A P20 donation from a fisherman who lost his wife, baby and everything he owned to Super Typhoon Yolanda, jump-started the pouring in of donations from beneficiaries of the Negrense Volunteers for Change for the victims of the mammoth earthquake in Nepal that left thousands dead.

The act of fisherman Rolando Pamplona of Palo, Leyte, who was the recipient of a NVC fishing boat after Yolanda hit, led to the raising of P74,865.57.

The amount that came from 242 beneficiaries of NVC's Peter Project and Project Joseph was turned over by the foundation's president Millie Kilayko to Consul Paulo Campos at the Nepalese Consulate in Manila last night.

The funds will be used by Nepalese medical students in the Philippines, some who already have gone to Nepal, and some about to go, to help bring blankets, medicine and food to the earthquake victims , Kilayko said.

At the turnover rites Shaun Khadhka, a Nepali businessman living in the Philippines, said they were truly touched by the donations from the NVC.

“We're really touched to see you here supporting our country. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts," he told the NVC volunteers present, who, aside from Kilayko, were Josephine Ruiz, Therese Ng and Noel Tolentino.

Dr. Archana Bajrachnara, a Nepalese dentist and graduate student studying at the University of the East-Ramon Magsaysay medical school, explained the extent of the Nepal earthquake, and Consul Campos explained how to send relief to Nepal.

Rescuers battled yesterday to reach survivors of a deadly new earthquake in Nepal, which brought the overall death toll to more than 8,200.

Kilayko said the donations for Nepal came from recipients of NVC fishing boats and livelihood projects in Samar, Leyte, Biliran and Negros Occidental. Inspired by the selfless act of the poor, NVC's volunteers and staff pitched in, and so did some of their friends, she said.

“What we have to give you is not much, but there is something I can tell you, and vouch for: I have been to most of the places where your donors come from. I have seen these donors face to face. I have looked at them in the eye. I have seen them – poverty stricken, owning so little, oftentimes lacking much, and many times even hungry. I know that even the smallest of donations was an amount so precious, so needed, by their own families,” she said.

Kilayko said the acts of kindness of the poor communities who donated to fund drive for Nepal has not gone unnoticed.

She said that shortly before yesterday evening's turnover, she was informed that Cebuana Lhuillier Microinsurance has committed to provide the 242 donors from the NVC beneficiary communities with a P20,000 accidental death and disablement insurance and P5,000 fire cash assistance each for a period of four months.

“If they paid for the premium, that would have cost them P25 each. Clearly, the P20 donation of Rolando Pamplona, the first fisherman donor, has been rewarded a hundredfold,” she said.*CPG

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