Saraf achieves his goal in less time than planned.
By Raif Karerat
WASHINGTON, DC: Neev Saraf, the eight-year-old boy from Laurel, Maryland, who made it his mission to raise at least $25,000 for victims of the Nepalese earthquakes, has achieved his goal less than halfway into his fundraiser’s allotted time span.
Related story: 8-year-old Neev Saraf from Maryland raising $25,000 for Nepal earthquake victims
The American Bazaar previously reported Saraf had raised $18,000 within three days of beginning his campaign to aid the victims of earthquake in Nepal that that claimed more than 7,000 lives and left thousands more injured and homeless:
Neev has always eschewed gifs and presents, instead asking that his parents place money in a piggy bank, said Prakash [Neev’s father]. Every year on his birthday there would be a few hundred dollars accumulated, and Neev would go and hand the piggy bank over to either a homeless shelter or the Salvation Army.
After learning of the 7.9 magnitude earthquake that hit Nepal last week, Neev asked if he could send the $384 from his piggy bank there.
His father agreed it was an excellent idea, but it wasn’t long before Neev enhanced his ambitions even further and set out to contact his friends and family to see if they would donate as well. Within one day, he had raised $4,000, according to his father.
At that point, Neev’s father decided the scope of Neev’s mission might require structuring on a larger scale, and they reached out to the American Nepal Medical Foundation, with whom a crowdfunding page was set up to expand Neev’s philanthropic reach to unprecedented levels.
“I’m really glad to do this fundraiser because it’s helping my culture. I’m really depressed because a lot of people in Nepal have died and about 8 million have no shelter,” Neev Saraf previously commented via telephone. “I’m trying my best to raise up to $25,000 to save Nepal and save those with no shelter,” he concluded.
Neev’s parents Prakash and Majila immigrated to the United States from Nepal 15 and 25 years ago, respectively, before settling in Laurel. Prakash Saraf described the family as having Indian roots, and noted that Neev, an only child, was born and raised stateside.