On September 28, 2018, the series of earthquakes and following tsunami which struck Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi province claimed more than 4,000 lives and led to economic losses of $1.3 billion. The vast majority of the damage occurred in the coastal city of Palu, where 68,451 houses were destroyed, forcing nearly 206,5000 people to seek shelter.
Less than 10 months after the disaster, communities are building their resilience thanks to the dedicated efforts of local leaders and the endless generosity of GlobalGivers like you. By supporting grassroots activists who understand how to best support their community, you’re not only helping people today, you’re part of the movement to build long-term preparedness in the face of future disasters. 4,718 members of our community have given $613,070 to vetted nonprofit partners, allowing them to continue fostering hope and strength in Central Sulawesi. In this update, we’d like to highlight the dedication of two partners your donation has supported.
Yayasan Usaha Mulia traveled to the most remote villages to support regions which rescuers hadn’t been able to reach due to continuing landslides and poor road conditions. Their efforts exceeded all predictions: they distributed long-awaited food, water, hygiene supplies, clothing, and educational materials to 2,500 families in the most far-flung communities of Indonesia. Yayasan Usaha Mulia also provided 1,000 solar lamps and water purifiers in the villages of Saloya, Amai, and Kaliburu, enabling people in these communities to continue supporting themselves long after the volunteers left.
In addition to lifesaving supplies, Yayasan Usaha Mulia held support sessions to help people in these villages overcome the disaster they endured. The trauma relief program included discussion groups, relaxation techniques, and even yoga sessions to ease stress and promote wellbeing.
Internews has continued its innovative approach to disaster resilience by supporting local journalists. Reporters with Kabar Sulteng Bangkit (KSB), a community-led news organization created shortly after the earthquake, are working to spread crucial aid information, put a stop to fake news, and hold regional government and aid officials accountable.
In a recent article in The New Humanitarian, Internews activist Firmansyah Syamsi shared how KSB journalists take a unique approach to disaster reporting. “Usually, after a disaster, the kind of news that is published especially in Indonesia is just about blood and victims being put on display.” However, KSB knew this approach wasn’t in line with their goals or ethics. “So we promote the perspective of victims so that victims feel they are heard.”
By giving survivors the opportunity to share their stories, this grassroots news source will ensure that the rebuilding process is inclusive and accountable in the months to come.
When you donate through GlobalGiving, you’re making the smart choice to support sustainable, community-centered change led by partners like these. As inspirational local leaders build resilience long after the disaster, we’ll continue to keep you updated—your generosity makes stories like this possible.
Warmly,
Nicole Gieselman + the GlobalGiving Team
Across Africa, nearly 72 million people struggle to find secure sources of food. South Sudan has been the hardest hit, facing a combination of climate change, economic unrest, and armed conflicts. These difficulties have already led to mass displacement: an estimated 2.8 million people will be forced to leave their homes by the end of 2019.
Thanks to the generosity of 4,861 GlobalGivers like you, we’ve raised $232,652 to help communities across East Africa build long-term resilience in the face of these challenges. Here’s an update on the support our partners are offering to some of the most vulnerable populations in the region:
Increasing unpredictability in the rainy season has caused food prices to rise, forcing many people in Kenya to migrate in search of aid. As the traditional herding lifestyle becomes less sustainable, groups like Child Rescue Kenya work to ease the transition. Across the country, they’ve enrolled children in school, reunited families, and trained small business owners in order to help people adapt to new lifestyles in the face of increasingly impactful climate change.
Decades of conflict and drought have led to mass displacement in Somalia, forcing refugees into the capital, Mogadishu. At Banadir Hospital, Concern Worldwide U.S. operates in the midst of this insecurity and displacement. This maternal and child health facility provides crucial support to Mogadishu’s overstrained healthcare system, caring for approximately 1,000 inpatients at any one time. Under seemingly impossible conditions, dedicated staff deliver up to 15 babies a day, provide stabilization for children suffering from acute malnutrition, and perform life-saving surgeries.
Beyond protecting mothers and their children, Concern Worldwide U.S. fosters long-term financial stability by supporting payments and providing specialized training to hospital staff.
In villages across Darfur, women are often left to fend for themselves and their children while their husbands travel in search of work.They face extreme inflation, harsh climate conditions, and traditions which place women in the background of the community. Kids for Kids offers these women with the opportunity to generate their own income by providing goats and cultivating an atmosphere of female empowerment within villages in Darfur. After an incredibly successful International Women’s Day campaign this spring, Kids for Kids hopes to reach 3,347 women in 8 new villages over the course of the year.
With your support, our vetted nonprofit partners can continue building resilience in communities throughout East Africa. In the coming months, we’ll continue sending updates so you understand how your money is making an impact.
With gratitude,
Nicole Gieselman + the GlobalGiving Team
Dear Project of the Month Club,
We hope you are having a fantastic start to your summer! We kicked off our summer in support of refugees with our World Refugee Day Campaign. With $100,000 in matching funds from GlobalGiving, our partners raised more than $140,000 to fund projects assisting refugees around the world.
On top of all that, you and the other 543 Project of the Month Club members raised $21,180 in support of Lanta Animal Welfare, a GlobalGiving partner working in Thailand, and their Help Suffering Animals Get Medical Treatment project in support of its animal rescues and animal safety community education program. Way to go!
This month, your Project of the Month Club donation will support Rescuing Leftover Cuisine's project Diminish Food Waste by Rescuing Excess for Hungry in New York City. They are working to eliminate food waste in their community by making food rescue sustainable and universal and aim to make hunger obsolete.
Their CEO Robert Lee wanted to pass along this message to you and the rest of the Project of the Month Club supporters:
“It is an honor to be selected as your Project of the Month! Across the world, 30% of food is wasted while millions go hungry, so by contributing to Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, you are helping get this excess food to the people who need it. Producing food uses precious natural resources, and preventing excess food ending up in landfills helps eliminate the environmental impact of food waste. Thank you so much for choosing our organization!
“Your support will allow us to rescue an additional 200,000 lbs of excess food that will feed 166,000 meals for the hungry rather than going to landfills where it would have contributed to 37.5 tons of CO2 equivalent in emissions!”
You can read all about their recent work in their latest project report, and if you want to see the ongoing impact of your donation this month, you can subscribe to their updates by visiting their GlobalGiving project page.
Thanks again for your ongoing support of the Project of the Month Club. Your donations have traveled from Mexico to Kenya to Brazil and now to the United States so far this year, and we’re excited to share where your donation is headed next month.
Warm wishes,
Alix Guerrier, GlobalGiving CEO
