Although the water has receded from the tsunami in Japan, the humanitarian crisis continues. A New York Times report yesterday estimated that nearly half a million people are in shelters; that number is climbing as fears of radiation are forcing even more from their homes. Aid workers and government officials are struggling to provide food, water, and medicine to growing numbers of refugees. As we’ve seen time and again in the face of disaster (and in its aftermath), grassroots activism becomes a crucial complement to government and large organizational work.
Disaster Relief around the World: Hope from Small Organizations
In October of 2010, eruptions of Mount Merapi in Java and a tsunami in Sumatra struck Indonesia. The effects were disasterous, as we reported then, but, as in Japan, relief efforts took shape immediately. Together, Global Greengrants Fund and The Samdhana Institute, a Greengrants Alliance of Funds member, gave $5,000 to aid efforts coordinated by local groups—groups that recognized immediate needs and how best to serve them. These groups ensured that medical care, food, and supplies reached affected communities.
Delivering Food
Though the Pasundan Farmers Association group usually focuses on agrarian issues and farmers rights in Garut—an area unaffected by the eruption—members of the group realized that they could help those affected by the volcano. Near Mount Merapi, ash contaminated harvests, limiting people’s diets by making food scarce and driving up prices. With the help of our small grant, the farmers of Garut rented trucks to transport vegetables and other agricultural products to affected communities. On November 8th the food was delivered to three public kitchens near Merapi, giving a much needed boost to the diets—and outlooks—of people who had been living on instant noodles for days.
Rebuilding Homes
After the tsunami in Sumatra on October 25, Yayasan Citra Mandiri Mentawai (YCM-M)—an association of environmentalists and activists—recognized that communities were most affected by the tsunami’s destruction of two necessities: shelter and sampan boat facilities (the lack of the sampan proved to be a difficulty for many villagers, who rely on fishing for their diets and income). The group devoted its efforts to reconstruction of these amenities in two communities. They used grant money to purchase supplies, enabling volunteers and community members to build new structures.
Aid to Japan
Variations in infrastructure, cultural norms, and livelihoods make disaster response unique in any region. For this reason, nongovernmental and community organizations can provide important help—and understanding—in times of need. Global Greengrants Fund does not have the network in Japan to support immediate disaster relief (though we’ve made a handful of grants there over the years), but there are dozens of groups providing crucial emergency response on the ground. Visit our list of resources for giving your support to see where you can help.