I think it has taken a while for most of us to completely realize the immense magnitude of the Tsunami but I have come to the realization over the past few days that this is likely the most horiffic natural disaster I'll witness in my lifetime. It's made all the more horiffic because the victims had no warning and little or no time to react.
As an (aspiring) architect, this disaster has made me feel all the more guilty about the fact that I am sitting here pushing papers for a project not even intended for human occupancy when I could be out there doing something much more worthwhile in helping the common good.
I want to go to the stricken areas and help any way I can. Does anyone know of any resources for those of us wishing to get involved hands-on with the reconstruction effort?
i haven't heard much of people going there for reconstruction yet, but i am sure there will be organizations that will put it together in this coming weeks. lets keep eachother posted on that because i am interested too.
at the moment we are in what is known as 'relief and recovery' phase - food aid, basic shelter (blue plastic tarp), water as well as body disposal and health and sanitation. Due to the magnitude of this disaster the 'reconstruction' phase will not begin for at least a couple of week. http://www.architectureforhumanity.org/__Sumatra.htm#Casualty_summary
Over at Architecture for Humanity we are in an assessment mode and putting together local teams. We are very reluctant to send over someone when the cost of a flight ($800/1000) could build a home for a family.
We are updating our site every 4/6 hours with more information and have setup a reconstruction appeal which now stands at $20,000
I feel the same way bryan4arch, however, it seems right now with the "clean-up" effort and the distrubition of supplies, water, and medacine to the areas effected - I heard they are only looking for qualified disaster relief workers. I think later on, when the rebuilding effort begins they will require people to assist in that endeavor. But if you get on a plane make certain you goto the Aceh Province in Indonesia, because of the Indonesian governments suppression of the Aceh uprisings, I think they might not get enough aid or help...
Though it does seem that the best thing that can be done as architects right now is giving money to organizations like AFH. Judging from the pictures i've seen it will take weeks and months to just clear the wreckage in the areas effected before much rebuilding can occur.
Write an email to the AIA and other professional organizations asking them to make donations, encourage your firm to donate money, encourage friends, family and colleagues to help as much as they can.
Also write am email to the white house and all your representatives telling them to pitch in a lot more that the $35mil we have pledged as a government.
The rebuilding and relief effort will take years, but the majority of the world will practically forget about this as soon as the next news story comes along (sorry to be so cynical) so its important to get as much as we can to the organizations that will be working on this NOW while the "story" is still in the spotlight.
Here is something we could all pitch in with getting our governemnt's ass in gear. Do you know that in the middle of the Indian Ocean there lies a US Naval Base on the island of Diego Garica... Somebody/everybody call their congressman/senator and tell them to cancel christmas break and send in the seaman and supplies from that base.
Approx. 10,000 people have perished in the tsunami in India, which, surprisingly enough, hasn't requested any US or UN aid. There's a local radio station which is helping organise logistics for relief aid. Here's the link:
I know this isn't really what you meant by hands on, but I think every little bit helps. My best friend (who is from Sri Lanka) sent me this email yesterday:
Hello!
If anyone was wondering what they could do to help out in the aftermath of the disaster in south asia, a family friend is hosting a benefit night in his bar, Jan. 6th. All of the proceeds will be used to build houses for people displaced by the Tsunamis. The bar is called:
Kabin
92 Second Avenue
(btwn. 5th & 6th)
(212) 254-0204
The following is a link to a page that descibes the bar:
Cameron, yes, thank you for your great work at AFH - it is very impressive, and setting that fund up was very fast.
ways to help: make everyone you know aware of how easy it is to help. it has never been easier to contribute. as much as i hate spam, i emailed all my friends links to some basic charity organizations [including AFH, of course]. maybe some resented it, but most were happy to find out how easy it is to contribute. a lot of people are overwhelmed but don't do anything.
the amount of world aid allotted for this disaster is still less than what the us gave to florida after the hurricanes last year. the bbc had the figures on its website this morning but has now erased them.
"So far, Egeland said, more than $2 billion has been pledged toward the emergency relief effort, an amount Egeland said was larger than what was pledged for all other humanitarian emergencies combined in 2004.
But it still fell short of the $3.3 billion the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency provided Florida after four hurricanes struck the state last year."
Hands-on involvement in the relief effort?
I think it has taken a while for most of us to completely realize the immense magnitude of the Tsunami but I have come to the realization over the past few days that this is likely the most horiffic natural disaster I'll witness in my lifetime. It's made all the more horiffic because the victims had no warning and little or no time to react.
As an (aspiring) architect, this disaster has made me feel all the more guilty about the fact that I am sitting here pushing papers for a project not even intended for human occupancy when I could be out there doing something much more worthwhile in helping the common good.
I want to go to the stricken areas and help any way I can. Does anyone know of any resources for those of us wishing to get involved hands-on with the reconstruction effort?
yes yes!! check out architecture for humanity website, there's a link on archinect front page.
also check out (for monetary help):
http://www.moveon.org/tsunamirelief/
http://www.tidesfoundation.org/RR_1204.cfm
http://www.actionagainsthunger.com/
i haven't heard much of people going there for reconstruction yet, but i am sure there will be organizations that will put it together in this coming weeks. lets keep eachother posted on that because i am interested too.
at the moment we are in what is known as 'relief and recovery' phase - food aid, basic shelter (blue plastic tarp), water as well as body disposal and health and sanitation. Due to the magnitude of this disaster the 'reconstruction' phase will not begin for at least a couple of week.
http://www.architectureforhumanity.org/__Sumatra.htm#Casualty_summary
Over at Architecture for Humanity we are in an assessment mode and putting together local teams. We are very reluctant to send over someone when the cost of a flight ($800/1000) could build a home for a family.
We are updating our site every 4/6 hours with more information and have setup a reconstruction appeal which now stands at $20,000
Also you should check with the SEA-EAT blog - http://tsunamihelp.blogspot.com and http://www.Worldchanging.com for more immediate updates.
cheers - plainjane
We have people on the groud right now but the reconstruction effort will begin in January.
we are collecting funds here -- http://www.architectureforhumanity.org/__Sumatra.htm
I feel the same way bryan4arch, however, it seems right now with the "clean-up" effort and the distrubition of supplies, water, and medacine to the areas effected - I heard they are only looking for qualified disaster relief workers. I think later on, when the rebuilding effort begins they will require people to assist in that endeavor. But if you get on a plane make certain you goto the Aceh Province in Indonesia, because of the Indonesian governments suppression of the Aceh uprisings, I think they might not get enough aid or help...
wow, what do you know NYTimes article on the topic of Aceh. I guess the paper of record is moving faster than usual on these type of issues.
from the article in the NYT, posted in the news it looks like could be several options for those who want to help.
www.shelter.org
www.awb.iohome.net
www.ri.org
Though it does seem that the best thing that can be done as architects right now is giving money to organizations like AFH. Judging from the pictures i've seen it will take weeks and months to just clear the wreckage in the areas effected before much rebuilding can occur.
Write an email to the AIA and other professional organizations asking them to make donations, encourage your firm to donate money, encourage friends, family and colleagues to help as much as they can.
Also write am email to the white house and all your representatives telling them to pitch in a lot more that the $35mil we have pledged as a government.
The rebuilding and relief effort will take years, but the majority of the world will practically forget about this as soon as the next news story comes along (sorry to be so cynical) so its important to get as much as we can to the organizations that will be working on this NOW while the "story" is still in the spotlight.
Here is something we could all pitch in with getting our governemnt's ass in gear. Do you know that in the middle of the Indian Ocean there lies a US Naval Base on the island of Diego Garica... Somebody/everybody call their congressman/senator and tell them to cancel christmas break and send in the seaman and supplies from that base.
Approx. 10,000 people have perished in the tsunami in India, which, surprisingly enough, hasn't requested any US or UN aid. There's a local radio station which is helping organise logistics for relief aid. Here's the link:
http://www.go925fm.com
They've got a list of relief funds one can donate money, clothing or non-perishable food to. Take a look.
Especially the Prime Minister's Relief Fund, and the Indian Red Cross
Prime Minister's Relief Fund
Indian Red Cross Donation Form
Hello to those of you in NYC-
I know this isn't really what you meant by hands on, but I think every little bit helps. My best friend (who is from Sri Lanka) sent me this email yesterday:
Hello!
If anyone was wondering what they could do to help out in the aftermath of the disaster in south asia, a family friend is hosting a benefit night in his bar, Jan. 6th. All of the proceeds will be used to build houses for people displaced by the Tsunamis. The bar is called:
Kabin
92 Second Avenue
(btwn. 5th & 6th)
(212) 254-0204
The following is a link to a page that descibes the bar:
http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/41151821/new_york_ny/kabin.html?cslink=search_name_cust&ulink=search__searchslot3_520__1_profile_5_1
Also, her family is donating to Habitat for Humanity International.
more soon
Cameron,
Thank you for giving all of us the opportunity to help out by setting up this fund and for all of your great work with AFH.
no problem - the hard work is going to happen once we start building.
A shocking arial view of Thailand's coastline destruction:
Cameron, yes, thank you for your great work at AFH - it is very impressive, and setting that fund up was very fast.
ways to help: make everyone you know aware of how easy it is to help. it has never been easier to contribute. as much as i hate spam, i emailed all my friends links to some basic charity organizations [including AFH, of course]. maybe some resented it, but most were happy to find out how easy it is to contribute. a lot of people are overwhelmed but don't do anything.
the amount of world aid allotted for this disaster is still less than what the us gave to florida after the hurricanes last year. the bbc had the figures on its website this morning but has now erased them.
wait, sorry, it was cnn:
"So far, Egeland said, more than $2 billion has been pledged toward the emergency relief effort, an amount Egeland said was larger than what was pledged for all other humanitarian emergencies combined in 2004.
But it still fell short of the $3.3 billion the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency provided Florida after four hurricanes struck the state last year."
I found this on CNN.com Aml - Not sure if it is the figures you were refering to or not:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/01/02/world.relief.contribution.reut/index.html
pete: that quote actually came from this cnn article:
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/01/03/asia.quake/index.html
but thanks. let's be confident aid continues to come in for the long haul.
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