Heifer China, Farmers Donate to Nepal Earthquake Recovery

Though it hasn't made the headlines here, the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25, 2015, killed and injured people in neighboring countries and regions, including Tibet, India, Bangladesh and Bhutan. The sudden disaster shifted worlds of happiness into sadness with so many lost lives and homes.

With continuous reports of the bad news, the health and safety of the residents of earthquake-stricken Nepal became a huge concern for their neighbors in China. It has been a long-standing tradition in China that people who are not affected by a disaster will always help those impacted.

This tradition, as well as the value promoted by Heifer's Cornerstone Sharing and Caring, was well practiced by the employees of Heifer China, project partners and beneficiaries when Heifer China launched a fundraiser for the Nepalese people.

Heifer China staff helped raise about $13,500 for Heifer Nepal to use in the earthquake recovery process. 

A Heifer China project at Weichang, in Hebei Province, once hosted a Nepal project delegation, headed by Shubh Mahtato, country director for Heifer Nepal. Farmer households from the Weichang projects were also invited to visit Nepal, and they became friends during the visits. 

The project farmers from the North China region were particularly concerned about their friends in Nepal, so they spontaneously launched a donation station in their communities. The earthquake came when farmers in North China were in the middle of a busy farming season. This hindered their donation station organization; however, the community facilitators were of great help. They carried a donation box to the fields to collect donations.

No matter how much or how little the amount was, every donation represented the donating farmers' concern and care for the families in Nepal. Donations from the project farmers and project partners in the North China region program office totaled 26,703.5 yuan, or about $4,300.

Other regional offices in China started their own donation initiatives. Yunnan and Guizhou regional program offices raised 17,592 yuan, or about $2,833, from 10 project partners and the project communities, as well as 1,000 yuan, or about $161, from Haidong Tsongka Charity Association, a project partner, and the project community of Qinghai-Tibet regional program office. Six project partners and project communities within the Central China region donated 17,505 yuan, or about $2819, and 5,888 yuan, or about $948, was collected from three project partners and project communities in Xinjiang Region. Project partner Wanyuan Animal and Poultry Breed Improvement Station and proect communities in Sichuan and Chongquing regions collected 2,700 yuan, or about $434. 

The donation totaled 83,854.5 yuan, or about $13,500, including 12,476 yuan, or about $2,008, from Heifer China employees alone. With this gift, the donors hoped to help strengthen the confidence of those impacted to rebuild their homes. 

Confronted with the colossal catastrophe, the disaster-stricken people in the project communities of Heifer Nepal still maintain their confidence. Their strength in the wake of this disaster is inspiring to many. The donations from Heifer China convey not only financial support, but also spiritual support from afar.

You can still help support farmers in Nepal who are trying to rebuild after the devastating earthquakes.