By JESSE GRAHAM
Nepal earthquake aftermath: women and children in need of shelter, food…
A YARRA Glen couple with links to a devastated Nepalese charity are urging fellow residents to donate generously to help women and children without shelter or food.
Allan and Ruth Davidson have called on residents to donate to The Women’s Foundation Nepal (WFN), whose farm and buildings were destroyed in the 25 April 7.8 magnitude earthquake.
The pair have worked with the foundation for about a decade, and are running the fund-raiser alongside the Rotary Club of Healesville, which has contributed $2000 to the cause.
After trekking in Nepal for the first time in 1999, the Davidsons later learned about the foundation and have spent months volunteering and raising money locally to help the cause.
WFN provides abused women and children with a safe place to live, medical, psychological and legal help and also teaches skills to assist them with finding fair work.
Though WFN’s offices and production centre in Boudhanath was untouched by the quake, members have been killed, injured or made homeless, and the foundation’s organic farm and its livestock in Bhaktapur were destroyed.
The foundation has opened its doors to people without shelter, funds, food and water, and housed many in its production centre building, school and childcare centres, but WFN president Renu Sharma said the measures were not enough.
In a letter to friends and supporters, passed on by the Davidsons, Ms Sharma wrote that makeshift camps have been erected for survivors, but without proper toilets and sanitation.
“Heavy rain is forecast for most of this week, making these areas breeding grounds for disease,” she wrote.
Ms Sharma said the foundation planned to build toilets, distribute sanitary products and water purification drops to prevent disease breaking out, as well as purchasing shelter materials and supporting survivors.
Mr Davidson said that all money raised by Yarra Valley residents would go directly to the foundation to provide essentials, such as food, water and sanitary productions, and fund recovery projects.
“We’re able to get funds directly to the people who need it,” he said.
“It’s going directly to the Women’s Foundation and other charities dealing directly with them.”
He said that some funds might also be directed to people whose homes were destroyed by the earthquake, and that money to the foundation would also help with long-term recovery.
“There’s a number of initiatives we will be doing, but we’re in the very early stages of looking at what can be done – surely, there’s a shorter term requirement of blankets and food, but the long term will be the very difficult one,” Mr Davidson said.
“It’s got to be long-term – it’s going to be a number of years for people to get back on their feet.”
Speaking to the Mail last Friday, Mrs Davidson’s voice was hoarse and lost from numerous calls back and forth to the stricken country, checking on the welfare of friends and trying to help in any way..
But the Davidsons said flying in items was still restricted, so the best way to assist would be to donate money through charities, such as Rotary, WFN or the Red Cross.
With the Rotary Club of Healesville’s contribution and public donations, Mr and Mrs Davidson have already collected about $2600, and would look at placing collection tins in local stores.
Donations can be made to the bank account of A. P. and M. R. Davidson, WF Account, BSB 063856, account number 100 796 33, or by calling the Davidsons 0438 730 160.
All donations are tax deductable.
The death toll from the earthquake was last reported to be 7040, while 14,123 people have been reported injured, and those numbers are both expected to rise as emergency workers reach remote areas.
To donate to the Red Cross’s earthquake appeal, visit www.redcross.org.au.
