Minute April 26, 2015

Emergency NAFA Meeting Minute

Date : April 26th 2015

Venue : 4710 Odana Rd, Madison WI 53711 (Purna Shrestha’s Home)

Time : 4.00 PM

Members Present:

Purna Shrestha, Samyam Shrestha, Ayodhya Batajoo, Kiran Shrestha, Ramesh Khanal, Himal Regmi, Paul Benjamin, Sita Benjamin, Som Khanal, Surendra Prajapati, Rajendra Aryal, Prateek Chhetri, Nawaraj Pandey, Abiskar Bharati, Narendra Thapa, Dinar Shrestha, Rajeeb Karna, Archana Malla, Archana Dhakhwa, Ankita Budhathoki, Namrata Dangol, Lalita Pathak, Melody Pathak.

Agenda :

1. How to help/support the earthquake victims asap and in long term.

2. How to get the local Madison community involved and informed in this tragic incident

3. What are the programs NAFA can initiate along with NSA(UW-Madison)

4. How to reach out to media/community

5. Whom to support for the benefit of donations

· Purna Shrestha explained about the current situation of Nepal along with whom among NAFA members are affected by the tragic natural disaster in Nepal.

· Surendra Prajapati , President of Nepal Student Association – UW(Madison), explained :

    • - Local News channels approached him to check on families of the Nepali students back in Nepal.

    • - NSA members talked with the local media(interviewed)

    • - Student body had an emergency meeting and discussed on what would be the “tangible” thing to do for Nepal.

    • - Student body decided to support “Sarvodaya USA” for the earthquake relief fund.

    • - An email will be circulated to the entire UW-Madison community informing them about the incident in Nepal and asking them to donate/support as much as they can. Email list has aprox. 50,000 people in it.

    • - NSA wants to work with NAFA for the relief efforts , so when local media asked about the fundraiser programs NSA informed about NAFA and told NAFA will hold a fundraiser program very soon.

    • - UW-madison’s home page already has news about Nepal’s earthquake and has redcross’s weblink to donate for the relief.

    • - Surendra proposed NSA and NAFA to support a locally renowned organization like “Sarvodaya USA”.

    • - NSA will release the email tomorrow.

· Paul Benjamin, general member of NAFA, suggested – lets bring the NAFA members whose homes are most affected to the local media with their story.

· Archana Dhakhwa, executive member of NAFA, explained

- Right now Nepal needs is expertise and technology to get the people out of the emergency situation. Nepal is in search and rescue mode so when this mode settles then NAFA can help in sanitization, water, food, health by financial fund raisers.

· Dinar Shrestha, member of Hindu Dharma Circle (HDC), informed HDC has already started the initiative of fundraising. HDC’s all donations , bhetis for next 4 weeks will be donated to the Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund. HDC already has some amount collected this morning and President of All Indian Association has promised to help the community for fundraiser.

· Discussions were held on pros and cons of different organizations NAFA wants to support. As per discussions , NAFA will send an email to NAFA community , Madison Community and Local media by tonight which will have links to organizations NAFA and NSA trusts.

· NAFA will send email with following suggested organizations for donations:

- Help Nepal Network (http://www.helpnepal.net/)

- Sarvodaya USA (http://www.sarvodayausa.org/)

- American Redcross Society (http://www.redcross.org/)

· NAFA can/will start a fundraising within the community too which could be forwared to “Prime Minister’s Releif Fund” in Nepal (http://www.opmcm.gov.np/uploads/news/file/pmo-appeal_20150426050328.pdf)

· To track who/how much was donated from Madison , a request can be sent to respective organization later in time.

· An email will be drafted by Archana Dhakhwa , to be circulated to NAFA community, local media, local community, students of UW-madison and to whomever possible.

· This email will be sent tonight (asap) by NAFA and tomorrow morning by NSA.

· Paul Benjamin has been asked to coordinate the candle light vigilance .

· Paul will check with the local authority to get the permissions and necessary security for the candle light vigil.

· Candle light vigilance will be done tentatively on Wednesday, 29th April 2015, at 7.00 PM around Madison State Capitol Building starting at corner of State Street and Capitol.

· Melody Pathak, Nepali Youth Leaders(NYL) volunteer, said they will help NAFA to create the boards and play cards with slogan.

· Slogans like “Help Earthquake victims in Nepal” will be created.

Minute Prepared by : Abiskar Bharati.