Since we have 3 communities in Nepal which were not affected, our confreres are in good position to help the victims and contribute to other emergency relief action

By George Menamparampil

The Salesians are in several places in Nepal, but the damage is mostly in Katmandu valley, the area around Techo where Fr Jijo is. Techo where Don Bosco is not affected and we have suffered no damage. And the families around us in our own village have no damage.

The Salesians, the staff and some alumni have been helping the villages in their neighbourhood. There has been no loss of life, apparently, but all the houses are razed to the ground. They are at present active in 4 (four) villages with some 400 families. They are distributing food, some medicines and some material that could be used to make a temporary shelter (Plastic or polythene sheets, etc.)

At the moment they are spending about INR 2 lakh a day (the equivalent of about Euros 3,000) per day. There is a good grocery store in our village and they seem to have supplies that may last another few days. After that we would have to see whether we would have to bring in stuff from India. He will let us know.

They have been able to spend this much the last two days because they already some help.

As they reach help to the closest villages, and they see we have the capacity to help, requests are coming from the farther villages. They will keep informing us whether they are extending help beyond the four villages where they are at it right now. If this grows, and the need grows, too, the money they can spend will be more. 

Here are the details of the account into which money may be transferred directly:

• Name of the account holder: Nepal Don Bosco Society

• Name and Address of the bank: Standard Chartered Bank Nepal Limited; Lalitpur Branch, Nepal

• Account Number: NPR current account No. 01-0359289-01

• Swift code: SCBLNPKA

It might be a good idea that everyone who transfers money to that account send information of that also to me (BOSCONET) in New Delhi, so that there is transparency. A lot of people are worried that we make this disaster relief into a BIG BUSINESS to find money for our other needs.

I have told Jijo to concentrate his requests for the time being to IMMEDIATE NEEDS and the SAVING OF LIFE. The needs for rebuilding the houses, etc., can be looked at once the emergency situation has passed. It would have to planned systematically, looking at who else is doing what - the concentration goes to the city of Katmandu and the villages will be neglected except by organizations like ours!

Thanks to all who will be helping in the short term and later for the reconstruction.

Fr. George Menamparampil, SDB South Asia Mission Office director – New Delhi, India