Appeal for help after devastation in Nepal

BEECH Park native Fachtna ‘Doc’ Clandillon has spoken from his home in Nepal about the heartbreaking destruction caused by the devastating earthquake which claimed the lives of more than 5,000 people.
The Lucan man lives outside Kathmandu and has set up programmes for children from the area as well as an orphanage in Nagarkot in 2009.
Himself and his family, wife Divya and two young children Áine and Abban, were unharmed during the earthquake and the severe aftershocks on Saturday.
Doc told The Echo that the rebuilding begins now and that the area where he works in Nagarkot has been badly affected and is in urgent need of plastic sheeting and tents.
He said: “There is a massive clean-up to do, and years of rebuilding on the cards. I have been through certain urban centres and villages to assess the loss over the last two days.
“The TV and radio only tell you so much – 90 per cent or more of village houses ha been razed fully or partially. Everyone is sleeping in tents close to their houses in cities where supplies are hard to come by.”
The Clandillon family have been in touch with Doc every day and have been touched by the show of support from local people wishing them well.
His mother, Niamh, told The Echo: “I stayed very calm on Saturday morning, I was phoning him and phoning him and I got him just after lunchtime. I felt a bit emotional after I heard him.”
The family have close links with Nepal and do a lot of work for the Nagarhope charity, with many families in West Dublin sponsoring children from the area.
Niamh said: “Our prayers go out to all people in Nepal and especially to the many children and their families known to Nagarhope and sponsored by many [people] in Lucan and elsewhere.
“The younger sister of one of our students went back into the house to rescue her infant brother and the house wall collapsed on them both – just one example of stories emerging.”
It took Doc five days to be able to visit Nagarkot where much of Nagarhope’s work is based, as there is a lot of damage in the region and many people have died. He was unable to check on the preschool and other schools in the area because of the debris.
Doc and the Clandillon family are hoping to raise as much as possible for the cause in the coming days and weeks.
Those who wish to help can do so by visiting the website nagarhope.com/donate or through any bank, using the following details – BIC : ULSBIE2D, IBAN : IE 30ULSB 986040 10122317.