Many have died in the earthquake that hit the Chengdu region of China that has resulted in rural villages getting almost totally wiped out. Several schools have collapsed and children are the ones who suffered most of the brunt of this, one of the deadliest earthquakes in the recent history of China. Sadly, a few months away from them hosting the 2008 Olympics, many have died and people have criticized the government for continuing revelry about the event whilst thousands are dead with thousands still missing. Many buildings collapsed and people were buried alive and some crushed to their deaths. The booming Chinese economy shattered by the quake forcing them to send the largest military and emergency reaction force into action. Some areas were so severely affected that even the government has had little contact with regions. Cellular networks were cut off and electricity and water supplies cut off. The government has reacted swiftly to the disaster but say they can manage the disaster for now. With the tremors felt as far away as Beijing, people were alarmed and rushed to the streets due to fears of building collapses. None have suffered any in the capital and all the major Olympic venues are structurally sound.
Categories: Disaster Relief, News | Tags: Collapsed Buildings, Sichuan Earthquake
Many feel frustrated at news that the government is still refusing some of the best agencies and their staff to enter the country to do proper relief work on behalf of the suffering people of Myanmar. Citizens in the capital have been trying to take supplies they can get to areas that need it but even they say that they can only do so much. Donations are flooding in from all over the world but aid agencies are raising a warning for those who want to donate cash through online charities. There is very little in terms of funds and materials that are getting into the country that many criminals may jump onto the donation bandwagon to get an easy buck. Try to donate only with legitimate aid agencies like the UN and other widely accepted charities. As we have said, it is better to send money to those who could put it to good use in helping the people of Myanmar and not into the pockets of these lowly criminals.
Channel donations in terms of cash and materials through the Charity Navigator which has a list of the most reputable agencies. Also, when helping by donating, indicate if you’d want the cash to be spent totally in relief efforts to a specific location or for general use. If a donation has no specifics, the aid agency has the ability to keep it in funds that accumulate and are used in case of disasters, or they can be poured directly into the country or specific area you want to help.
We simply cannot fathom the greed of such people who for a small amount of money deprive those in need who are dying and suffering in those far away, ands without food and water. May you get the heart to return or at least send the money to the rightful people who can make an impact and help people and remember that you might yourself need help from people who are generous and don’t have second thoughts when people and lives are at stake.
Categories: Disaster Relief, Fundraising, News | Tags: aid, donations, Fraud, Online Fraud, Relief
People of Myanmar are working to help their fellow countrymen in their efforts to help those most affected. Loading their family cars with all the stuff they can spare, they drive into the most affected areas to distribute blankets, bread and other items that the hardest hit areas need. People are expressing frustration at the government’s efforts, taking rotten stores for their warehouses and sending them out to the people with some saying the rice is rotten and the food is not even fit for dogs to eat.
True to this, many are crying out to the rest of the world for the government to allow aid agencies to assist in the relief efforts to alleviate the suffering the already impoverished people are in. Without shelter, they are forced to live in shabby tarpaulin structures that stand no protection form the severe weather that is threatening to hit soon. Aid agencies such as the UN, Doctors without Borders and many others are still out due to the government not granting visas to their personnel for them to properly enter the country. Aid workers in neighboring countries have walked through the border and are getting to the people but their small numbers is not sufficient to cover the wide area that was left devastated by the cyclone. The US has succeeded to convince the government to allow them to fly in supplies with two flights of aid into the capital. They are requesting for more flights and the US military has also expressed frustration at them not being allowed to enter territorial waters. The US fleet is in Thailand and they have the equipment to process water making it safe for drinking to avoid a possible outbreak of deadly disease.
The government insists they can handle the distribution effort but they are only doing so in areas near the capital and to the families of their soldiers who have not been too severely impacted by the storm. The people in rural areas are the ones who are at risk and without proper sanitation equipment and supplies the rotting bodies if left out in the open, would cause more deaths in the months to come.
Categories: Charities, Children, Disaster Relief, News | Tags: Aftermath, Death, Food, Medical Supplies, Myanmar, Shelter
Many have been left homeless and the country is in shambles, the Military Junta run country is facing a catastrophe with them denying entry to most of the aid agencies from the West. Reports are beginning to trickle in that hundreds of thousands are dead and hundreds of thousands are without shelter, safe drinking water and food. The government had not allowed Western aid agencies to enter the most affected areas and reporters from Western news agencies are being told to go out. The government insists they can handle the distribution of aid which they are allowing into the country through aid flights from the US which has offered millions in aid. Many other countries have shown willingness to give aid and send in their aid workers but the government is standing firm and is still not issuing visas to foreign aid people for a proper distribution and mobilization of aid for those who need it most.
The UN has appealed again and again along with many aid agencies from overseas for the government to open air and waterways for aid transportation. The UN has expressed discontent and aid agencies are frustrated for they still could not send in their people to handle the disaster. Reports are trickling in that dead bodies are everywhere, in canals and rice paddies rotting which gives more urgency to the need for proper aid along with people who are better equipped and experienced in handling such situations.
The poor country is in disarray and without proper medical facilities even for a developing country and with little support infrastructure to ferry and distribute aid, many more deaths would surely result in the aftermath of the cyclone. Various aid agencies are now accepting aid and donations in hopes of the border being opened soon to allow foreign aid such as food, water, temporary shelter and many other basic necessities to help the people of Myanmar.
Categories: Campaigns, Charities, Children, Disaster Relief, News, Organizations | Tags: Cyclone Nargis, Death, Foreign Aid, Myanmar, UN
The non-profit group has been running for quite sometime since the Tsunami’s of past and they have been filling the gap that left millions of people without clean drinking water. Founded by Curt and Cathy Bradner, an American couple who have given up everything to help the poor people of Myanmar (formerly Burma) many of whom lack basic necessities for safe and healthy living as most of Asia’s developing countries. Myanmar, being run by a Military Junta has been cut-off from the rest of the world by a military that reports directly to their generals. Suspicious of Westerners (mostly Americans) whom they distrust due to criticism they receive from most of the West. The couple have been working in the country for quite sometime and have bought Visas (long term) which is a rarity in the country. The tsunamis devastated much of the effected areas contaminating water tables, decaying animals and people who were left without proper burial have also contributed to the pollution which if not corrected, would kill just as many people that were killed during the disaster itself. Disease is the aftermath of any disaster and many of them are spread through contaminated drinking water. Many of the developing world’s diseases are water-borne and the couple who started it all has been working ever since to get safe and clean drinking water to all who needs it. They have focused their efforts on Myanmar due to the utter isolation of the country from the rest of the world.
They sold everything they had and made a promise to get clean and safe drinking water to all who need it. The tsunami ravaged Myanmar was a perfect area for them to operate in due to little or no contact with the outside world. They designed simple filters made of pottery and lined with coconut husks that are capable of filtering out almost all of the harmful bacteria and other contaminants that may be present in the water. It is estimated that every 15 seconds, a child dies form disease caused by drinking untreated or polluted water and they have been fighting ever since to bring their low cost water filters to poor people who do not have much cash to purchase commercial filtration systems. The coconut and earthen filter removes all but the tiniest contaminants with a colloidal silver solution mixed in to kill any deadly pathogens that may still be left in the water. They are then safe for all to drink, especially children whose small bodies can be easily ravaged by disease.
The country is so poor that most live in huts outside of the capital with not much in terms of modern infrastructures to support the country’s growing population. They need help in their projects and their children back home manage and maintain their web site which is one of the ways they earn money for their many projects. They have managed to produce filtration systems that run from car batteries and they are in urgent need of money for funding and other purposes for them to continue helping those who need it the most.
Categories: Campaigns, Charities, Disaster Relief, Environmental, News, Products, Websites | Tags: Children's mortality, Safe Drinking Water, Thirst Aid
Many have died in the earthquake that hit the Chengdu region of China that has resulted in rural villages getting almost totally wiped out. Several schools have collapsed and children are the ones who suffered most of the brunt of this, one of the deadliest earthquakes in the recent history of China. Sadly, a few months away from them hosting the 2008 Olympics, many have died and people have criticized the government for continuing revelry about the event whilst thousands are dead with thousands still missing. Many buildings collapsed and people were buried alive and some crushed to their deaths. The booming Chinese economy shattered by the quake forcing them to send the largest military and emergency reaction force into action. Some areas were so severely affected that even the government has had little contact with regions. Cellular networks were cut off and electricity and water supplies cut off. The government has reacted swiftly to the disaster but say they can manage the disaster for now. With the tremors felt as far away as Beijing, people were alarmed and rushed to the streets due to fears of building collapses. None have suffered any in the capital and all the major Olympic venues are structurally sound.
