More than 80 families in four earthquake-stricken Nepalese villages received tents, tarpaulins, blankets and food – thanks largely to people in Maitland and the Hunter.
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Phil Tweed, a director of the charity Hope Alliance, has paid tribute to individuals and businesses in Maitland, who supported relief efforts after the earthquake that shattered so much of the country on April 25.
More than $30,000 was raised in the Hunter for the Hope Alliance to support the people of Nepal.
“Our charity is associated with the Maitland area and a lot of generous people living in that city and surrounding areas contributed to this cause,” Mr Tweed said.
“I am also proud to say every donation we received went towards helping the people. Nothing we received was spent on administration or other costs.”
The charity had to struggle to access helicopters, with local army and government relief efforts making sure the choppers were in high demand.
That made it difficult to get aid into some areas where it was needed.
“Eventually we did get a helicopter and we were able to take in four loads, which included rice oil and noodles for 80 households in villages only 35km from the epicentre of the earthquake,” Mr Tweed said.
“Families were especially grateful for the tents we gave them, because the monsoon season has arrived in Nepal and it is raining a lot.
“Because of donations we received, we also able to give 10,000 rupees to those 80 families, about $120,” he said.
“Many families were able to use that money while they cleared the rubble from their homes or began repairing them.
“The main village we work with – Lhi in the Gorkha district – had every home partially or totally destroyed, forcing every family to sleep in the fields or under makeshift covers.
“We were able to bring relief to that village, and to those of Hinang, Sho and Lho, due to the overwhelming generosity of the [people of the] Hunter Valley.”
