SAN ANGELO – The recent earthquake in Japan was a stark reminder of how fragile life is, and how devastating a few seconds of chaos can be. The same scenario was true for Nepal in 2015, when nearly 9,000 people perished and nearly 22,000 more were injured during a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. Even though the tragedy in Nepal took place almost one decade ago, the recovery and rebuilding efforts are still underway.
When it first happened, local businessman and philanthropist Terry Mikeska was heartbroken by the scenes of destruction. He was already sponsoring a family in Nepal through an organization called Work Committed Nepal, and he came in contact with a group of Angelo State University students from Nepal who got him in touch with a former student living there. Once the connections were made, he knew he had to do more. In October and November of 2015 he made his first trips to Nepal to provide local villagers with basic necessities such as rice pots, clothing, water, school supplies and much more. In typical San Angelo style, local churches, friends and businesses helped Terry raise over $16,000 to assist more than 3,000 people in those inaugural visits.
But this was just the first two trips of many. As soon as Terry returned from overseas, he was approached by a San Angelo family who shared his desire to see Nepal rebuilt, and shortly thereafter the Terry Mikeska Foundation, a 501c3, was formed. And Terry hasn't slowed down since, successfully completing 114 mission projects in the last six years.
The work, however, is not done. Terry is planning another trip with another list of mission projects in the spring of 2024. And like any major project, the work cannot be done alone. The Mikeska Foundation needs funds to continue critical work in Nepal. His latest projects include the construction of a new school, housing and medical camps, restrooms and sanitation stations, and his next visit will continue the much-needed restoration of Nepalese villages.
To help, visit https://www.terrymikeskafoundation.org.
To see a recent interview detailing his missions, click here: https://sanangelolive.com/news/san-angelo/video/2024-01-02/philanthropist?fbclid=IwAR2xRDFNbP-xY7p4yB_mCkOeIXDm6Czcf9eM7dPOeG8JjjAE4mKGtKhBkBw