SCOTTISH Minister Humza Yousaf visited students at Queen Margaret University to support their fundraising efforts for families and friends in Nepal.

Mr Yousaf, Minister for Europe and International Development, met students from Nepal during a visit last week.

Students and staff at QMU have been keen to support Nepalese students based in Musselburgh, as well as helping those back in the earthquake-hit country, where their partner institution Silver Mountain School of Hotel management is based in Kathmandu.

Reports of graduates from the university walking for 10 days to bring bags of rice to some of the mountain villages worst hit by the disaster have been coming into the university.

Last Friday, they held a series of fundraising events to help provide vital support.

Yoga classes, cake runs and a quiz night provided a variety of different ways for people to engage with the awareness event.

Mr Yousaf cut the starting cord at the beginning of a race around the campus.

He said: “There has been no respite for the people of Nepal, with another major earthquake hitting the region last week.

“Our thoughts are with the friends, colleagues and family of all those affected. The efforts of Queen Margaret University to provide assistance in the face of the disaster shows the best of Scotland’s compassionate spirit and I am happy to support their wonderful efforts.” Student Bimu Sharma, who is studying an MSc in international health at QMU, is from Lalitpur in Nepal, which has been devastated by the earthquakes.

She spoke of her fears for her family as news of the disaster broke and phone networks failed.

She said: “It was a very scary time. We could do little more than pray for their safety.

“Problems with phone networks added to the delay but I was relieved to finally find out they had survived.

“They had to stay in camp and were only allowed to return to their home to collect their belongings after nine days.

“However, their house is unsafe, so they are homeless and finding another place to live in the middle of such destruction, is extremely difficult.” Bimu said the earthquake had been particularly hard on her younger brother, who is just 12.

She said: “He was shocked when he saw the house and scared to be in it because it was unsafe. He had viewed the most devastating moment of his life and my mother could not stop him crying.

“When I eventually managed to speak to him, he said that the places that we used to play – the temples and monuments – everything had been destroyed.” Bimu had worked with project Saath Saath, in her hometown, which works to reduce HIV infection and improve sexual and reproductive health with hard to reach populations.

She said: “Many organisations now have no base. I’m not sure what situation my former colleagues are in, but many people have no homes, no place of work, and hospitals and medical bases are struggling to operate because their premises are in tatters.

“Friends who graduated from QMU last year are trying to take food to their villages by walking for miles over mountainous terrain.

“I’m immensely proud that other graduates from QMU are already on the ground in Nepal helping to coordinate the rescue effort.” Donations can be paid into Queen Margaret University’s Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund at www.qmu.ac.uk/alumni_and_friends/qmu-nepal-earthquake-relief-fund.htm SCOTTISH Minister Humza Yousaf visited students at Queen Margaret University to support their fundraising efforts for families and friends in Nepal.

Mr Yousaf, Minister for Europe and International Development, met students from Nepal during a visit last week.

Students and staff at QMU have been keen to support Nepalese students based in Musselburgh, as well as helping those back in the earthquake-hit country, where their partner institution Silver Mountain School of Hotel management is based in Kathmandu.

Reports of graduates from the university walking for 10 days to bring bags of rice to some of the mountain villages worst hit by the disaster have been coming into the university.

Last Friday, they held a series of fundraising events to help provide vital support.

Yoga classes, cake runs and a quiz night provided a variety of different ways for people to engage with the awareness event.

Mr Yousaf cut the starting cord at the beginning of a race around the campus.

He said: “There has been no respite for the people of Nepal, with another major earthquake hitting the region last week.

“Our thoughts are with the friends, colleagues and family of all those affected. The efforts of Queen Margaret University to provide assistance in the face of the disaster shows the best of Scotland’s compassionate spirit and I am happy to support their wonderful efforts.” Student Bimu Sharma, who is studying an MSc in international health at QMU, is from Lalitpur in Nepal, which has been devastated by the earthquakes.

She spoke of her fears for her family as news of the disaster broke and phone networks failed.

She said: “It was a very scary time. We could do little more than pray for their safety.

“Problems with phone networks added to the delay but I was relieved to finally find out they had survived.

“They had to stay in camp and were only allowed to return to their home to collect their belongings after nine days.

“However, their house is unsafe, so they are homeless and finding another place to live in the middle of such destruction, is extremely difficult.” Bimu said the earthquake had been particularly hard on her younger brother, who is just 12.

She said: “He was shocked when he saw the house and scared to be in it because it was unsafe. He had viewed the most devastating moment of his life and my mother could not stop him crying.

“When I eventually managed to speak to him, he said that the places that we used to play – the temples and monuments – everything had been destroyed.” Bimu had worked with project Saath Saath, in her hometown, which works to reduce HIV infection and improve sexual and reproductive health with hard to reach populations.

She said: “Many organisations now have no base. I’m not sure what situation my former colleagues are in, but many people have no homes, no place of work, and hospitals and medical bases are struggling to operate because their premises are in tatters.

“Friends who graduated from QMU last year are trying to take food to their villages by walking for miles over mountainous terrain.

“I’m immensely proud that other graduates from QMU are already on the ground in Nepal helping to coordinate the rescue effort.” Donations can be paid into Queen Margaret University’s Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund at www.qmu.ac.uk/alumni_and_friends/qmu-nepal-earthquake-relief-fund.htm