More than 3,000 citizens died and entire villages crumbled into nonexistence after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Nepal, according to the Red Cross. Despite the tragedy occurring roughly 7,000 miles away, recognition of the earthquake has crossed borders into Madison.
Community members came together Wednesday evening for a candlelight vigil to express their support for the families and friends impacted through the earthquake and its ongoing aftermath.
The Nepal Student Association and Nepali American Friendship Association hosted the gathering in hopes to spread community outreach for support for the victims and their families.
The vigil served as a place for anyone in the Madison community to mourn together. NAFA board member Archana Dhakhwa said she understood the difficulty of facing the tragedy alone.
“I find it very consoling that everyone is together. It’s not just Nepalese community but people from all over the place,” Dhakhwa said. “It’s very important to feel that we are not alone, that everyone is supporting us.”
Members of the Madison and Nepalese communities told personal stories of how the earthquake affected them. UW-Madison junior Danielle Kollpainter said the disaster impacts more than just the citizens in Nepal, hitting closer to home as well.
“I don’t think a lot of people in Madison realize the great diversity we have, and how this affects so many people here, across the world from where this earthquake happened,” Kollpainter said.
Speakers at the vigil emphasized that Nepal will not be rebuilt overnight, and that people will have to dedicate time and effort in order to help recover from the damage.
Ravi Pokhrel, a postdoc in the Chemistry department, said not everyone can take a direct approach to supporting the victims.
“I feel I should be going and helping out, but the only thing I can really do is give money to help those organizations that have a presence there and doing some great work,” Pokhrel said.
A speaker from NAFA said the next step into helping these impacted families within Madison is keeping their stories alive. He added that people shouldn’t forget about the shambles left in Nepal, even once they are released from the public eye.
