Local foundation assisting with Nepal tragedy
It’s not yet clear the true extent of the devastation caused by the earthquake in Nepal but the most recent numbers show 4,000 people are dead and more than 9,000 are injured.
The prime minister of Nepal said on Tuesday that he believes as many as 10,000 may be dead. Rescue efforts have not stopped since the earthquake hit on Saturday with thousands of people around the world pitching in to help and two of those helping out overseas, a local Delaware woman and her daughter.
Amy Kaufman from Dagsboro, along with her daughter Holly, are now overseas helping with relief efforts. But it’s a miracle they are even alive to help the survivors because they were scheduled to be in the epicenter of the quake when it hit. However an unexpected twist of fate may have saved their lives.
Amy and Holly had plans to be in Nepal this month but on their trip over to the country in central Asia they were delayed in New Delhi because of a plane crash at that airport. Because of the crash, all air travel was suspended for 10 days. What was viewed at first as a setback, now they consider a blessing because they were out of harms way when the 7.8 magnitude quake hit Nepal.
Amy Kaufman spoke with 47 ABC and says, “Blessed that we weren’t there but also you know our hearts are aching wishing that we could’ve been there.”
Amy and Holly have been traveling to Nepal for the past five years, a labor of love, in honor of Amy’s oldest daughter Shauna who passed away in a car accident in 2009. The “Shauna Rose Kaufman Foundation” is a global outreach program that focuses on art, equality and education. Dave Luna is the organization’s treasurer.
Luna tells 47 ABC, “That’s what the foundations all about is helping the world. People can hardly afford anything in Nepal and that’s why this earthquake is so devastating.”
Amy and Holly are now helping with the relief effort in India since they’re told it’s too dangerous to go on to Nepal. It appears only trained rescue workers are moving into the most devastated areas. Amy tells us their focus now is collecting money and supplies that can be shipped over to the areas that need it.
Kaufman tells 47 ABC, “Relief is going to come in the next week where you know just bringing food into rural areas but the roads are impossible so this is where, I’m getting emotional but we’ve spent a lot of time in the city with our friends and family and we don’t have any word about so many people.”
If you would like to donate towards the relief efforts in Nepal you may do so by logging on to the “Shauna Rose Kaufman Foundation” which is: http://shaunarosekaufmanfoundation.com/
