Nepali Grandmother Needs Help to Pay for Surgery

Kalden is 71 years old and comes from the village of Loh in the Manasulu National Park. Lho is one of the most remote villages in Nepal, located high in the mountains near the Tibet border and 7-8 days' walking distance from the nearest road. Kalden and her husband survived unhurt the April earthquake which devastated their village. Kalden is partially blind and was dragged from her collapsing house during the quake by brave neighbours who risked their lives to save her. All the usual walking paths to their village were blocked so they were cut off from help and had to live in makeshift shelters eating barley tsampa.

Kalden's son, Lama Pasang, flew by helicopter into Loh on July 25th bringing urgent supplies funded by friends in NZ and Malaysia.

Sadly on August 20th Kalden and her husband were caught in a rockslide caused by the monsoon rains. Her husband was killed and Kalden's leg was badly broken. Again her son raised the funds to fly Kalden to the Nepal Orthopedic Hospital where she had surgery to repair her leg. She is still in hospital, mending slowly and has just begun to move without pain with the aid of a walker. Of course she is still shocked and missing her husband very much. Her son will stay by her side until she is well enough to go home.

The family needs funds to pay for the surgery and hospital care - 40,000 rupees (600NZD) plus continuing costs for bandages and medicines. It costs 500 rupees per day for the bed and the helicopter trip home will be another 175,000 rupees (2,600NZD). At present, because of earthquake damage, helicopter transport is the only way she can get home.

The family urgently needs the support of compassionate people. Please help this old lady, she has been through so much.