MSU students converged at the rock on Farm Lane today to support and raise money for those suffering in the aftermath of the earthquake that hit Nepal on Saturday.
Charisma Thapa was the lead organizer of the event at the rock and has immediate family in Nepal, who are reeling from the devastation of the country’s worst earthquake in 80 years.
“I was (in Nepal) about a month ago so it’s surreal that I was just there and it was fine. ... When I heard the news my heart was broken,” Thapa said.
Thapa began frantically organizing on Sunday – reaching out to her former community service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, and spreading the word at her co-op.
Thapa also reached out to an East Lansing Nepalese group affiliated with the American Red Cross, which attended the event to raise money for victims.
“Including my family, many families have lost their homes and lives, so any amount of money can help them,” said Yeshoda Adhikari, a member of the group.
Marohang Limbu, an MSU writing, rhetoric and American culture professor and a native of Nepal, brought his entire class to the rock in order to show them that it is necessary to help any humans suffering.
“We do not believe that we are compartmentalized by any geographic locations. We have to give support to everyone,” Limbu said.
One of Limbu’s students, French freshman Eva Martin, said it’s important for people to be aware of these sorts of things, because if not, “then we can’t fulfill our human duty.”
Other students such as MSU microbiology senior Anjesh Ghimire, whose family is currently in Nepal, showed up because he said he too felt helpless and wanted to do something to help Nepalese people.
Ghimire said it was amazing to see so many people show up after something so tragic had happened.
Thapa said she was thrilled with the student turnout and will continue to organize events around campus to raise money and support for victims in Nepal in the coming weeks.
East Lansing Yoga is holding a hot yoga session Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. in which all the proceeds will go to help victims in Nepal.
Tonight at 8:30 p.m. there will be a candlelight vigil at the rock to show support for earthquake victims in Nepal.
