By Nirvana Chaudhary, an EO Nepal member and head of Chaudhary Foundation

It was noon on an ordinary Saturday when a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the land of snow peaks and Sherpas, yaks and yetis, monasteries and mantras. Nepal— the beautiful Himalayan nation I call home. In a single day—25 April, 2015—the earthquake had left almost 9,000 people dead, nearly 800,000 homes destroyed and more than 30,000 classrooms damaged.. I was with my father in Chitwan, approximately 150 kilometers southwest of Kathmandu, inspecting our upcoming wildlife resort. Finding a little leisure time, I was meditating near the swimming pool. Suddenly, my body started shaking. For a few seconds, I felt as if I was in a trance. And then I heard panicked voices all around.