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.

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.

 

Mountain climber and Yale University graduate, Chris Baker, is the founder of One Seed Expeditions, which transforms the concept of travel into a vehicle that gives back to the region being visited. It all began after a visit to Nepal and his connection with Kiva.org, a non- profit organization whose mission is to create a lending alliance to alleviate the yoke of poverty.

 

With the help of the Internet, and a worldwide network of financial institutions, Kiva lends money to help create business opportunities. For Chris, this manifested itself by learning how he, aided by a Nepalese financial institution, could create trips that simultaneously assist the population of that region.

 

In 2010, Baker’s love of mountain climbing induced him to select a business that would combine his passion for Nepal and climbing. He had help and joined forced with friends, Bishnu Thapa, and Tek Bahadur Dong. Their unique mix of mountain guiding, ethnographic fieldwork, and non-profit skills comprised the perfect start-up team.

 

A labor of love, it took three years of planning and preparation to bring One Seed Expeditions to the light. The goal is to change the way travel impacts communities by helping one local entrepreneur to launch or expand his or her business.

 

Currently, three areas of Nepal are available for exploration via One Seed. No matter what your preference, hiking is an exhilarating experience with breathtaking landscape. These picturesque treks take visitors to ancient villages, old monasteries and even to places where you can sample Yak butter tea.

 

But the true meaning of the hike lies in the people you meet along the way, whose lives have been profoundly affected by your donation.

 

With One Seed you travel and see the world and invest in its people at the same time.

 

Check out this video with Bill Clinton describing Kiva.org and all the wonderful things it does for local communities of the world.

 

Photo Source:

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Royal Oak, Mich. Dr. Richard Keidan, a surgical oncologist at Beaumont Hospital has dedicated his life to performing surgery on Detroit area patients, but he also helps needy people in Nepal by building schools and clinics.

Keidan runs the Miles Levin Nepal Foundation in dedication to 18 year old Miles Levin, who died of a rare form of cancer in 2007. The foundation helps impoverished children in Nepal.

Keidal says that the lives of the children of Khotang in Nepal are a far cry from Levin’s life and that his goal is to help bridge the gap between the health care and educational opportunities that he had and the ones the children of Khotang don’t have access to.

Keidan first visited Nepal in 1983 to mountain climb and ended up in love with the people and their culture. Now, he spends nearly three months every year there working with the children.

Keidan says there isn’t much resemblance to the Detroit suburbs in Nepal, as there is no communication, no phones, no power, no running water, no toilets, and no way to get anywhere except to walk.

Keidan helps in Nepal by building clinics, schools, and making sure there is clean water and toilets available. The people there help to manage the foundation’s work.

“We go and talk with the people in Khotang and their villages and instead of trying to tell them how to do things. Instead, we ask them what they need so that it’s their ideas, their proposals, and we want them to have a better life for them and their kids,” he said.