The Earthquake that shook Nepal on April 25th left thousands suffering in its wake. Killing more than 7,000 people and injuring more than 14,000, it may prove difficult for the people of this nation to pull through or recover. With all of that destruction, it’s hard to believe that any citizens left in the rubble could survive long enough to be rescued.

Phanchu Tamang, 101, at a hospital in the Nuwakot district. Gobalnews.ca 2015.

A week after the devastation, Phanchu Tamang was pulled from the wreckage of his home in Kimtang, northwest of Kathmandu. He is 101 years old! Rescued on Saturday, Tamang had been trapped since the quake hit. They rushed his by helicopter to the district hospital. Amazingly, Nepal’s National Emergency Network reported only “minor injuries to his ankle and hand”.

Police have also rescued others from some of the worst-hit areas, like the rubble in Sindhupalchowk. One Sunday, three women were among those rescued there. Despite these efforts, the death toll is expected to rise, once rescuers and relief crews are able to reach outlying mountain villages. It is estimated that the death toll could reach 10, 000.

“There are still villages where we know that all houses have been destroyed, but have not yet been able to reach,” Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat says. “The aftershocks have not receded and we expect the final casualty numbers to climb much higher,” he said. The chances of finding survivors buried in rubble are getting “extremely slim.”

“It is with great pain and sadness that I stand before you to present the case of my country Nepal which now remains devastated,” he said.

“It will be a miracle if anyone is found alive,” Home Ministry spokesman Laxmi Dhakal said. “But we have not completely given up yet and are continuing to look.”

Estimates from the United Nations show that over 3 million people are in need of immediate food assistance. They estimate that at least $415 million in emergency funding is required to help those in need. An estimated 300,000 houses were destroyed beyond use.

Dhakal has said Nepal would rebuild their nation and come out of the crisis stronger, but not without help from other countries. “We need your technical advice, global knowhow and importantly, substantial financial resources to propel us,” he said.

Rescues, like this amazing story may offer hope to Nepalese citizens, who are still reeling from the devastation. The earthquake that struck there had a magnitude of 7.8, making it the worst to hit them in over 80 years .

Please visit Unicef, Red Cross, or MercyCorps to learn how to help or make a donation.

Carlos Arredondo helps rescuers rush victims of the Boston Marathon Bombing , including Jeff Bauman, to rescue. Associated Press.

After this famous photograph was released, Boston Marathon hero Carlos Arredondo, was recognized for his heroism. He helped save Jeff Bauman two years ago when the attack in Boston caused him to lose both legs. The iconic photograph helped Carlos get the word out about his efforts as an advocate for charity and community action.

With the help of this fame, Carlos was able to launch the Arredondo Family Foundation to assist military families who have lost loved ones to suicide. This is a foundation that means a lot to Carlos and his wife Melida, who lost their son in 2004. Lance Cpl. Alexander S. Arredondo was killed in 2004 during a firefight. On the last day of the Iraq war, their other son, Brian, was grief-stricken and took his own life.

Trying to put these tragedies in the past can be hard for surviving family. The Arredondo family hopes to focus most on siblings who are suffering from a loss. They plan to help with emergency funding, counseling, and scholarships for siblings who are coping with military suicide.

During the most recent Boston Marathon, five participants ran in support of the foundation. Runner Chris Laudani. When Chris isn’t bartending, he s known for keeping the track clear and even shoveling snow from the track when it was once hit with a blizzard.

The Arredondo family invited are still close with Bauman, who also attended the foundation’s launch event earlier this year. “Jeff and [his wife] Erin, they fill a place –- they never could ever replace Alex or Brian –- but having them in our lives eases things,” says Melida Arredondo. “It helps, and we just enjoy spending time together.”

You can learn all about the Arredondo Family Foundation and get involved here.

Emelin and her friend Elba helped establish programs for girls in their Guatemalan community. Photo: Commonhope.org

When 15-year-old Emelin was invited to the United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women, she spoke on behalf of Let Girls Lead, a nonprofit. The program allowed Emelin to secure education and health funding for girls in her Guatemalan hometown.

Emelin may seem like an average teenage girl, but she is more than meets the eye. At the gathering, she stood alongside U.N Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and humanitarian Melinda Gates as an advocate for the girls of her community, who struggle with a number of obstacles.

Emelin spoke about the girls in her area that are overcome with rising numbers of rape, early pregnancy, maternal loss, and lack of education or health care. Like Emelin, a majority of indigenous girls in the rural regions of her country are not being educated.

In 2012, Emelin and her friend Elba helped implement policies to address some of these issues by getting in touch with the Mayor of Concepción Chiquirichapa, Guatemala. In the following months, they met with many government officials, and even spoke on youth radio programs to get the word out about the movement.

After developing a detailed proposal to present to the mayor, they were initially met with laughter. That didn’t stop them though. They fought for what they believed was right, and eventually, people started to realize the power behind what these girls were trying to accomplish.

With local government behind them, the programs began to pick up steam. Before the end of their first year, the girls got funding approved to construct the Municipal Office of Childhood and Adolescence. It will provide support services for girls to access counseling, political engagement, and legal guidance for victims of rape, assault and domestic violence.

“It is important that we as adolescent girls are empowered to defend ourselves and not to be tokenized or utilized,” Emelin said in her speech. “So now as a leader in my community, I have decided to fight for my rights, because the rights of girls and women are human rights.”

With the help of the Adolescent Girls’ Advocacy & Leadership Initiative’s Juany Garcia Perez, Emelin was able to create positive change with community organization and public speaking. She was able to promote gender equality in Guatemala, but her message spanned globally.

“I want all leaders with decision-making power to act on behalf of girls around the world so they can have opportunities,” she said in her speech. “You have the responsibility to ensure girls’ happiness.”

Together with StubHub and Dr. Martens, indie band “Portugal. The Man” is helping to raise $1 million to go to schools with underfunded musical programs.

The money is being raised for the purchase of musical instruments, in hopes that they will inspire a new generation of artists and musicians. The program is wired to donate to schools all across the country, focusing specifically on institutions that are underfunded.

It has been set up in partnership with MHOF (Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation), which is dedicated to musical education. There are many schools that are not able to provide an artistic outlet for their youth.

This program intends to help kids stay off the streets and give them a healthy creative focus, which many of them do not get the opportunity to discover. Many schools are not able to provide this type of expression for their pupils, in an environment that is conductive to their spirit and individuality.

The first city to benefit from the project will be Austin, Texas. Austin is home of SXSW, the South by Southwest music, film, and interactive festival- where the project was introduced earlier this week. Two schools in Austin will be some of the first, receiving more than $80,000 worth of musical instruments this year.

In a recent press release, Felice Mancini (President and CEO of MHOF) said, “Sadly, due to the high cost of musical instruments, school music programs around the country are struggling, even when the will to keep them alive is strong.”

They plan to add more sponsors and artists to the cause, as the project continues into the year. This outreach is the beginning. With a little effort, people can help support causes like this to further the youth’s potential for creativity and aspiration. If you know a school in need, or want to get more info, go to the MHOF website or share this post.