Beginning in the final week of September, Asia has been battered by several deadly natural disasters. Multiple typhoons have struck the Philippines, killing hundreds. The first, Typhoon Ketsana, moved on to cause destruction in Southeast Asia as well.
The most deadly events were consecutive earthquakes in western Sumatra that killed over a thousand in Indonesia. In addition, massive flooding in south India, and an earthquake and tsunami in Samoas have destroyed entire towns.
While the immediate response to these disasters has included significant corporate giving and donations from large international groups, such as the Red Cross and the UN, the longer-term recovery process will likely outlive this initial surge in philanthropy from the international community.
The initial provisioning of food, water, shelter and medical care often takes a few days. Based on needs following past disasters, affected communities will likely require the following support and services from local groups: rebuilding of homes and schools; microfinance and job training for those whose businesses were destroyed; psycho-social services to relieve stress from death and hardship caused by the disaster; and education and scholarships for affected students.
Click here for more information on Give2Asia's short-term and long-term disaster relief efforts to these affected areas.