As travelers, we share a special connection with the people whose lives have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami in South Asia and Africa. We encourage you to support relief efforts, and we hope you'll be as generous as you can.

Large relief organizations have the biggest budget and are often most effective as first responders. But smaller grassroots orgs are also important and sometimes overlooked. We recommend considering a donation to a smaller organization such as one of those listed here. These groups operate closer to the ground and often with very little overhead. Your gift to them can have a more direct and focused impact.

Also see below — under Other Ways to Contribute — for suggestions on alternative ways to help.

Global Greengrants Fund
www.greengrants.org

Global Greengrants Fund, one of our sister organizations at the Earth Island Institute, is providing matching funds and a donation mechanism for grassroots partners in affected countries. For information about their activities please visit:
Global Greengrants Fund Press Release

Sarvodaya
www.sarvodaya.org

Sarvodaya is in Sri Lanka and is headed by the famous peacemaker Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne. It is a grassroots peace and economic development organization with field offices all around the country. Their relief efforts began almost instantly on the morning of the disaster. They are the local partners for many international aid organizations.

Foundation for the People of Burma
www.foundationburma.org

Little has been said in the news about the impact of the tsunamis on Burma (Mynamar). Under-reporting of such events is typical of the government there.

Democratic Voice of Burma is reporting that a Burmese official from the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) in Rangoon estimated that more than 5000 people could be affected, 1000 houses destroyed and between 80 & 100 killed. He added that the rural areas in the delta region of Irrawaddy Division especially Bogalay, Laputta, Pyapon and Ngaputaw Townships have been affected most.

The Foundation for the People of Burma is an American organization that provides direct aid to projects inside Burma without the involvement of the Burmese military government. They have projects working already along the Thai-Burmese border and within Burma and one of their medical teams will be heading to Burma this month.

FPB Director Hal Nathan told the San Francisco Chronicle, "There's no way for international (nongovernmental organizations) to know what kinds of supplies are needed there. Our concern is that since it isn't in the news, Burma will virtually be ignored and might not get any relief."

Please read FPB's appeal for assistance and consider making a contribution:

Additional resources:
SF Chronicle article
Democratic Voice of Burma
World Changing thread

Our friends at Mercy Corps suggest the following additional ways to help.

• Holding a fundraiser in your home or office
• Posting an informative flyer at your office, business, church or school
• Having a bake sale or selling snacks at your school or church
• Running a concessions stand at your school's sporting events and donating profits to Mercy Corps
• Organizing an auction to benefit the relief effort
• Fasting for a meal, and then donating the cost of the food you would have eaten
• Sponsoring a potluck dinner with an international theme, having a cover charge for each plate and contributing the proceeds

Read more on this from Mercy Corps.

Larger organizations are of course also vitally important at this time. Here are some resources:

American Jewish World Service
www.ajws.org

CAFOD
www.cafod.org.uk

CARE International
www.careinternational.org.uk

International Federation of the Red Cross
www.ifrc.org

Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders)
www.msf.org
Note from MSF: Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has received an extraordinary outpouring of support for the people of South Asia and we are extremely grateful. As you know, it is very important to MSF that we use your contribution as you intend it to be used. This is why we want to let you know that at this time, MSF estimates that we have received sufficient funds for our currently foreseen emergency response in South Asia.

Mercy Corps
www.mercycorps.org/splash

Oxfam
www.oxfam.org/eng

Save the Children
www.savethechildren.org

UN World Food Programme
www.wfp.org

UNICEF
www.unicef.org

World Vision
www.worldvision.org