A Carmel Valley woman uses her ties with Nepal to aid earthquake victims.

On April 25, something made Christine Kolisch get out of bed early. The Carmel Valley resident got on her computer to check in on the world, and quickly learned of the devastating earthquake that shook Nepal hours earlier.

“Immediately following the shock, it was ‘What can I do to help?’” Kolisch says.

Kolisch lived in Nepal from 1972 to 1985. In the 30 years since, the country has remained central in her life. Her Carmel Valley store, Cheppu from Himalaya, sells fair-trade crafts, clothing and accessories made by Nepalese artisans. Kolisch visits the country once or twice a year on business, and she also facilitates scholarships and a microloan program in a village near Kathmandu.

Within two days of the quake, a friend of Kolisch’s son helped her set up a relief fund website for victims of the quake. Kolisch, her husband Craig Lovell and their son Bohdi Garrett, who lives in Thailand, have been working to find out where help is needed most.

For the past few years, Kolisch has used the nonprofit Global Purpose to allow her programs to be tax-deductible. According to Executive Director Greg Voelm, the nonprofit has agreed to facilitate donations through Kolisch’s site, www.wehelpnepal.org, with no administrative fee. Kolisch says she’ll wire the donations to friends in the country, who will ensure the aid goes where it’s needed.

“One of the pitfalls of larger organizations, even though they are quicker in responding, is that many people fall through the cracks,” Kolisch says. “Those are the people I want to help - the people who fall through the cracks.”