I saw two headlines at the newsstand, this morning. The first was “60,000 Dead or Missing in Burma“. The second was “Aid Trickles In To Myanmar”. There’s nothing we can do about the first headline, but we can each individually do something about the second. It’s hard to overstate what a mess Burma is, even aside from the cyclone. The military government there will be completely incapable of caring for its citizens in this situation. So please join the rest of the world in its efforts to provide at least some basic level of assistance to the Burmese people.
One organization on the way is AmeriCares, a nonprofit international relief and humanitarian aid organization. A representative working with AmeriCares told me that they have “assembled life-saving medical and other humanitarian supplies at their Stamford, CT and Amsterdam warehouses to be shipped immediately to their partners on the ground in Myanmar. AmeriCares staff are also en route to the region.”
If people would like to donate to AmeriCares efforts they can do so by visiting www.americares.org or by calling 1-800-486-HELP.
Another reputable organization is Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders., and they are also active in the efforts in Burma.
Joy
Are they both definitely able to get aid into the country? I’ve been reluctant to donate fearing I’d pick the wrong organization.
A student at my school who is from Burma sent out an email saying she finally heard from her family, and is heading back next week, and had a list of places to donate, but I haven’t had time yet this morning to check out their situations.
MB
That’s an excellent question, Joy. If anyone can get in, it will be MSF (Doctors Without Borders), and AmeriCares has a solid record on relief delivery.
It’s my understanding that the UN flights have *just* started getting in. I would not bet on US gov’t aid being close behind, though.
Now is the time for those countries that have propped up the Burmese dictatorship to step up and provide aid. And they can afford it – we’re talking about China, India, Thailand, etc. Russian, too. But, as usual, while the gov’t dick around with politics, it will be orgs like MSF that will do their best to supply the relief.