David McRaney  |  Journalist

Students aid victims of earthquake

In a country like the U.S., where a cup of coffee can go for $5, it may seem unlikely that a donation of only 50 cents could provide serious help to people in need, but that's all Neeru Khajuria is asking of USM students.

Khajuria, a graduate student in computer science, is volunteering to man a booth near the Hub as part of an effort among Indian and Pakistani students to raise money for relief efforts following a disastrous earthquake that has left an estimated 18,000 dead and 41,000 injured in Afghanistan, India and Pakistan.

Khajuria, who is a native of India, said that as soon as she and her friends heard about the disaster they began to organize collection boxes on campus. They soon met with administration members who helped them set up a collection site in the high traffic area between the Cook Library and the Hub.

"We haven't had to spend any money in setting this up," she said. "That is important to us because by keeping our expenses at a minimum we can ensure that every dollar goes to someone over there."

As people passed the booth Monday morning, Khajuria asked passersby for only 50 cents each. According to Mansoor Chunghtai, even an amount so small could make a big difference.

"Over there $1 dollar is more helpful than $300 is here," said Chunghtai, a senior computer engineering major from Pakistan. "This is much worse than Katrina. If Katrina was a one, then this is a ten."

Chunghtai's family still lives in Pakistan, and when he recently spoke with them by phone he learned that they were only 20 miles away from the earthquake's devastation.

He went on to say that the people affected by this earthquake had no prior warning and few resources or technology to cope with the aftermath, so the need there is great. He mentioned the help that people in the Hattiesburg area received after Katrina and that he and his group are only asking for a small donation to help those in a much worse situation.

The 7.6 magnitude quake's epicenter was about 60 miles northeast of Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, and was felt in India's capital of New Delhi. The death toll is expected to rise over the next few weeks as torrential rains in the region hinder relief efforts

Chunghtai said that many people live in concrete homes that were turned to rubble without warning as they went about their daily activities.

A spokesman for the Pakistani president said that entire villages and roads have been wiped out by landslides, and many areas are still unreachable. Among the dead are hundreds of schoolchildren and several hospitals have collapsed. Pakistani officials are calling for help in providing shelter for those displaced by the earthquake before the coming harsh Himalayan winter.

Several countries including the United States are involved in relief efforts, and as the students who organized the booth at USM can attest, every dollar counts.

Originally published in The Student Printz on October 18, 2005