The average American citizen sleeps for about eight hours per night with a roof, pillow, mattress, and blanket in the comfort of their own home. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case for the residents of Kathmandu in Nepal.
This past week, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 devastatingly affected everyone who lives in and around the city of Nepal. Over 5,000 deaths were confirmed last weekend when the earthquake hit. And, according to Philanthropy News Digest, “Upwards of 8 million Nepalese have been affected by the quake. Shelter is already presenting itself as a serious problem and, based on what we have learned from other disasters, particularly earthquakes, will continue to be a major problem,” (Shelter – Then, Now, and Later).
The Nepal government reported last week that more than 70,000 homes have been completely destroyed – so now, more than ever, is the time to act on behalf of those who really need us. If there is a local fundraising event in your town, choose to be a volunteer and help the millions in Nepal affected by this quake. Think about if your family lived in Nepal, wouldn’t you want the help? According to PND, “As of 2011, the average household size in Nepal was 4.7 – which means that upward of 329,000 individuals have been rendered homeless,” (Shelter – Then, Now, and Later). This means that out of the 8 million people who were victims of this earthquake, there are around 2.8 million displaced from their homes.
In addition, individuals who have been displaced from their homes are weak, sleeping outside, and don’t have access to food or water. For more information on the devastations of Nepal, read this article published by Philanthropy News Digest.