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An organisation in Temuka believes small change can make a big difference for their friends in Nepal.
The Sherpa Shop in King St has been raising money for the Forgotten Sherpas of Nepal Trust for the last 16 years.
When Nepal suffered devastating floods and landslips last week, after a glacier collapsed along the Nepal-China border, the trust had quickly jumped into action, creating a disaster relief fund that could allow community members to donate their small change easily.
In an article by the BBC as of Tuesday, the country’s disaster management authority said the death toll had reached 939.
The agency also revised its estimate of the number of missing to 3925, of whom 592 were foreign nationals.
Trustee Marg Stocker said those monetary donations would help provide much-needed relief to those affected.
While the villages the trust currently supported were in the eastern areas of Nepal and the disaster had unfolded in the western areas of Nepal, that did not mean their friends were unaffected.
Mrs Stocker had received a call on Monday morning from a support person who had helped the trust on a trip in 2010, who she had remained in contact with.
He had told her there were several people still unaccounted for from some of the areas they were supporting from back at that time.
“Unless you’ve been there you couldn’t understand.
“In terms of the terrain and topography these are mountainous valleys, you know? They are not hills.
“They are enormously high.
“I understand — just from reading articles from the scientists — that the force of the glacier [when it broke] that it had nowhere to go, because of the narrowness and depths.”
Because of the landscape, a large portion of the country’s population of 29.6 million people lived in river valleys.
She said because of the incredibly steep mountainside there was “nowhere for people to run”.
“And it was like a mega tsunami almost coming down and almost wiping out anything in its path.
“And to see that absolute enormous destruction, it’s just unbelievable really.”
In the villages they were working with, the men left their villages to go away for the season to work at places like trekking companies.
“It doesn’t matter how small or how large a donation is, every little cent all goes to helping.
“You always hear of the big money that comes in, but I always think of all those little ones — and often it is from people who can ill afford it.
“If they put their two dollars in it is all going to make a big difference.”
She said $NZ2 could purchase a lot in Nepal.
Mrs Stocker said any money they put into the disaster fund would be a separate fund entirely.
They would be collecting donations this week and into next week before getting it to where it was needed.
While the trust always appreciated the generosity of those wishing to help, for this appeal they asked that people did not donate clothing, household goods or other articles.
“Monetary donations allow assistance to be directed quickly to where it is most urgently needed, without the costs and difficulties of transporting and distributing goods.”
She said New Zealand had a special relationship with Nepal, particularly with the work Sir Edmund Hillary established, which was ongoing.
“Together, we can help the people of Nepal rebuild their lives.”
Money could be delivered to a bucket in the shop, open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday this week.
For other inquiries or donations, these could be directed to Mrs Stocker on 027 390 9099.
shelley.inon@alliedmedia.co.nz