On 16 August 2015 Zande Law again participated in the North Lakes Community Fun Run event, with runners participating in the 5km and 2km individual events, as well as a team of four runners entered into the Community Shield relay event.  We are delighted to announce that this year, our fantastic team of brilliant runners managed to snag second place, which is an improvement on last year’s third place.  As second place winners, the firm earned prize money of $300.00 which was available to be donated to a charity of our choice.  As the Dadagaun Village Project Earthquake Relief Fund is the firm’s designated charity for this year, it was decided that these monies should be passed onto that charity and in accordance with Zande Law’s dollar for dollar donation match pledge, an additional $300.00 was donated simultaneously from our own funds.  Pictured are two of the fantastic runners from the day, Hayden and Tilly handing over the donation funds to Christine and Kurt Marschner of the Dadagaun Village Project.  Christine and Kurt have both confirmed that the need for ongoing support and funds in the Nepal area is still enormous and with winter approaching and many homes still not yet reconstructed these needs are becoming increasingly urgent.  Three messages that are considered particularly important to relay are:

• The charities which are working to help rebuild the Dadagaun Village are very much working in partnership with local communities to ensure that the maximum amount of assistance is matched to the magnitude and priority of each family’s individual need;
• With a strong locally based committee of both Nepalese and western businessmen co-ordinating efforts on a largely volunteer basis, minimal money is being lost in the administration costs which often heavily gouge away at donation dollars coming out of western nations; and
• As pleasing as it was to see the magnitude and speed with which the world first responded to the quake victims in the days and weeks which followed, the rebuild of the affected areas of Nepal will take a very long time and consequently, international public awareness of the ongoing need for financial assistance and other forms of aid is vitally important to be maintained.

Zande Law has pledged ongoing support to the Dadagaun Village Project Earthquake Relief Fund in other fundraising activities that it has planned for the remainder of this year and into next year.