Calgary Nepalese community says Nepal is still in need of support
Posted May 9, 2015 1:36 pm.
Last Updated May 9, 2015 1:38 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The attention on Nepal may be fading in the public eye, but the need is still grave and the Nepalese community in Calgary is hoping the support it has seen here at home will continue, as work in Nepal evolves into a long-term response.
Thousands lost their lives in the massive quake that hit Nepal on April 25th.
The Calgary Nepalese Community Association, as well as members of the Red Cross, were set up at the Richmond Knob Hill Community Association along 26th Avenue S.W. on Saturday collecting donations for relief work overseas.
CNCA treasurer Dibya Pradsan said many people are unable to return to their homes due to the extensive damage.
“There are over 15 thousand people who got injured, nearly 200 thousand homes have been destroyed and nearly another 200,000 have been damaged,” Pradsan said. “I would imagine that 50 per cent of those damaged homes are uninhabitable, mine as well, where I grew up.”
He added many of the city’s Nepalese still have family in Nepal and the impact of the earthquake is far-reaching.
“As Nepalese, we feel closer to home and we feel connected to the people,and we feel obligated to do something for those people,” Pradsan said.
He said his community is grateful for the amount of support they have received from fellow Calgarians, so far.
