This year, due to the devastating earthquakes in Nepal, the ZEE London Mela will have three charitable beneficiaries; Oxfam, The Gurkha Welfare Trust and YUMI Nepal. All three charities will have a physical presence at the Mela. Here’s a little bit about what each charity has been up to, helping the victims in Nepal recently.
The Gurkha Welfare Trust
The series of earthquakes that began in April this year devastated the Gurkha homeland. Over 30,000 people were killed or injured, and millions lost their homes.
With support from Gurkha soldiers despatched to Nepal, The Gurkha Welfare Trust responded immediately to provide medical aid and distribute emergency supplies in isolated rural areas, including food, utensils and temporary shelter. Its local knowledge and extensive network benefited the wider international relief efforts.
With the monsoon approaching, emphasis soon shifted towards providing more robust CGI shelters. Following the rains, the Trust will begin its long-term response which will range from reconstruction assistance – particularly houses, schools and water projects – to enhanced health care.
“The GWT has an abiding commitment to Nepal, our home. We will do all that we can to support Gurkha veterans, their families and communities as they look to rebuild their lives.”
To support the Trust’s Earthquake Response Fund, please visit: www.gwt.org.uk/donate/earthquake.
Oxfam
Oxfam has been working in Nepal for 30 years so we were well-prepared to respond immediately to the first earthquake when it struck on 25th April.
The government of Kathmandu established 16 emergency camps and Oxfam is setting up clean water facilities in all of these, in coordination with other agencies. We are providing hospitals, health centres and temporary camps with water and sanitation facilities for families made homeless. We are currently working in seven districts: three in the Kathmandu Valley (Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur) and four rural districts (Gorkha, Sindhupalchok, Nuwakot and Dhading).
The Oxfam warehouse in Nepal and supplies trucked in through Oxfam India have been essential to ensure that we can respond quickly. However the situation is still very challenging, there is severe road damage from the earthquake and the airport in Kathmandu is struggling to ensure that it can receive the cargo needed in this response. People’s homes are devastated and Oxfam is also providing materials to build temporary homes.
Oxfam is planning to continue to do what we’re doing, and scale up emergency supplies, providing water wherever possible and ensure that the environment is clean. None of this work would have been possible without working with our partners, providing cash and support to them to ensure that they have the confidence to continue working in the community where they themselves have undergone huge strain and tragedy. Also this would not have happened without help from supporters providing the funds to make this happen.
To donate money to Oxfam’s Nepal Earthquake appeal, please visit: https://donate.oxfam.org.uk/emergency/nepal
YUMI Nepal
Yumi founders Uttam and Clare Nepal have both personally been affected by the devastating earthquake which hit Nepal on Saturday. Uttam was born and grew up in the Dhading region of Nepal, which is very close to the epicentre and his heart. Dhading has been hugely affected by the earthquake leaving houses flattened and lives lost, therefore at Yumi we have set up our own charity the Yumi Nepal Earthquake Appeal. We aim to raise £150,000 which will be used to provide the relief of suffering arising from the earthquake in Nepal.
To date we have raised over £118,000 and have been overwhelmed by the support which has included: 1,300 sleeping bag donations, local schools having own clothes days, customers knitting blankets and hats, pharmaceutical donations, charity lunches and much more.
On the 7th May 2015 our first shipment of 333 boxes (5,200KG) in 27 pallets, containing donations and aid, was flown from London to Kathmandu. Additionally we have also managed to send food supplies to over 1300 families (6,500 People) to remote districts including Dhading and Nuwakot.
Funds raised will be used not only to support the immediate needs of getting food, shelter and medical supplies to those most affected in remote areas, but also for the longer term rebuilding of the country, which will continue long after the current global media coverage has gone.
We urgently need your help to provide the life changing support Nepal needs. Over 9,000 people have are known to have died and millions more needing urgent help.
To donate please visit: www.everyclick.com/yumi-nepal-earthquake-appeal/ec16053/info
