Helping relief efforts in Asia
In response to the devastation in Sri Lanka, Indonesia and other
parts of Asia as a result of the tsunami that hit on the 26th of
December 2004, a number of relief efforts have been launched. This
page will maintain an updated list of the various online channels
through which donations and help can be provided. I'm not personally
involved in any of these efforts, but provide this list as a means
for people to choose whichever channel they are most comfortable
with.
Update: In addition to the international
organizations directly engaged in relief work in the area, we're only
listing local groups that are at present directly in the affected
areas. There's been an increase in groups functioning as middlemen
that channel resources to the same end points and we don't have the
resources to verify the legitimacy of all of them.
Feel free
to send me e-mail on buddhika AT csail.mit.edu if you want a site
listed. (Note: I will need some proof of legitimacy.)
On MIT Campus*
If you happen to be on the MIT campus and would like to assist in
person, the MIT Public Service
Center is also launching some efforts.
Sangam
is also co-ordinating some efforts
on campus.
*This page is being linked to by the main MIT web
page and so community efforts are also being listed.
Useful Information
President Bush along with former President's Clinton and Bush Sr. are spearheading a campaign managed through freedomcorps.gov
Prof. Laurence Simon from Brandeis University has put together an excellent resource on how to decide where your donations will be most useful and effective. Highly recommended reading before you go ahead to make a donation.
Forbes has a list of charities ranked by their fund raising efficiency (ie. how much is left after the costs associated with fund raising) and charitable commitment (ie. charitable services as a percentage of total expenses). It might be useful to you in choosing a worthy charity.
CharityNavigator, Charity Guide and the Better Business Bureau provides ratings/evaluations of charities functioning in the US.
The BBC's coverage of the event.
For an explanation as to why this site promotes monetary donations please read the following guides to donating put out by the Red Cross, FEMA and InterAction.
A Tsunami Action Group has been set up on Google to allow community discussion of topics relevant to the disaster and to inform one another of on going efforts.
A site similar to this, focusing on efforts in India is being maintained at tsunamivictims.org
Sri Lankan Organizations Supporting/Conducting Relief Work
Recommended (If you're looking for a local group to support -
this one I can vouch for)
Sarvodaya,
a local civil service organization is also accepting donations
online.
(update: this link
allows tax-deductible donations in the US).
Update: Word coming
back from Sri Lanka indicates that out of the local organizations,
they've got their act together the most. It's a well established and
internationally recognized organization. They're also doing an
incredible job of providing updates on the progress being made which
you can monitor through pictures and posts on their website.
(Update: Arthur
C. Clarke seems to concur)
Others
The Lanka
Academic Network, has opened up an online
gateway through which donations can be made. They are also
registered as a charitable organization in the US and donations are
tax-deductible. They are also present on the ground and engaged in
relief work.
The Karuna Trust is accepting donations here (This site also has info on non-virtual channels available in the San Francisco Bay Area).
SIRASA FM, the popular Sri Lankan radio channel is accepting donations both online and in kind.
The Sri Lankan Prime Minister's Office has launched an online gateway through which donations can be made to the Sri Lanka Tsunami Victims Relief Fund.
The Tamil Rehabilitation Organization is also collecting donations at their website. Their focus is in relief work taking place in the rebel held North East areas of the country.
The Colombo Stock Exchange is now accepting donations online. Look for the banner link at the top of their page and follow it.
Suntel, a local telecom services provider has also opened up a payment gateway to make donations online.
The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has also mobilized and are accepting donations towards their efforts here.
Thai Organizations Supporting/Conducting Relief Work
The Thai Red Cross is accepting donations online.
Indian Organizations Supporting/Conducting Relief Work
Association for India's Development is accepting donations off their website for relief work taking place in India.
International Organizations Supporting/Conducting Relief Work
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have launched an appeal to help fund their efforts in the region. You can make contributions here by marking them for the "Asia - earthquake and tsunami's". The British Red Cross is also running a campaign here and the Canadian Red Cross has launched an appeal here.
The American Red Cross has teamed up with Amazon to collect donations through Amazon. You will find an advertisement for it on the main Amazon.com page or you can follow this link if it works.
UK based humanitarian organization CARE International is accepting donations for their efforts here. CARE Australia has also launched an appeal and are accepting donations here.
Oxfam, another UK based organization is accepting donations here. Oxfam America is also accepting donations here.
Save the Children USA is accepting contributions here.
Mercy Corps is planning a mission and are accepting donations towards it here.
AmeriCares is making its own efforts here.
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières is sending in teams to all affected areas and are accepting donations here.
UNICEF is accepting donations here if you're in the US or through here for other countries. They've been doing some great work caring for the children affected in the region.
Organizations with Religious Affiliations Supporting/Conducting Relief Work
The LDS Foundation is accepting donations here.
The Christian Children's Fund is also accepting donations.
Catholic Relief Services are accepting donations here.
Donations to Catholic Charities USA can be made here.
The Salvation Army has launched a South Asia Relief Fund.
The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee has launched an appeal and donations can made here.
The American Jewish World Service has also launched an appeal to which contributions can be made here.
The Lutheran World Relief is accepting donations here.
Help this site
Provide information about organizations conducting relief work and collecting donations online.
Forward this link to friends and family who might want to
help but don't know
how.
http://people.csail.mit.edu/~buddhika/HelpSriLanka
Provide resources (like the Forbes lists below) that allow people to make informed decisions about which organizations they'd like to donate to. (Note: We need facts and not opinion.)
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