You cannot escape the fact that around the world, people are being forced from their homes, injured and killed; they are going hungry from failing crops; and natural disasters are leaving families in tatters and homeless. The world can seem like a bleak and unfair place, with raging wars and natural disasters devastating countries and continents. However, there are ways to help with humanitarian disasters and offer aid to those in need.
The UN, governments, and aid agencies across the globe have many tools and ways of reaching the millions of men, women and children who are devastated by humanitarian disasters. But as an individual who would like to help, what can you do? Here are ways you can offer your help to those who want to escape war and famine, look for a better place to lay down roots, and live a better life.
1. Donate
Check with your local government websites and see whether they have any suggested charities you can donate through. Of course, you will want to ensure that you know where your money is going and how it will be used to help those in need. You can find many aid agencies and organizations, so it may be a question of finding the charity that offers aid and relief to certain disasters.
For instance, there are many people fleeing Syria. This is the most serious refugee crisis the world has seen since the Second World War, and so if you wish to support and aid refugees, you may want to find an aid agency that focuses on helping the millions of people fleeing conflict. Alight is a great example of an aid agency focusing on the current refugee crisis. The aid agency provides health care, clean water, protection and shelter for those who face danger, no matter where they live. Head to the Alight website for further information on how they operate and how you can help them help others.
2. Volunteer
Volunteering is a great and effective means to bring attention to an issue and collect donations, and once the event is finished, all donations will be sent to the charity/aid agency you advertised. How can you volunteer, though?
You can help from the comfort of your home and/or from your hometown. For instance, you can organize a fundraising event such as a bake sale, a car wash, or even host a charity ball. It doesn’t matter what type of event you put on; as long as you advertise that all profits will be going to a good cause and aid a humanitarian disaster, people will be interested and likely to attend or help out. You may find that local businesses would like to offer their services, such as a catering company who would love to cater for a charity ball or charity sporting event.
Of course, another way you can volunteer is going to the disaster-affected area yourself and offering your skills and services. While you won’t want to head to the disaster-affected area on your own due to the dangers you may face, if you have skills and/or resources to offer, you can register with a disaster relief agency or organization.
3. Raise Awareness
You may not have the money or the experience to donate or volunteer yourself, but that doesn’t mean you cannot help by driving awareness to the current humanitarian disasters that are plaguing the world. Educate yourself and speak to friends and family members who may need to be enlightened on the situations. By doing this, you are highlighting the issues so that others are being made aware of what is happening.
There are plenty of ways to help with humanitarian disasters. Through donating, volunteering and educating yourself and others, you are making a difference and helping the millions of men, women and children who are fleeing from their homes and escaping conflict.
