DUBAI A Dubai resident is calling for more volunteers from the UAE to help in relief and reconstruction efforts in Nepal after seeing the trails of destruction first hand.
Asim Rai, a Murdoch University employee took annual leave to assist in rescue efforts after two horrific earthquakes destroyed his country, leaving over 9,000 dead and many more homeless.
“We need more volunteers to reach remote villages affected in the quakes. There are many places where relief is yet to reach and there aren’t enough people to do the job. The more people come forward to help, the faster we can re-build this country,” said Rai.
Destroyed
In Kakani village, four hours by road from Kathmandu, Rai and his friends built huts and set up tents for victims. “There were 160 houses of which over 100 were destroyed,” recalled Rai.
In Kokanna village, about an hour’s drive from Kathmandu, they rescued people and cleared bodies buried under houses.
“It was a horrible and sad sight. We set up tents for survivors and arranged food, water and other basic essentials. It is not enough and we need more hands to help these poor villagers,” he said.
Rai said what touched him most was the sight of volunteers teaching children at a make-shift classroom in a relief camp. “It was heartening to see the enthusiasm in these children and their eagerness to study. But things are not easy. “One day, a strong wind shook the tents and the children ran out screaming ‘Bhukampa aayo’(the earthquake has struck). They hugged each other for comfort and I could not forget the fear in their eyes,” he said.
Meanwhile, aid organisations have cautioned against donating money without due diligence. They said the public needs to ascertain the credentials of the various charities and their presence in Nepal before volunteering their services or making donations. They urged donors to verify appeals asking them through emails and social media to send money directly to personal bank accounts.
