Mango Tree fundraiser to help Nepal earthquake victims

Feeling the weight of this natural disaster on a very personal level is Nilam Poudel and husband Narayan Chapagain, co-owners of North Wollongong’s Mango Tree Indian Restaurant.

‘‘We are Nepalese,’’ Mrs Poudel said.

‘‘My parents are displaced, they are living in tents. They are not at home and it’s not just about the people I’m connected to, it’s a whole nation in crisis. Humanity in crisis. We can see that.’’

In response, the couple and their business partners, who are also Nepalese, have announced they will be holding a fundraising dinner at The Mango Tree on Thursday 7th May with majority of proceeds being donated to the aid effort in Nepal.

‘‘We are not professional at this, at fundraising. We haven’t done this kind of thing before,’’ Mrs Poudel said. 

‘‘We’re simply a small business but with what’s happened, it has shaken us, we strongly feel we should do something. Of course we are Australian but at the root is Nepal. It’s our parents, our friends and family, everybody is there.’’

In Kathmandu, Mrs Poudel’s family’s home cracked in the initial 7.9 mangitude earthquake but didn’t completely collapse, she said.

With the prospect of more aftershocks looming however, they remain displaced in tents.

‘‘It’s better to be safe than sorry,’’ she said.

‘‘What happened, it has given us a different way of seeing life. I wasn’t able to speak to my father for two days because there was no telephone connection. They are fine, they are living in tents but they’re fine,’’

‘‘Who knew it was going to happen, that all resources needed to be mobilised. People are not enough to go into most places, to rescue. There’s people gone. It’s so difficult, it’s really difficult. I just personally wish I could do something.’’

For more information on the fundraising dinner bookings, contact The Mango Tree on 4229 2822.