Students Raise Money for Earthquake Victims

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Nepali students at MSUM and NDSU are raising money for relief after a devastating earthquake injured and killed thousands.

The students will be collecting donations throughout the week.

KVRR’s Aries Serrano tells us how the earthquake has impacted so many in our community.
 
 “We kind of panicked, we didn’t know what to do at the moment.”
 
“I just thought that someone was doing a prank.”
 
“At first I was like, oh, maybe that’s not right or something, you know like it’s a hoax or something.”
 
These are the thoughts that went through the minds of many Nepali students in the area.

Nepal is recovering from a 7.9 earthquake on Saturday that killed and injured thousands.

When Kabina Chaulagain heard the news, she tried desperately to call her family.
 
“Like all the networks were down, we weren’t able to do that right then. We had to wait for I don’t know, almost a day.”
 
After she says what seemed like an eternity, she finally got through.
 
“Just to make sure you know, they are ok, they’re physically ok. It was just amazing.”
 
She’s now helping collect money for relief in her home country.
MSUM has a Nepali population of around 70 students, and many of those are helping as well.
 
“After hearing about the earthquake, many students say they didn’t believe it at first, but once they did, they had to help out.”
 
“After we heard about it, we just had a meeting and thought that we should do this and make some effect.”
 
Roshan Sharma Poudel is the president for NDSU’s Nepali Student Association.

They set up boxes throughout the school to gather donations.
 
“We aren’t going to have a big amount collected, but at least we’re going to collect something that will help two or three families.”
 
Members of a community stricken by a disaster, helping out thousands of miles away.
Aries Serrano, KVRR News.
 
MSUM will be holding a candlelight vigil Friday night at 7 p.m.