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UN: Donor fatigue hits Nepal relief efforts, only 22% of needed donations raised

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After two severe earthquakes and at least 8600 deaths, the UN says donor support for Nepal has dropped off and only 22% of the $423 million needed for relief has been donated. This is especially troubling since the highest volume of donations come at the beginning of the relief effort, and Nepal faces harsh weather seasons in the coming months.

Rescue has required large amounts, as will rebuilding, but right now there are thousands without basic needs like food and shelter that would be covered by the $423 million estimate specifically aimed at relief.

Here is a good list by The Guardian newspaper of organizations you can donate to: http://www.theguardian.com/global-d.../nepal-earthquake-how-you-can-help-donate-aid

Article source:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/25/us-quake-nepal-aid-idUSKBN0OA13120150525

NEW DELHI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The international community's response to devastating earthquakes in Nepal has been disappointing, a United Nations official said on Monday, adding that donors were focusing more on reconstruction than much needed aid such as food and shelter.

The impoverished Himalayan nation is reeling from a 7.8 magnitude earthquake which struck on April 25, disrupting the lives of almost a third of the 28 million population.

A second quake of 7.3 magnitude struck on May 12, worsening the situation and further hampering efforts to get aid to survivors in remote regions. Over 8,600 people have died.

"I am disappointed in the sense that there was such an impressive response in terms of search and rescue - all the teams that came in to do the work, they did very impressively and comprehensively - and maybe they think that's the job done," said Jamie McGoldrick, U.N. resident coordinator in Nepal.

"The talk now is about reconstruction, but we are trying to remind people that in between search and rescue and recovery, there is a phase called relief and we can't forget that," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from Kathmandu.

In the weeks following the earthquake, scores of international agencies and foreign governments rushed to send search and rescue teams, doctors and relief materials to the country which is sandwiched between India and China.

The U.N. appealed for $423 million to be able to provide up to two million survivors with basic relief such as tents or tarpaulin sheets, dry food rations, safe drinking water and toilets for the next three months.

As of Monday, the U.N. Financial Tracking System showed $92.4 million has been raised, 22 percent of the required funds.
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A

atr0cious

Member
I don't get why the UN doesn't force the "multinational" corporations to donate. They're making profit on most of the war torn countries as it is, they may as well help keep the machine oiled.
 
A

Aztechnology

Member
I feel like donations to relief efforts are stagnating in general because people are realizing the funds rarely go where they are needed.
 
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DOWN

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Aztechnology said:
I feel like donations to relief efforts are stagnating in general because people are realizing the funds rarely go where they are needed.
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The problem with this is even if only 5 cents makes it to the cause so you decide not to donate, if you don't give anything then they don't get anything. It's 5 cents they didn't have
 
C

CrimzonSamurai

Member
DOWN said:
The problem with this is even if only 5 cents makes it to the cause so you decide not to donate, if you don't give anything then they don't get anything. It's 5 cents they didn't have
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Yeah but it's $24.95 in some "philanthropist's" lear jet fuel fund.
 
G

Garrett Hawke

Member
Aztechnology said:
I feel like donations to relief efforts are stagnating in general because people are realizing the funds rarely go where they are needed.
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Research the charity you're choosing before donating I guess. There are some which do go to the right places.

Anyway, I hope articles like this will spur those who are able to to donate.
 
I

ICKE

Banned
atr0cious said:
I don't get why the UN doesn't force the "multinational" corporations to donate. They're making profit on most of the war torn countries as it is, they may as well help keep the machine oiled.
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They have no authority and quite frankly various nations are cutting back ODA (official development assistance). For example Finland is slashing 300 million from its budget, because people don't want to support poor countries - especially if they are in Africa. Only 3-4 countries have managed to reach the 0.7 % / GDP threshold.

Austerity and the poor economic situation requires sacrifices and donations to disaster zones are the first to go.
 
C

ClosingADoor

Member
Can't really fault people. It seems like every few weeks there is a new disaster that needs millions upon millions in donations. You tune it out after a while, no matter how much people suffer.
 
U

User 479360

Banned
It seems like there's something new all the time, and I don't have a job. I also don't trust sending money overseas, because I have no proof that the money will actually get where it's sent.

I fund raise and donate locally
 
W

WedgeX

Banned
atr0cious said:
I don't get why the UN doesn't force the "multinational" corporations to donate. They're making profit on most of the war torn countries as it is, they may as well help keep the machine oiled.
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Because confederacies such as the UN do not have those types of powers unlike a federal government.
 
B

block tower

Member
Honestly there's so much bad shit going on in the world on a daily basis I just don't care. I have apathy towards most of these tragedies . It's not like I'm swimming wealth either do it's hard to feel compelled to donate a few bucks to an ambiguous charity when I can more easily just not.
 
V

Violet_0

Banned
komplanen said:
Somehow I just feel like that 22% would be enough if all of it was spent wisely. I'll try to donate when I can though.
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93 million dollars to rebuild a whole country and take care of the countless people that were injured or can no longer provide for themselves?
 
C

cameron

Member
The relief and restructuring efforts after the 2010 Haiti earthquake were a mess and still are. Countries have dialed back on their initial pledges. Maybe it soured people.

I wonder if the average individual donation still remains the same year over year, but more people are donating to smaller more personalized causes (like gofundme) rather than large scale ones.
 
J

jiggle

Member
Oh noes
Not enough money to line NGOs' pockets
Who will pay for their luxury hotel and fancy meal?

Sad situation for the ppl there :/
 
M

Makki

Member
Is there a study of what percentage of whats donated to those relief efforts actually sees the hands of those in need? I would be a lot more willing if they disclosed those amounts and the percentage was 60% or more. I am very weary of donating anything when non profits have been shown to absorb so much money into their own pockets to run their costs of living.
 
K

Kurdel

Banned
jiggle said:
Oh noes
Not enough money to line NGOs' pockets
Who will pay for their luxury hotel and fancy meal?

Sad situation for the ppl there :/
Click to expand...

Throwing the baby out with the bath water is easier than doing research into who is legit, isn't it?
 
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