Calgary man returning home to Nepal to help family after earthquake
Nepali-born Calgarian will leave Tuesday to be with his mother in Kathmandu
Many Calgary travellers are evacuating Nepal after the earthquake, trying to escape the devastated country.
But one Calgary man is making plans to get into the country as soon as possible — to be reunited with his mother.
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"Back home, whatever connections I have, I can't really ask them to do something from there," said Utsav Shrestha.
"I'm kind of in a situation where I'm desperate to be back home to make sure my mom is in a safe place."
Shrestha immigrated from Nepal to Canada five years ago, but his mother still lives in Kathmandu and has no immediate family around her.
"She's outside with her neighbours, who have been taking amazing care of her. We're grateful, but she's going to need some TLC from her family," said Shrestha's wife, Sarah Zendel.
Zendel grew up in Calgary and met Shrestha while doing research in Nepal.
She says her husband will fly over there on Tuesday and she will follow him later on.
"For now, I think I can be most effective fundraising and co-ordinating relief efforts from here," said Zendel, who speaks Nepali.
"I am able to be online all the time and manage communication between local areas in need and local organizations that can get them resources."
Zendel is working with Circle of Health International, an NGO that's focusing on the emergency needs of Nepalese mothers and their babies.
She's also involved with the Nepal Earthquake Relief Volunteer Coordination Facebook Page.
"For example, I am matching a local group with tents to an organization who can get them money to rent vehicles for distribution," said Zendel.
Shrestha spent years guiding professionally in Nepal and plans to put his skills to good use.
"I can mobilize myself because I've been a professional guide in Nepal, I have networks on the ground who I can work with," he said.
Help or hindrance?
According to CBC reporter Margaret Evans in Nepal, a Canadian Forces transport plane carrying relief supplies and a disaster-assistance team landed Wednesday afternoon at the Kathmandu airport.
A second Canadian plane is expected to land on Thursday.
But the Alberta-born chief of education for UNICEF Nepal has concerns about foreigners not directly involved with aid organizations coming to the country to lend a hand.
"Once you get here, there's no place. There's no place to stay. Food and water is getting short," Marilyn Hoar told the Calgary Eyeopener on Wednesday.
"Unless you are being supported by an organization, it's very difficult. And you know to come here, and then expect families to support you just puts an added burden on that," said Hoar.