Being committed in Nepal since nearly 30 years, we are deeply concerned about such terrible disaster, which came over this poor country.
In addition to the reporting from our media we tried to get direct information from the various social projects supported by us.
Fortunately the area around Pokhara is not affect very much. Here we support two orphanages (www.orphancarenepal.org /www.cwehome.org.np). The 140 children living there as well as the college students haven't been hurt by the earthquake
Also in Shyauli Bazaar, where our First-Aid-Station is located, there are neither big damages nor injured people, whereas Kathmandu was affected very much. Many suburbs and parts of the historic centre with its brick houses have been heavily damaged and destroyed. Thousands of people lost their lives by collapsing houses, temples and monuments.
From the distance we can hardly imagine how the people in Nepal experienced such disaster. The following mail, recently sent by a friend of us from Kathmandu, with whom we already cooperated in various charity projects, may give a rough idea.
Dear Fritz and Sybille,
It was the most terrifying moment of my life to go through such a scary and horrible situation. I am truly grateful just to be walking today. It happened with such feriousity and such a long span of time, where i saw houses falling apart and i was in one which was pretty badly destroyed. In just a second i manage to get out in open and i am lucky. And this was not just going to finish, i hurried back home and again the incident started this time little soft, but very shaken. The tremor kept coming and coming and we did not enter home and stayed out in garden the whole night and another night too.
There are so much damages and loss it is hard to believe. I am sure you have seen the picture updates and news. Till today we do not have electricity, The Sanitary situation is getting worse, And we really don't know what is happening except for some updates from the car radio.
I managed to talk with most of my close family and friends. Unfortunately my uncle who lives in Swoyambhu lost their house. So i took little of food and water that i had and went to meet them. There were two policemen down who didn't allow us to go up. But after i told them i had brought something they allowed me up. I was so sad to see that most of the houses where people lived were completely damaged and people sitting under the plastic sheets in open ground, watching where once their house stood. So next day i took some more of food and water. Suprisingly there is no relief packages, no news and nothing there about Swayambhu (monkey temple) till today, which is really sad. There are about 200 people there. And if you want to help, there is so much place you can do. But if you want you can help people there in Swayambhu and this i am sure will be of immense relief to people out there.
As for now i am safe with my family and thank you both so much for your care, love and prayer form us. But there are compatriots less fortunate and some added help will be really appreciated.
With best wishes,
Gautam & family