Pakistan is being devastated by the worst floods in its history. At least 1600 people have been killed, and about 15 million directly affected. The images on the television news are scarifying. This massive disaster doesn’t rate a mention before page 11 of today’s Sydney Morning Herald. I couldn’t see anything in the Herald about how to help.Where are the fund raisers? Where’s the emergency number we can phone to donate? We rallied to the aid of the United States, for goodness sake, the richest nation on earth, after the comparatively minor floods in New Orleans! Are we so distracted by the most dispiriting Australian election campaign in living memory, or is it that the people affected this time are largely Muslim?
UNICEF may not be getting much airplay, but they are on the job:
UNICEF is urgently calling for US$10.3 million to support initial relief efforts in the region to provide emergency healthcare, water and sanitation and child protection to those who need it most.
You can donate online to UNICEF Australia’s Pakistan Flood Children’s Appeal or call 1300 884 233.
Later: I hadn’t donated when Shaista’s comment arrived. She changed my mind about UNICEF, as she’s probably right that they have to go through the unreliable channel of the Pakistani government. Instead I donated to Oxfam Australia’s Pakistan Floods Appeal, We donate to Oxfam regularly and I’ve got confidence in them as an aid and community development organisation.
Me fail? I fly! 