Dear friends,
Nepal has a bad reputation for inefficiency and corruption, and its government is divided. That's why Nepal's vibrant civil society is likely to bring the most effective, life-saving support for many citizens.
Whole hills swept down over the beautiful and delicate rural villages of Nepal on Saturday. Thousands were crushed, more are missing and the country is crying out for water, food, and shelter. It’s devastating and in the middle of it all this one brave local organisation, Abari, is using everything they have to put up tents in the hardest hit remote areas. Aid experts say before the disaster they were doing some of the most impactful work in the country, and that they’re one of the best ways to get crucial aid to rural communities fast. That’s because this is their home. We can make all the difference for this incredible group, and many others across Nepal, literally multiplying their relief budgets by 10, empowering them to build for the long term and keeping their emergency work funded in hard-to-reach places. And by donating to local leaders ready for the hard years of rebuilding to come, we'll plant the seeds of hope for a sustainable and safe future in Nepal’s poorest villages. Click below to pledge now and Avaaz will only process our donations if we raise enough to change the game for local heroes: Abari, and many organisations like them in Nepal, have been at work in some of the worst hit regions building water tanks and housing, and making the connections aid workers need to navigate the remote areas and bypass corruption. The best part is that they are set up to take international donations directly right now. Big international aid organisations have used established systems to mobilise money and expertise fast to meet this emergency, while local groups are improvising to respond to the vast needs. Supporting such groups can be riskier, but with that risk comes the possibility of a huge reward. When a cyclone hit Burma in 2008, our community raised two million dollars that was smuggled in through a network of monks working outside of the corrupt government system. For some, this bold tactic led to the only life-saving aid they ever saw. We have the chance to do that again in Nepal. Click below to join in and Avaaz will collect and distribute our donations as soon as we raise enough to make a big difference for these inspiring local heroes: Our movement was designed to break through bureaucracies and deliver hope directly. When disaster struck Burma and then again when it struck Haiti, the Avaaz Community opened our hearts and pledged millions to help people on the ground to get money to those most in need. Our common humanity united us to stand together in those times of greatest need. Now we can come together again to provide the Nepalese people with the urgent support to survive this horror. With hope and determination, Emma, Alex, Allison, Laila, Oli, Alaphia, Rowena, Mais and the rest of the team. Sources: Nepal’s relief effort must reach the rural poor (Globe and Mail) http://www.theglobeandmail. Nepal earthquake: authorities struggle to cope despite international aid efforts (The Guardian) http://www.theguardian.com/ Villages Near Nepal Earthquake’s Epicenter Are Desperate (NY Times) http://www.nytimes.com/2015/ Nepal earthquake: Relief starts reaching remote villages (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ Abari Adobe and Bamboo Research Institute https://www.facebook.com/ |
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