Thursday, December 30, 2004

S$2 million and more coming


There were odd bits of humanitarian activity here amidst the end of year shopping madness. A couple of friends have been online urging people to drop off donations at collection centres around Singapore. The government has sent a DART team, two Chinooks, with several Super Pumas on standby for Thailand and Indonesia, and has said that this is 'over and above the $2 million assistance the government had announced to help affected countries'. It's OK guys, no need to do PR damage control, just send help. And the search for a platoon mate, who my reservist platoon thought had gone to Phuket for Christmas, ended with a phone call with him saying 'wrong person lah. I never go Phuket, but I remember you and me talking to someone one night in the jungle, very dark, so cannot remember who it was. But he say he was going to Phuket with his wife'. We're still trying to figure out who it is. Meantime, here's a list (gleaned off BBC) of NGOs on the ground at the disaster sites: Cafod Care International International Red Cross Medecins Sans Frontieres Oxfam Save The Children Unicef UN World Food Programme World Vision Christian Aid Islamic Relief Click on to find out more about what they're doing, and how they're trying to get aid to the sites. I've also heard that some of the stuff Singaporeans have been donating, like old clothes, blankets and towels, are not quite that high on the priority list, and that these items are: 1. Tents 2. Food (Pre-cooked or ready-to-eat meal packs) 3. Water Purification Tablets 4. Wheat Flour, rice, other staples 5. Drugs: Paracetamol, anti-biotics, wound dressing, suture material, disposable syringes, vitamins, and vaccinations for diarrhea, cholera and malaria. 6. Intravenous infusion (saline and dextrose) 7. Portable generators So, don't be in a hurry to dig out your old clothes from your cupboard yet.


3 Comments:

Blogger Jayaxe said...

Of the seven essential groups of items, I only have panadol and food, of which should have been already taken care of by Red Cross and NTUC respectively.

So besides monetary donations, I guess what I can do is to donate clothes. Surely there's no harm for them to receive excess stuff like clothings?

12/30/2004 03:57:00 AM  
Blogger Merv said...

Looking at the list of needs, the best donors that could make an impact are Corporate Donors.

For one, they can buy the needed items in bulk and have the clout and resources to make a difference.

It is sad that whatever action that is done, from Singapore Companies, are not enough.

I wrote an entry in my blog about this do www.atypicalsingaporean.blogspot.com

12/30/2004 06:47:00 AM  
Blogger Vera said...

Someone donated a pair of high heels to the people at Aceh!! So irritating.... and impractical!

12/31/2004 07:56:00 AM  

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