Fundraising in a Web 2.0 World
What I truly love about the web is when it takes thing that before seemed hard and difficult and all of a sudden makes them easy. Not only that, but when you are trying to get money and funds into a country that is hard to get into to begin with the web allows you access to people on the ground that can help.
SAS (my school) has set up the SAS Myanmar Relief fund. Working with the International School in Myanmar and an NGO on the ground there our school has found a way to get money directly to those helping people in the country.
“IDE Myanmar has operations in practically all of the cyclone-affected areas in the Irrawaddy Delta, and is hence positioned well to provide aid where it is most needed. Here’s what we are doing:
IDE has targeted 20 township areas that are affected, containing an estimated 8,000 -9,000 villages. About 125 staff have been mobilized to work in these areas – approximately six per township. The initial focus will be on providing immediate relief but rebuilding the agricultural and food security systems will receive equal priority and attention.”
To read more about IDE’s activities in the areas of Myanmar affected by the cyclone, click here: IDE RESPONDS TO MYANMAR CYCLONE
This is what it’s all about. Technology allowing us to help those in need. What I love about justgiving.com is that they understand the new web. I’ve already added the facebook widget to my facebook page. You can bookmark it on Del.icio.us with one click, you can add it to Myspace or follow the RSS feed.
You might have heard that Myanmar is not allowing supplies into the country at a very fast pace. By donating to an organization already working in Myanmar we bypass the politics and give directly to people who can help.
Of course we are also giving money and setting up things for victims of the earthquake last week. China has asked for foreign help and you can give to the Red Cross or other organizations that are helping there. There are many groups here at our school who are stepping up to help as well.
Last night when I got home there was a list posted in our apartment building that I could only guess was names of families in our apartment building and how much money they have donated (I’ll try and take a picture tonight). Families were giving anywhere from 100RMB to 500RMB (or $14 to $71).
The Internet still amazes me at times. It’s things like this that make the Internet just totally awesome!
Here is the good example how new technologies can help when other ways are closed, thank you
I whole-heartedly agree. I have a band (The Van Ho Ba if you are interested) who is doing a benefit gig in Hanoi to raise money for the same NGO in order to help the people of Myanmar(7:00 Friday 23rd May, Green Mango, Hanoi if you are in town!).
Within the space of a couple of days we have organised the venue, sponsorship, gear and of course advertising predominately by connecting with people online. I’m sure we’d be a long way behind if we were to organise this face-to-face etc. – especially the sponsorship deals, which came together within the space of a day simply because it was so quick and easy to get in contact with so many generous organisatons. And all this happening while people are at their full time jobs!
In this case, the technology has certainly made the organisation of this event as painless as possible!
Rock! for a good cause!