Nepal quake inspires micro mercy mission

Hilary Pedersen with the spotted suitcase that will accompany her to Kathmandu in a personal gesture to humanity.

Kathmandu is a part of the world close to former CHB district councillor Hilary Pedersen's heart and the devastation wreaked by this year's earthquake has inspired her to embark on a micro mercy mission.

Armed with a spotted suitcase, Hilary is returning to the region carrying supplies - pencils, clothing and other small items - in a personal gesture to humanity.

She first travelled to the Nepalese capital, which was shattered by a 7.9 earthquake in 2010, on the back of an adventure travel prize.

"Our polluted environment pulsated with life."

Today, much of what she saw is irrevocably changed. "I feel saddened that the mad utterly disorganised vitality that I enjoyed so much has, so to speak, been reduced to rubble."

Rather than anonymously post supplies, she said she wanted to connect on the ground so contacted her old friend and travel company owner Prem Dangol, who had accompanied her on her first trip.

"He is taking me to a village outside Kathmandu. It may even be one that I was taken to in 2010."

She is leaving on September 4 to spend five nights there and has already had offers of help and money from CHB residents.

"I'm taking things like pencils, school materials, second-hand clothing - it started off with one suitcase, but it looks like it might have to be more."