Love Light Care Foundation, a Lonehill-based charity, and its founder, Michelle Chelliah Singh, have collected and packed relief aid for people affected by devastating flash floods in Nepal.

The foundation was among the Gauteng co-ordinators involved in the disaster relief project initiated by the Hindu Unity Forum of South Africa. The project followed flash floods that struck Rasuwa on August 26, with organisations in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) joining the relief effort.

Singh said the foundation never expected its community work to reach an international level, but decided to respond when the appeal was issued. “That was something that we never planned for, as a small little charity that just works within our community, between KZN and Gauteng. We never thought we’d reach an international level, but when the appeal went out on August 27, my heart just said, ‘Go for it’,” she said.

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The appeal was shared through social media groups, prompting donations of clothing, shoes, blankets, basic toiletries and other relief items. “The next day, we had people phoning, asking where they can drop off donations, how they can help, or what is needed,” said Singh.

Over the following two weeks, more than eight tonnes of clothing, bedding and blankets were donated and dropped off at Singh’s home in Lonehill. Singh, her family and volunteers then sorted, packed and labelled the donations, with a further appeal made for tents, sleeping bags, camping gear and solar lights. “Within a space of seven days, we packed almost 300 boxes of relief aid,” she said.

Once packed, the relief goods were transported to the BAPS Mandhir in Northriding for storage and safekeeping before being transported to the port for shipment to Nepal.

Singh said shipping containers had already been organised in KZN, with a company assisting with the shipping and customs process. “All goods are going to be put on these vessels and sent to Nepal. It’s going to take 21 days to reach them.”

The foundation’s relief effort also drew support from volunteers and community members who helped with the mammoth task of preparing the donations. “I just want to say a heartfelt thank you, thank you, thank you,” said Singh. “Without them, we would not have been able to do such a mammoth task.”

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She said the donations would assist people affected by the disaster, including those who had lost their homes. “With their donations and contributions, it helped us to help those in need, especially our brothers and sisters in Nepal, that are now homeless, that have nowhere to go,” she said.

Singh said the relief appeal came after she saw news of the disaster while travelling from KZN. “I was on my phone that evening when I saw the news. That’s when the Hindu Unity Forum put out the appeal to all organisations, temples, ashrams, mandirs, and NPOs to get on board,” she said.

The foundation is now preparing for the next stage of the relief effort, with organisations in Nepal expected to assist with the distribution and groundwork once the goods arrive. “Once it gets to Nepal, we’ve got organisations on that side that have come on board to assist us to go and actually do the groundwork on our behalf.”

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