(Photo from Dawn.com)
It's Ramadhan, a month to contemplate the rhyme and reason for our existence upon this good earth. And it is perhaps wise to remember that the earth is often-times not good for a lot of people: radioactive wildfires in Russia, massive landslides in China, nation-crippling floodsin Pakistan.
That last one, with 1,600 confirmed deaths and thousands missing, is probably the most urgent humanitarian crisis the world is facing this puasa season. Pakistani officials say that aid isn't enough: "We are a poor country and our resources are limited." (Meanwhile, the Pakistani Taliban say that the God's punishment, and that foreign aid should be boycotted. What a-holes.)
So: since we'll have lunch and cigarette money to spare this month, why not do our part?KLue's put together a list of 5 organisations you can donate to, to help out!
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1. Pakistan High Commission
The obvious place to start. The Pakistan High Commission in Malaysia has put out a formal appeal for aid. They've also got details on how concerned Malaysian citizens can send aid in kind, what aid is needed, and the best way to arrange for transportation. (Protip: Pakistan International Airlines is carrying relief goods, without charge, in the spare belly space of its aircraft.)
Anyway, donate cash through the High Commission through Affin Bank account 20-002063910-9 (titled "PRIME MINISTER'S FLOOD RELIEF FUND 2010"). For more information, call 03-2161 4985 or email floodreliefkl@gmail.com.
2. Malaysian Red Crescent Society
The MRCS's efforts are currently being directed to Pakistan, to help with relief work. Cheques should be made out to the MRCS International Relief Fund and banked into Maybank Account No 5144-2210-2657. Send cheques or cash to:
Secretary General
Malaysian Red Crescent Society
National Headquarters
32, Jalan Nipah, off Jalan Ampang
55000 Kuala Lumpur
3. MERCY Malaysia
The hardworking folk of MERCY Malaysia sent an aid team to Pakistan on 4 August; they despatched another today. Meanwhile, they've got a Pakistan Relief Fund up and running. Donate via the following bank accounts (make checks payable to MERCY MALAYSIA):
- Maybank (account name: MERCY HUMANITARIAN FUND, account number : 5621-7950-4126, ABA Swift Code: MBBEMYKLA); or
- CIMB Bank (account name: MERCY Malaysia, account number: 1424-000-6561053, ABA Swift Code: CIBBMYKL).
4. Islamic Relief Malaysia
Dedicated to "alleviating the poverty and suffering of the world's poorest people", Islamic Relief is, of course, doing its part in Pakistan at the moment; one of their works, Habib Malik, is keeping a regular video blog about the situation.
Malaysian can donate through the IR Malaysia website via this handy online form.
5. UNICEF
And, of course, there's the United Nations Children's Fund, because thinking about childrendoes prompt people to be more conscientious. Donate through UNICEF Malaysia via the nifty online form on their website!