“For philanthropists who commit to difficult projects that last many years, the challenge of disasters is different. They need to find a way to maintain the momentum created by so much attention around a natural disaster to sustain long-term redevelopment. It’s tricky turning charity into philanthropy.”- Paul Sullivan.
Natural disasters around the world are occurring at an alarming rate in 2018. Every few weeks, we’re witnessing earthquakes that demolish whole cities, wildfires that burn thousands of acres, and cyclones that cause mass flooding and property damage.
This has been a heavy year of natural disasters: Deadly fire in North California, Earthquake in Mexico, Volcano eruption on Hawaii, Two Tornadoes in Fort Lauderdale in Just One Day, landslides of Japan and Sri Lanka floods, Southern California mudflow, and now South India.
More than 1 million people have fled to relief camps in the Indian state of Kerala to escape devastating monsoon floods that have killed more than 410 people, as a huge international aid operation gathered pace.
People are flocking to camps as the scale of the desolation is revealed by receding waters and the military rescues more people each day.
The Kerala government said 1,028,000 people are now in about 3,200 relief camps across the southern state. Officials said six more bodies were found on Monday, taking the death toll to more than 410 since the monsoon started in June.
Abu Dhabi: The UAE has started raising funds to help victims of the worst-ever flood in the South Indian state of Kerala.
Only hours after the UAE announced aid for relief and rehabilitation in Kerala, the volume of donations from businesses in the UAE crossed Dh23 million.
Yusuf Ali M.A, managing director of LuLu Group International, who hails from Kerala, has donated Dh5 million. Dr B.R. Shetty, founder and chairman of NMC Healthcare, also made a similar high-value donation of Dh5 million, said a press release issued by the Fondation.
In a separate announcement, GEMS Education founder and chairman Sunny Varkey also committed Dh5 million to the special committee formed by the UAE to support emergency relief and rehabilitation work in Kerala.
KBZF will continue its endeavours to assist the Indian government in providing aid to flood victims in Kerala, and called on people in the UAE to donate generously and show their support for people in need, wherever they are.
Meanwhile, the money exchange company UAE Exchange has started an initiative to mobilise non-perishable essential supplies to be distributed across relief camps in Kerala. Donors can visit any of eight UAE Exchange branches across the UAE.
The company has also waived off the service fee on remittances made to the Kerala Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund.
UAE-based Indian expats donate to Kerala aid fund
Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, chairman and managing director of UAE-based VPS Healthcare, Indian expat tycoon has donated AED26 million ($7 million) to the relief campaign for Kerala in the aftermath of its most devastating floods.
Dr Vayalil’s contribution comes as part of the emergency relief campaign launched by the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation (KBZF) in line with the directives of the UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
Mohammed Hajji Al Khouri, general manager of KBZF, commended Vayalil’s donation, stressing that the donations of UAE-based Indian businessmen highlight the vital role that individuals play in the charity, development and humanitarian fields.
On 18th August, UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan instructed the formation of a national emergency committee to provide relief assistance to people affected by flash floods in Kerala. According to the President’s instructions, the committee will be chaired by the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) and will include representatives from the UAE’s humanitarian organisations.
Kerala-born businessman Yusuff Ali MA, chairman and managing director of Lulu Group, has announced a ₹ 50 million donation for Kerala, Khaleej Times reported on the 19th August.
K.P. Hussain, chairman of Fathima Healthcare Group, has donated ₹ 50 million. He said that ₹ 10 million of this will directly go to the Kerala chief minister’s relief fund, while the rest will be allocated for medical relief aid, the Gulf paper added.
Hussain said that his group had coordinated with the state’s health secretary to send volunteers from its medical faculty. These include doctors and paramedics being sent to relief camps.
“There is a high possibility of more deaths in the event of spread of various diseases like fever, dysentery, gastric issues, skin disorders etc,” he was quoted as saying by the paper. “As recommended by the public health secretary, we have received the list of medicines which will be supplied to the relief camps.”
Supporting victims and survivals of Kerala floods, please, be aware that this process is an ongoing commitment to reinstate normal living conditions in the affected areas.
- Immediate Relief: In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, foundations, government agencies, nonprofits and volunteers rally to provide food, shelter, water, medical care, and clothing to survivors, and to account for and bury the dead.
- Short-term recovery: Press coverage and donations peak during the immediate aftermath of a disaster. But when the public attention begins to wane, the critical recovery work begins. Philanthropic investments help provide food, health, and social services, including safe drinking water, temporary or transitional shelter, and sanitation facilities and other services for victims and survivors of the disaster
- Long-term rebuilding: In many communities hit by disasters, it takes several years to rebuild physical infrastructure, restore the natural environment, and rehabilitate the lives of those who are among the hardest hit. Funders can play a key role in rebuilding by making strategic investments that can address chronic social and environmental challenges in the community or region.
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https://www.cof.org/content/disaster-philanthropy https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/21/kerala-india-more-than-1m-people-flee-to-relief-camps-to-escape-floods https://gulfnews.com/news/asia/india/huge-response-to-uae-s-fund-raising-for-kerala-1.2268362 https://www.arabianbusiness.com/culture-society/403036-wkd-uae-based-indian-tycoon-donates-7m-to-kerala-aid-fund https://www.livemint.com/Companies/GmI2a2QhBYzqaaFR1sjAML/UAEbased-tycoons-pledge–125-million-for-Kerala-flood-vict.html
