Nettie stays behind to help Nepal

A South Kilworth teenager on a gap year in Nepal has stayed on in the devastated country to deliver aid to people affected by the earthquake.
Netty Burd in NepalNetty Burd in Nepal
Netty Burd in Nepal

Nettie Burd went to Nepal 12 weeks ago to volunteer at an orphanage near Pokara.

She was due to move on to Bangkok, but decided to stay in Nepal after the earthquake.

She contacted her family on Tuesday to tell them she was still safe after the country’s latest earthquake.

The 18-year-old’s mum, Eileen Burd, said she was proud of her daughter for showing such compassion.

“She’s happy to embrace the experience and feels very blessed. I don’t think she realised the extent of the initial earthquake as there was no television or even electricity where she was.

“But we were at home seeing some horrific scenes on the news and we were so worried in the six hours we didn’t hear from her,” Eileen said.

Nettie contacted her family on Facebook around six hours after the earthquake on April 25 to confirm she was safe.

Nettie recently joined a five-day mission to deliver supplies to a remote village close to the epicentre of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake.

She said on Facebook: “We aim to provide some villages very close to the epicentre with shelter, blankets, sanitary places to keep food, medicines, water purification, etc.

“As monsoon season is coming, we are trying to make more permanent shelter for the villages other than cheap tents, with tin roofing.”

Charlotte Marten, headteacher at Nettie’s old school, Rugby High, said: “We were delighted to hear that Nettie had survived the quake and is in a position to help those affected by this catastrophe. We are really proud of Nettie and her determination to make a difference.”

Related topics: