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of our wild places The Straits Times, 15 Jan 05 Tsunami aid agencies and their credentials Which are the humanitarian aid agencies collecting funds here now? What are their credentials, past relief work experience, specific areas of focus in this tsunami disaster and what do they still need? Yap Su-Yin has the details. Red Cross Singapore Mercy Relief Medical Foundation Habitat for Humanity Singapore YMCA of Singapore Touch Community Services International Salvation Army Singapore International Foundation The Renci Hospital and Medicare Centre City Harvest Community Services Association Buddhist Fellowship Singapore The Singapore Scout Association World Vision Singapore Red Cross Singapore www.redcross.org.sg Credentials: Red Cross work in Singapore began in 1949 as part of the British Red Cross Society before the Singapore Red Cross (SRC) was founded in 1973. The independent humanitarian organisation specialises in relief operations during disasters and in health and welfare services for the sick, handicapped, aged and poor. Tsunami response: SRC mobilised nearly 1,900 volunteers from schools, public and private sector organisations to help out in refugee camps in Meulaboh and Aceh this month. It has also sent medical supplies, water, batteries, emergency packs, blankets, face masks, field tents and two lorries. The SRC medical relief team also went to Trincommalee in Sri Lanka on Jan 4, where it dressed wounds, tended to those with lung infection and dehydration and provided outpatient care. In Singapore, it has set up a logistics base to help the International Committee of the Red Cross coordinate and facilitate relief efforts in Aceh. Area of focus: Indonesia and Sri Lanka Collection thus far: $3.5 million (which excludes $1 million from the Singapore Government). How to help: Call 6334-9152, 6334-9153 or 6336-0269 or e-mail tidalwaves@redcross.org.sg Mercy Relief www.mercyrelief.org Credentials: This volunteer body, started in 2001 by the Adult Islamic Religious Students' Association of Singapore (Perdaus), specialises in responding to natural disasters in South-east Asia. It has carried out humanitarian relief work in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Palestine, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. Tsunami response: It has so far distributed 111 tonnes of relief supplies, including medicine, water, food, surgical gloves, masks, protective suits, body bags and blankets worth over $450,000, to Sri Lanka and Aceh. It will dispatch a medical team of three doctors and one nurse to the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) medical centre in Banda Aceh today and another to Meulaboh on Monday. It is now seeking more medical volunteers to set up a mobile clinic system in Aceh. Area of focus: Hard-hit Sri Lanka and Aceh Collection thus far: $1.5 million, one third of which has already been disbursed. Today, 2,500 Mercy Relief volunteers will embark on an islandwide street collection for fresh funds for medical missions, food and medical supplies. How to help: Call tele-donation line 1900-911-1110 ($10) or 1900-911-1150 ($50). To volunteer, e-mail query@mercyrelief.org The Medical Foundation www.rafflesmedical.com/asian_tsunami_disaster.html Credentials: This is the first overseas relief project of the charitable foundation, set up in April 2003 by Raffles Medical Group (RMG) to raise funds for needy patients, such as those in the Ling Kwang Home for the Aged. Tsunami response: It has 25 doctors, 30 nurses and other medical staff volunteers on standby, ready to be deployed at any time. Together with global insurance company Munich Reinsurance Singapore, it sent a medical team comprising two doctors and two nurses to Aceh on Jan 2. It carted along more than 250kg of medical supplies to treat some 600 people. RMG staff also donated $8,000 worth of drugs and medical supplies to Sri Lanka, and another $25,000 worth to Indonesia. Area of focus: Planning medical relief missions for Aceh and Sri Lanka. Collection thus far: RMG staff have raised over $12,700 to buy medical supplies. How to help: Post cheques made out to The Medical Foundation to Medical Foundation Limited, 585 North Bridge Road, Raffles Hospital #11-00, Singapore 188770. For more details, call 6311-1659. Habitat For Humanity Singapore www.habitat.org.sg Credentials: This Bangkok- based, non-profit Christian organisation, which set up here in January 2003, has helped build homes for the poor in Mongolia, Nepal, North Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India. Tsunami response: Habitat volunteers worldwide will help to build 25,000 homes across the affected areas, with those from the Singapore chapter building in Meulaboh and Sri Lanka. Area of focus: Building temporary emergency shelters for displaced survivors in Aceh, Meulaboh, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Collection thus far: It has received US$100,000 (S$164,000) from the Swiss Reinsurance Company in Singapore, and S$35,000 from Faith Methodist Church here. It is seeking donations in cash or basic reconstruction-related material, especially from corporations. How to help: Donate online, call 6224-1882 or e-mail info@habitat.org.sg YMCA of Singapore www.ymca.org.sg Credentials: A Christian organisation with worldwide affiliations, set up here in 1902, it runs overseas cultural-immersion and youth-enrichment programmes in Vietnam and Cambodia. Tsunami response: It set up an operations centre on Dec 29 at YMCA Orchard to support relief efforts, man a hotline, and coordinate volunteers for overseas relief missions to Sri Lanka. It has sent two medical relief teams to Sri Lanka and Meulaboh, with enough medical supplies to treat 200 patients per day for one week. More missions will be leaving for Sri Lanka shortly. Area of focus: Sri Lanka, where the YMCA is working with the local branch there to provide immediate medical help. Collection thus far: $160,000. YMCA bears all administrative and operational costs. How to help: Make a DBS/POSB quick-cheque deposit to DBS account 003-901673-5. E-mail relief@ymca.org.sg or call 6430-2333. Touch Community Services International www.tcs.org.sg Credentials: Set up in 1999 as a non-profit voluntary welfare organisation, it has conducted crisis relief in Turkey, Indonesia, India, Taiwan, Timor Leste, Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran, where it has distributed almost $6 million worth of funds to over 360,000 people affected by disasters. Since 2003, it has provided consultancy and training in education methods in China, as well as promoted child sponsorship worldwide to needy children. Tsunami response: It has sent two medical teams to Ampara in Sri Lanka, with another ready to go on Jan 20. Another medical relief mission left for Banda Aceh yesterday, with two more planned in the coming weeks. Area of focus: Rebuilding infrastructure in Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Collection thus far: $250,000. It is seeking medical professionals and logistics help. How to help: To volunteer, sign up at its website or call 6333-0122. Salvation Army www.salvationarmy.org Credentials: The Singapore arm of the British-headquartered Salvation Army was set up in 1935. It has a presence in 109 countries and has conducted emergency relief programmes after typhoons in the Philippines, bushfires in Australia, earthquakes and flooding in China. Its projects range from health, education and agriculture to infrastructure building. Tsunami response: It sent a 14-strong team of medical professionals to Banda Aceh earlier this month and set up a mobile clinic there. As part of rehabilitative efforts in Indonesia, it has started to provide small loans to help locals set up businesses. In India, it has distributed hundreds of small kerosene stoves to affected families and is helping to provide safe drinking water, replace fishing boats and provide safe housing for orphans. In Sri Lanka, it will rebuild 1,000 homes in Galle, as well as provide cooking utensils for 5,000 families. Area of focus: Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia and Myanmar. Collection thus far: It has raised $750,000 here and US$5 million globally, which is being used to supply water, food, clothing, medical supplies, temporary shelter, counselling and rebuilding efforts. Volunteers are not needed at present. How to help: Donations are accepted at Salvation Army's 22 centres around Singapore. To donate online, visit secure.salvationarmy.org Singapore International Foundation www.sif.org.sg Credentials: Established here in 1991 to promote international friendship between Singapore and the rest of the world, SIF's goal is to nurture active global citizenry here. It carried out relief missions in 2000 in Cambodia, where a team of volunteers disinfected 130 polluted wells, and in 2001 in Vietnam, where volunteer medical personnel treated over 300 flood survivors in Vietnam. Tsunami response: Two five-member reconnaissance teams will leave this weekend for Indonesia and Sri Lanka to assess the situation and prepare for reconstruction efforts. SIF plans to send up to 50 youth volunteer teams and 10 grassroots teams to Indonesia and Sri Lanka to help rebuild infrastructure and roll out primary health and education programmes starting in March. Area of focus: Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Collection thus far: The target is $1.5 million. There will be an islandwide street collection on 23 Jan by 1,200 volunteers. How to help: To volunteer, register at www.sif.org.sg/tsunamiaid/volunteers.html For more information, call 6837-8700/16. The Renci Hospital and Medicare Centre www.renci.org.sg Credentials: This is the first overseas mission of the non-profit voluntary welfare organisation, which was founded here in 1994 to look after patients suffering from severe physical disabilities and terminal illness. Tsunami response: A four-member team, comprising two doctors and led by medical director of Renci Hospital Dr Ong Seh Hong, went to Banda Aceh earlier this month. They worked with an Indonesian Buddhist organisation to set up a relief centre providing medical services, food and drinks in tents. A second team of medical professionals and counsellors left on Thursday for Sri Lanka. Area of focus: Providing medicine and health care to Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Collection thus far: The organisation has pledged $500,000, with another $50,000 raised from public donations. How to help: Call 6315-3405. City Harvest Community Services Association www.chcsa.org.sg Credentials: A non-profit, social work agency founded in 1996 by singing pastor Ho Yeow Sun. It runs multi-racial community services and rehabilitation programmes for the elderly, intellectually disabled, abused, terminally ill, youth at risk and prison inmates. Tsunami response: It has packed off five medical relief teams to Banda Aceh since Dec 28 and set up six clinics there to treat the injured and perform minor surgeries. Each team, comprising a few doctors, nurses and a disaster-trained relief worker, spent about a week there. It has also distributed at least six tonnes of relief supplies to Banda Aceh. Next week, another medical relief team will accompany the SAF to Meulaboh. It has two orphanages in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, and will expand to take in 50 more tsunami orphans. Area of focus: Providing medical care, distributing food and water in Banda Aceh. Collection thus far: Close to $400,000 from its parish. It is not collecting any more donations, but is still seeking doctor and nurse volunteers. How to help: To volunteer, call 6737-6266 or e-mail info@chc.org.sg Buddhist Fellowship Singapore www.buddhistfellowship.org Credentials: The non-sectarian Buddhist society, founded here in 1988, is better known for its meditation, yoga and Buddhist classes which it conducts at its Geylang Lorong 29 premises. Its Firefly Mission, which went on its first overseas mission in 2001, has done relief work in poor communities in Myanmar, where it distributed 260 units of hearing instruments and helped equip classrooms with furniture. Tsunami response: On Jan 7, a team of six volunteers distributed 500kg of medical supplies, undergarments, sanitary pads and footwear to six refugee camps across Sri Lanka. Buddhist Fellowship and Tisarana Buddhist Association here also donated 50 water-storage containers to Sri Lanka. Area of focus: Sri Lanka, especially Dehiwala, Galle and Matera, where its priorities are to source for shipping containers that can be converted into temporary housing, as well as help reconstruct homes and public hospitals there. Collection thus far: Over $100,000 from members. How to help: Call 6842-6422 or e-mail bfellow@singnet.com.sg The Singapore Scout Association www.scout.org.sg Credentials: The non-profit organisation, set up here in 1910, stresses survival-skills training and creates opportunities for youth to be active in society through community-based projects. Tsunami response: It has dispatched at least 40 volunteers per day to pack goods at local distribution centres. It plans to send teams to build school facilities in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, under Singapore International Foundation's Youth Expedition Project in April and June. Money collected for its annual Founder's Day dinner next month will go to the relief fund. Area of focus: Reconstruction, building schools and skills training in Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Collection thus far: No target set for fund-raising. So far, the Singapore Scout Guild has donated $5,000 to the fund. All other donations received will go towards funding children's educational needs in affected countries. How to help: Contact Philip Ang at 6259-2858 for details. World Vision Singapore www.worldvision.org.sg Credentials: A Christian relief and development organisation which focuses on the well-being of children. It has been working in Asia for over 40 years, disbursing relief and conducting programmes in poverty alleviation, HIV prevention, education and health care. Tsunami response: In Aceh, it has set up 20 large tents serving as 'child friendly spaces', where traumatised children can receive care, play and learn. It also plans to undertake infrastructure and economic recovery measures, such as building schools and creating jobs. Area of focus: The plight of children in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India and Thailand. Collection thus far: Over $80,000 in Singapore, with US$200 million raised globally. How to help: Make your cheque payable to World Vision International and post to Robinson Road P.O. Box 2878, Singapore 904878. Call 6221-1040 for more information. |
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