Michigan Tech students hold fundraising dinner for Nepal earthquake relief; fundraiser continues online

By Michele Bourdieu

Students enjoy a fundraising dinner at the Canterbury House in Houghton on Apr. 29, 2015. The event raised about $1,800 for victims of the recent earthquake in Nepal. With a goal of $10,000, Michigan Tech's Nepalese Student Organization continues the fundraiser online. So far they have collected more than $8,000. Serving food, at left, is Ezequiel Medici, who, along with Evan Post and other Canterbury House students, helped organizer Sara Alian with the food preparation. (Photos © and courtesy Allan Baker)

HOUGHTON -- Michigan Tech's Nepalese Student Organization and friends raised about $1,800 Wednesday night, Apr. 29, during a fundraising dinner at the Canterbury House for victims of the recent devastating earthquake in Nepal. Since then, the students' fundraising for Nepal has continued online HERE.

Sara Alian, center, one of the organizers of the dinner for Nepal earthquake relief, chats with friends in the Canterbury House during the event. Alian noted food was provided by Canterbury House.

So far the online fundraiser has collected more than $8,000 toward a goal of $10,000. The Nepalese Student Organization members hope to send the money to help in the best way possible. As of Thursday, April 29, they were still considering where to send the money.

"We have not yet decided to whom to give the money as we have not reached our target, but it seems we will meet our target pretty soon," said Dolendra Karki, president of the Nepalese Student Organization and graduate student in the Department of Physics. "However, we are thinking of providing part of it to the local groups working for relief efforts in Sindhupalchok District and Gorkha District."

These districts are in one of the remote areas most devastated by the earthquake, he explained.

Students provided food with an international flavor, including vegetarian dishes, for the Apr. 29 fundraising dinner.

Karki said the students were taking time to select the relief group to be sure it is trustworthy. They want to be sure the money will be spent on the people in need and not be misused. Another possibility under consideration is to give the funds to the Red Cross, which is helping people in those areas.

Ashma Vaidya, a member of the Nepalese Student Organization, sent an email out to students to let them know how donations can be made online.

"It is very discomfiting for us, members of the Nepalese Student Organization at MTU, that we are unable to be with our loved ones back home at this hour of such huge tragedy," Vaidya writes. "While there is so little we can do about it, we are determined to do all that we can to help provide relief to the affected people in Nepal."

Visit the Michigan Tech Nepalese Student Organization Facebook page to learn more.