After a 7.8 magnitude earthquake devastated Nepal and the Kathmandu Valley region on Saturday, it’s hard to assess the true damage and number of casualties, according to The New York Times. Avalanches were reported across the Himalayas, including Mount Everest. Many villages that were hardest hit are the hardest to reach as well. The death toll is currently estimated to be over 3,800 people with more than 7,100 injured. Unfortunately, these numbers keep going up.According to the Red Cross, “many are feared trapped under rubble and the number of casualties is expected to rise. At least 15 aftershocks, ranging from magnitude 5 to 6.6, caused further damage to buildings and increased the risk of collapse.”
The survivors of the earthquake are in urgent need of basics like food, water, shelter and clothing. Many from our Architects of Change community here at MariaShriver.com have been asking what they can do to help. Here are 7 organizations that are already on the ground. They need support through monetary donations that can help them mobilize teams and supplies.
- Save the Children: has worked in Nepal since 1976 and already have extensive programs throughout the country. They have launched a disaster response on the ground and need your generous gifts to support their efforts. They fear that nearly 2 million children have been affected by the earthquake. “As the sheer devastation of the recent earthquake becomes clearer, we know that children have been the most affected by this disaster,” says Roger Hodgson, Deputy Country Director for Save the Children in Nepal. They have already begun distributing tarpaulins and baby packs (which include children’s clothing, blankets and soap).Click here to support these efforts through a donation.
- Catholic Relief Services: had prepositioned emergency aid in nearby Bihar, India since this region is known for earthquakes. Supplies, including temporary shelter kits (tarpaulins, mats, rope), water purification kits and hygiene kits for 2,000 families are being moved to Nepal for distribution. CRS emergency personnel are already on the ground, with more on the way, working with Caritas Nepal, hoping to reach 10,000 families with more emergency shelter, blankets, water treatment kits and hygiene kits. Click here for more information and to make a donation.
- Doctors Without Borders: is sending 8 teams to the region, including a surgical team with skilled doctors. They will set up a surgical unit and run mobile clinics to assist those affected by the earthquake. Learn more and contribute here.
- Red Cross: has extensive experience in responding to natural disasters and is already providing first aid, search and rescue and blood to medical facilities in the capital and support to first responders. They have 19,000 non-food relief kits available in Nepal–which include clothing, kitchen sets, tarpaulins, mosquito nets and personal hygiene items– to distribute to families. More than 6 million people live within sixty miles of the epicenter. Click here for more important facts and figures from the Red Cross and to make a donation to support their efforts.
- The Salvation Army: already has 75 offices throughout Nepal. They are mobilizing emergency response personnel and supplies to provide basic, urgent needs for shelter, food and water. A specific fund has been set up for donations, with 100% of the proceeds going directly to the earthquake relief efforts in Nepal. Visit salar.my/Nepalor call 1-800-SAL-ARMY.
- The Himalayan Cataract Project: reports that thousands will be left homeless. “Everything is going at a warpath and the country is in state of emergency and all efforts have been put to save and retrieve people from the wreckages hoping they will live and be given medical treatment,” shares Co-Founder Dr. Sanduk Ruit from Kathmandu, Nepal. To make a donation visit donate.cureblindness.org and select “Nepal Relief Efforts” in the designation field.
- International Medical Corps: Another great and straightforward way to contribute is through your own Facebook page. You’ll notice a message at the top of your News Feed that asks you to donate. Facebook will match donations, up to a total of $2 million, to contribute to local relief organizations. 100% of donations will go to International Medical Corps and their work in response to the Nepal earthquake. For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/nepalearthquakesupport.
- #SupportNepal: Raising awareness about the need for funds and spreading the message is also important. Share this information with others by posting on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and all your social media platforms using the #SupportNepal hashtag to encourage others to donate as well. As Architects of Change, we need to do what we can to support those currently on the ground in Nepal
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I am the creative director at IGRAPHI and an award winning designer and web developer with 20 years of experience conceiving and implementing design and technical solutions across traditional, digital, and social media platforms to effectively engage target audiences with clients’ messages and products. Built and managed brands from the ground up, worn every hat on the rack, one brand at a time.
