South Asia - Earthquake and Tsunami

 

Information on Selecting a Charity

USAID encourages cash donations because they: allow aid professionals to procure the exact items needed (often in the affected region); reduce the burden on scarce resources (such as transportation routes, staff time, warehouse space, etc); can be transferred very quickly and without transportation costs; support the economy of the disaster-stricken region; ensure culturally, dietary, and environmentally appropriate assistance.

 
  Links to Relief Organizations
    InterAction
    Additional information on making effective donations can be found on the following web sites:
      USAID - Keyword: Donations
      InterAction - Guide to Appropriate Giving
      GlobalGiving - Local Projects in the Affected Area
 
  Information on choosing a charity can be found on the following websites:
    Better Business Bureau
    GuideStar - A National Database of Nonprofit Organizations
    The American Institute of Philanthropy
    Charity Navigator
 
  ReliefWeb - Information on relief activities of the humanitarian community
 


Offers of Goods or Service   USAID
Situation Reports   ReliefWeb
Listserv    
FAQ Page (Commodities - Volunteering)   Google News
     
InterAction 2006 Tsunami Accountability Report

BrainPop Tsunami Description
 

Radio News Release  mp3 file
Video News Release  mp4 file

 


 
Victims of natural disasters usually die from trauma and are unlikely  
to have acute or
epidemic-causing infections.  This indicates that the  
risk that dead bodies pose for the public is extremely small.  


Oliver Morgan  
Infectious Disease Risks from Dead Bodies Following Natural Disasters  
Pan American Health Organization  



The first responders in any fast-onset natural disaster like this are the people themselves - neighbors, neighboring villages that are unaffected, the national emergency response agencies. They already have a home in the community, they already know the language, they already have a working knowledge of the geography and the indigenous transportation systems. They are the best volunteers that we have and our job is to support them. The more volunteers that come from abroad, the greater the risk that they will fill up the hotel rooms, and utilize critical local resources which may be needed in the response locally.

Andrew Natsios
USAID Administrator
30 December 2004



I think it's very important for Americans who want to give to provide cash to organizations that will be able to focus resources and assets to meet specific needs. In other words, a lot of times Americans, in their desire to help, will send blankets or clothes. That may be necessary, but to me it makes more sense to send cash to organizations that could then use that cash to make sure we match resources with specific needs on the ground. There are many NGOs now involved that understand what is specifically needed to meet the needs of these countries.

President Bush
Crawford, Texas
29 December 2004



Clothing is not a preferred choice for humanitarian contributions.
Please consider placing donated clothing items with local organizations.
See the guidelines to donations.

 


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