Stories about Humanitarian Response from August, 2010
Madagascar: FAO Warns of Locust Threat to Agriculture in the South West Region
On the blog of Organisation de la Presse Africaine, The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) states that $15 million USD is needed to mount a campaign on some 500,000 hectares of land threatened by locust plague [fr]. An average locust swarm consumes the equivalent amount of food as...
Afghan photo bloggers, beyond war and Wikileaks
By publishing photos of different aspects of their country, Afghan photo bloggers display an Afghanistan beyond war and Wikileaks, of beauty as well as poverty.
Pakistan: Bloggers Leading By Example In Helping The Flood Victims
Dr. Awab Alvi at Teeth Maestro informs how some bloggers are engaging online and offline with local communities to collect donations and plan relief efforts for the flood victims of Pakistan.
Sierra Leone: Aging Alone
“Most elderly people in Africa live in their communities, but in Sierra Leone so many young people died and so many communities were destroyed that what started as a poor house in eastern Freetown has evolved to become the King George Home for the Aged,” Glenna Gordon observes.
Haiti: Does Class have an Impact?
“The Jan. 12 earthquake reveals that the principal fault-line in Haiti is not geological but one of class”: Haitianalysis.com says “a small handful of rich families own large tracts of land in suburban Port-au-Prince which would be ideal for resettling the displaced thousands.”
Haiti: Thoughts on Wyclef
While Currents Between Shores respects Wyclef Jean's bid for the Haitian presidency, she also thinks “his passion is naive, his vision is vague and short-sighted and that just because he can run for president of Haiti, doesn't mean that he should.” Mediahacker, meanwhile, says: “Jean likened himself to Barack Obama,...
Taiwan: Indigenous people protest against forced eviction
In the video report created by Civilmedia[zht], more than 600 Taiwan indigenous people from different tribes and supporters gathered in front of the Presidential Office and criticize the forced eviction, ignorance on tribal integrity, and vacuum promises from government after Typhoon Morakot that hit southern Taiwan one year ago.
Kuwait: Rise in Suicides among Migrant Workers
“Over the past two months, there have been 23 reported cases of suicide or attempted suicide by migrant workers in Kuwait, meaning that about every 2.5 days a migrant worker commits or attempts suicide in Kuwait,” writes Fatima, at Mideast Youth.
Pakistan: Anger Mounts At President's Apathy
As Pakistan is hit by the most devastating floods in over 80 years and is marred by rising violence in the country's metropolitan hub, bloggers vent their anger and frustration at the President's decision to embark on a foreign tour.
Bangladesh: Visitors Share Their Thoughts On Grameen Ventures
This summer, eight students and faculty members from the Master of Public Administration program of the Northern Kentucky University in Kentucky, USA are completing an internship at Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. They have made numerous field visits and are recording their experiences in their blogs using texts, pictures and videos.
Russia: Crowdsourcing assistance for victims of wildfires
Severe wildfires in Russia have continued to spread since last week, displacing thousands of citizens. A new website using Ushahidi software, Russian-fires.Ru, is mapping not the fires themselves, but citizens who need help and those who wish to offer help.
Flood Wreaks Havoc In Pakistan
Some 1.5 million people in Pakistan are affected by the worst flood in the last 80 years, and the death toll has mounted to 1100. While the response of Pakistan's blogosphere can be termed mild, some bloggers have taken initiatives to collect reliefs and carrying them to the affected areas.
China: Rural migrant workers need love too!
As if rural migrant workers did not need love before, the state own T.V recently discovered that the post 80s rural migrant workers need love and therefore organized a special episode of If You Are the One for this specific social group. More from DANWEI.
Russia: Towns and Villages on Fire
Hundreds of forest and peat fires are raging across central Russia. The organization of the firefighting effort has been inadequate in many cases, and local residents often choose to self-mobilize and defend nearby towns and villages with whatever means they happen to have at their disposal.
