red Cross

British Red Cross

American Red Cross

CARE

Mercy Corps

The links I posted earlier are also trusted sources, and they will eventually be donating to one of these organizations.

unicef:

Akriti, 8, looks for her books among the rubble that used to be her house in Sanga Chowk in Sindhupalchowk District in Nepal. On 25 April, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck the country, killing almost 5000 people and injuring more than 9700. Around 1.7 million children are now in urgent need of aid in the worst-hit areas. We’re on the ground delivering vital support, including clean water, shelter and sanitation - support our work here. Photo by Chandra Shekhar Karki.

The lady’s name is Chandani Shakya and she is from Sankhu, a neighborhood about 15 mins outside of Kathmandu that was very badly hit by the earthquake.

“This rural hub has been a marketplace for centuries, and now 78-year-old Chandani Shakya is picking up what’s left of her life.
She says she was eating lunch when the earthquake struck and destroyed the house her grandfather built.
And then with typically Nepalese graciousness, the woman who has lost everything offers food, and then blesses reporters.”

Read more

Source

Update

So I did a Skype call with my Dad a few hours ago, and the situation in Kathmandu is (very) slowly getting better mostly thanks to all of the relief workers and rescuers that have been working tirelessly since the start of this disaster. I read somewhere that said the people of Nepal are helping each other out with whatever means they can because they know the government can’t do much. Many civil engineers, including my Dad (he’s a civil engineer with 27+ years in the industry) have been going to various neighborhoods around Kathmandu to inspect people’s houses and decide whether the houses are liveable or not. People are very scared to go back into their houses because they’re afraid it might collapse on them when a tremor hits. This has helped calm down a lot of people, and they have slowly started moving back into their houses  if it’s safe. 

The thing that struck me the most was how generous these people were. He was telling me about how after inspecting a house some people would offer him some amount of money (in some cases a lot of money) as a thank you. Or while he was inspecting someone’s house the neighbors, worried that the other houses wouldn’t get inspected, would try to give him money to come look at them. Time and again he had to decline their offers and let them know that he lives and works in Canada and is doing this just to help them get back into their houses if it’s safe, and he’s trying to help out any way he can. The people are living outside in tents in fear and without much to give, but they still offered him drinks or at least tea as a thank you. He declined the offers and assured them that he was just doing whatever he could. 

This is just one example. There are many stories of people helping each other out. Nepali and foreign first responders or doctors or nurses have been travelling to Nepal, and helping out with the relief efforts as much as they can. Even when people have lost their houses and don’t have much to give, they’re saying things like “kei chiso ta piera janus na hajur” ( at least have a cold drink sir) or “kam se kam chiya ta linus, hamro tarfa bata” (at the very least let us offer you some tea) to people that are helping. Offering any little thing they might have even if their own situation is very harsh. Many Nepali doctors and other professionals from all over the world have returned back home to their villages to help out with relief efforts. The entire community of friends, neighbors, relatives, young and old are all staying strong and doing whatever they can to aid their communities. 

There are still MANY villages that no rescue team has reached. Many people who are stranded without shelter or basic necessities. Even when the world moves on to a different headline or a different “breaking news”, we will still have to volunteer or donate and help out in any way we can. So please, donate to the relief efforts and help out in any way you can!