US-Indians raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for quake-hit Nepal

Washington, May 7: Indian-Americans, along with the small Nepali community, are raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to help the victims in the quake-hit Nepal.

Grocery stores, gas stations owned by Indian-Americans and temples have kept donation boxes outside for the people to donate generously. Several temples in California and Maryland have been making special effort to collect funds for the quake victims.

"We are making several fund raising efforts in various cities in the US for Nepal," said Chandrakant Patel, president of the Overseas Friends of BJP-USA.

"We are committed to provide support for the immediate relief and rehabilitation effort in the worst affected areas of Nepal," he said.

Last week in Los Angeles more than USD 160,000 were raised for the Nepal earthquake victims. More than USD 360,000 were raised by not for profit Sewa International USA.

The American India Foundation (AIF), set up in the aftermath of the Gujarat earthquake, said it had established a Nepal Rehabilitation Fund whose entire donation will directly go to the rehabilitation process.

"Given that one of our core strengths is in livelihoods and skill building, this fund will support the rehabilitation of lost livelihoods for communities across Nepal, to rebuild and provide a new life filled with dignity, opportunity, and hope," AIF said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Administrator Alfonso Lenhardt yesterday announced an additional USD 11 million in assistance for Nepal earthquake response and recovery efforts, bringing the total US humanitarian assistance for the disaster to nearly USD 26 million.

Lenhardt made the announcement during a trip to Nepal, where he surveyed the damage caused by the powerful April 25 earthquake.

PTI