The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Highland Perthshire family to raise money for disaster relief
Couple tell of anxious wait to learn fate of relatives after earthquake struck
A Highland Perthshire family whose relatives survived the devastating earthquake in Nepal are to raise money for the stricken nation.
Sanu Gurung and his wife Anna live in Kenmore but had visited Nepal with their three children as recently as October.
Sanu, 39, runs a rafting and outdoor adventure business in Highland Perthshire. Following the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that shook Nepal on April 25, the family had an anxious wait before they could reach their family in the Darachok district.
With phone lines down and power supplies sporadic, it was a fretful 72 hours spent trying to contact their loved ones.
Yesterday Anna, 43, said: “Eventually we confirmed that Sanu’s parents had survived but their house was unsafe and they were having to live in tents.”
Further phone calls saw them learn that although Sanu’s aunt saw her house reduced to rubble, she had escaped unscathed. His sister, who lived in Kathmandu, had also been lucky.
Although their own family had been comparatively lucky, the couple’s deep affection for the country and its people meant they felt the need to try and help.
Anna, together with one of her close friends, immediately hit on the idea of a parachute jump to raise funds for Mercy Corps’ relief efforts in Nepal.
The intrepid pair have already set up a Justgiving page and hope to raise a substantial amount. In addition, Anna is currently planning a fundraising dinner and an auction.
“Nepal is a beautiful country,” Anna added. “The first thing everyone notices when they visit is everyone’s amazing smile. We want to do whatever we can to help bring that back.
“The monsoon season is coming, communications are difficult and there are problems with the drinking water. We decided we had to act now.”
Anyone wishing to donate or check on Anna’s exploits can keep up to date at www.justgiving.com /anna-and-liz or search for Bring back the smile to Nepal on Facebook.
Nepal is a beautiful country. The first thing everyone notices when they visit is everyone’s amazing smile. We want to do whatever we can to help bring that back.”
ANNA GURUNG