humanitarian aid – Page 9 – The NEN

Ebola: one year on

Yesterday marked the anniversary of the first reported case of Ebola in Sierra Leone. International Development Secretary Justine Greening said:

“A year ago today it was confirmed that the deadly Ebola virus had reached Sierra Leone. In the months that followed this terrible disease swept across the country claiming thousands of lives, devastating communities and temporarily crippling the economy.

“The UK can be immensely proud of its life saving work leading the international humanitarian response in Sierra Leone. Working hand in hand with the government of Sierra Leone and its people, we have supported them through every step of this disease — setting up labs to quickly diagnose Ebola, raising awareness about how the disease is spread, building treatment centres, training frontline health workers, and funding teams to provide safe and dignified burials. The number of cases has now fallen from a peak of over 500 a week in November to just 8 last week. We won’t have won this battle until we get to zero infections and stamp out Ebola. We will continue to work with Sierra Leone’s government and local communities to seek out and isolate every new case.

“There is no room for complacency, but we hope that the end is in sight. The UK will continue to stand by Sierra Leone until the job is done but it is vital that others now join us to help Sierra Leone get back on its feet. UK support will help get health and education services up and running, kick start the economy and protect the people most affected by the disease — including the children who lost their families. We cannot wipe out the suffering this disease has inflicted but we can help to build a stronger, more prosperous Sierra Leone that is better prepared to tackle disease outbreaks in the future.”

North Edinburgh rallies to support Nepal

Royston Wardieburn fundraiser to support earthquake victims

The Nepal Scotland Association has organised an evening of Nepalese food, music and dancing at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre from 5pm on Saturday 23 May.

Tickets are available from RWCC reception, or from community members (contact the numbers on the poster).

Show your support for our friends in Nepal!

‘Help me to help Nepal’

MY Adventure director’s anxious wait for news of Nepali friends

Hello everyone,

As some of you may know, until recently I have been living with an amazing community in Nepal (writes James Howell). This community has just suffered the most horrific natural disaster they have ever experienced. Last week’s earthquake has claimed over 7000 lives in Nepal: I do not know how many of my friends are among that number. I have had seen three photographs of the village I lived in and it is barely recognisable.

You may not be able to help everyone effected, but you can help me help people I know.

I spent two years living in a ridge top village named Ghyampesal which lies in the Gorkha district in the foothills of the Himalaya, the epicentre of the earthquake. Our first aid truck bound for Ghyampesal left Kathmandu on Sunday (2 May) – and I can personally guarantee it will reach those it is intended for.

We intend to send as many trucks as we can but that is only possible with your help. If you cannot give any money don’t worry, pass this message onto someone who can. Please go to this website for the details. Every penny helps.

http://chanceforchange.org.uk

Thank you everyone for reading this: I attach a photo of my friend Didi (sister) (above) and Thakur’s family (top). We don’t know if they are OK but with your help we maybe able to find out.

Many thanks,

James

James Howell, Director MY Adventure
M: 07716 888 788 T: 0131 332 7132

Myadventure.org.uk

Light a candle for Nepal

Marking one week since the devastating earthquake in Nepal, Edinburgh residents and visitors are being invited to show solidarity at a candlelit vigil outside the City Chambers tomorrow.

The Lord Provost Donald Wilson lodged an emergency motion at a meeting of the City of Edinburgh Council on Thursday to call on local support for the Mercy Corps Nepal Earthquake appeal.

He said: “When an event as devastating as this take place, I believe it is important for residents to feel they have an opportunity to express condolences and provide united support.

“I urge everyone in Edinburgh to do and give what they can, whether they join us for the candle lighting ceremony, make a donation to the Mercy Corps, pause for reflection or say a prayer for the lives lost.

“Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world and is suffering one of the most horrific of disasters. The survivors of this terrible earthquake and all of the aid workers in Nepal urgently need sympathy and support from all corners of the world.”

Rajendra Bam, the Chair of the Nepal Scotland Association, added: “The effect on our country has been devastating. We represent about 800 Nepali people in Edinburgh and the Lothians and no one has been left untouched by this tragedy, everyone has a story. Our community is a very close one and what affects one affects another. We are working in cooperation with charities, such as Mercy Corps, towards the urgent relief programme. Anything that you can do to help us is much appreciated.”

Edinburgh-based international charity Mercy Corps has been working in Nepal since 2006. The humanitarian organisation has reacted with an emergency response in Nepal following the massive earthquake and their dedicated team has been working tirelessly, whilst dealing with their own tragedies, to evaluate conditions and deliver emergency supplies to desperate families.

Simon O’Connell, Executive Director, Mercy Corps Europe said: “Our teams have been working hard for the last week to meet emergency needs of survivors in Nepal and assess what is needed for the recovery of the country. We are distributing urgent relief to families in Kathmandu and in villages outside of the capital and working hard to get more emergency supplies in for families who are in desperate need. Time is of the essence and donations are critical to our ongoing relief effort.”

The City of Edinburgh Council is a partner of the Edinburgh Disaster Response Committee which is asking residents to help survivors during the aftermath of the disaster.

A fund has opened with the Edinburgh based humanitarian organisation Mercy Corps for urgent donations.

Nepal earthquake: beware bogus ‘charity’ appeals

As aid flies out from the UK to Nepal, members of the public are being warned to be cautious about charity appeals …

On Saturday 25 April a massive earthquake struck Nepal. It severely shook the lives of at least 5.3m people and left many homeless. Nepal’s major cities, including the capital Kathmandu, have been badly damaged and rural areas near the epicentre have been completely cut off by avalanches.

Already over 3000 people have been confirmed dead and the figure is likely to rise significantly in the coming days. Even those whose homes are still standing are sleeping in the streets because they are terrified by regular aftershocks.

All over the world, people will want to come to the aid of the stricken people of Nepal – but sadly some unscrupulous fraudsters will see the disaster as an opportunity to capitalise on this generosity of spirit.

The Charity Commission is encouraging people wishing to help those affected by the earthquake disaster in Nepal to donate only to established registered charities.

It says charities such as the members of the Disasters Emergency Committee, which has launched a dedicated appeal in response to the earthquake, are experienced in providing emergency help during humanitarian disasters.

The regulator says that most fundraising is genuine, but warns the public to guard against unscrupulous people who exploit the generosity of the public by fundraising fraudulently.

It is urging people not to attempt to send cash or aid out directly themselves and not to forget that there are other ways of supporting registered charities if they cannot afford to or do not want to donate. For example, people can take part in fundraising events and activities organised by a registered charity.

There are laws around collecting money for charity in public which are there to protect donors and make sure that the money raised goes to a genuine charitable cause. The commission says there are simple steps people can take to help ensure they give to genuine registered charities. The tips include:

check for a registered charity number, and check that against the charity’s entry on the commission’s online charity search tool – if you want to give to the DEC appeal, its registered charity number for England and Wales is 1062638
check whether collectors are wearing a proper ID badge and that any collection tin is sealed
if in doubt, ask the collector for more information – a genuine fundraiser should be happy to answer questions and explain more about the work of the charity (please see below for further safer giving tips).

Paula Sussex, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, said: “The British public is incredibly generous and we want to encourage them to continue giving to people in the most desperate need, such as those affected by the earthquake disaster in Nepal.

Our advice is to give to registered charities that have experience in delivering aid in difficult circumstances in the aftermath of natural disasters. It only takes a few minutes to check whether a charity is registered with us – and if in doubt, ask the fundraiser questions about how your money will be used. Good charities will be more than happy to answer your questions.”

Top tips for checking whether an organisation appealing for donations is a genuine registered charity:

before giving, check the charity’s name and registration number – you can verify this using the online charity search tool on GOV.UK
when approached by collectors, check whether they are wearing a proper ID badge and that any collection tin is sealed
if in doubt, ask the collector for more information – a genuine fundraiser should be happy to answer questions and explain more about the work of the charity
genuine fundraising materials should feature the charity’s name, registered name and a landline contact number – be wary of those that list only a mobile number
look for the FRSB tick logo indicating that the charity is signed up to fundraising regulation, encouraging you to give with confidencewww.givewithconfidence.org.uk
to check whether a fundraiser is authorised to collect money in a public place (they must have a licence), contact your local authority or, if in London, the police – if it is a private place, check with the owner
take care when responding to emails or clicking links to a charity’s website to ensure that they are genuine – instead, search online for your preferred charity to check you have the right web address
after making these checks, if you think that a collection or appeal is not legitimate, report it as a crime to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 and inform the Charity Commission
if in any doubt, contact your favoured charity direct to make a donation

Scottish Minister urges UK government: take more refugees

“By providing a place of sanctuary here in Scotland we can transform the lives of individuals who have seen their world destroyed through no fault of their own’ – John Wilkes, Scottish Refugee Council.

The UK should accept more refugees from the crisis in Syria and the Middle East, International Development Minister Humza Yousaf said yesterday.

In a letter to the Home Secretary Theresa May, Mr Yousaf has called on the UK Government to commit to offer more UK resettlement places for refugees affected by the crisis.

Mr Yousaf’s call comes on the eve of an international Global Resettlement Pledging Conference to be hosted in Geneva by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), at which member nations including the UK will be invited to offer further support for refugees.

Mr Yousaf said: “Refugee integration in Scotland has enhanced our diversity and communities, with refugees making a valued contribution to our economy, society and culture.

“We have always made clear that Scotland is ready and willing to play its part in offering a safe and secure home to Syrian refugees, and we welcomed the introduction of the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme, as part of which refugees are already arriving in Scotland.

“But the number of refugees being supported through the VPR scheme remains small, at several hundred over three years with less than 100 arriving to date. This compares with pledges of 20,000 humanitarian admissions by Germany, 5,600 resettlement places by Australia and 1,500 by Austria.

“The crisis in Syria represents the biggest refugee crisis since the end of the Second World War. Scotland remains committed to offering support and protection to the victims of the crisis and the Scottish Government believes that, given the extreme gravity of the situation, the UK can and should be doing more to help alleviate the suffering and Scotland is ready to play her part.

“The Global Resettlement Pledging Conference represents an opportunity for the UK to pledge to do exactly that.”

Chief Executive of Scottish Refugee Council John Wilkes said: “We welcome the Scottish Government’s ongoing commitment to stand with the people of Syria and echo the minister’s call for the UK Government to provide sanctuary to greater numbers of Syrians in desperate need.

“We urge the UK Government to adopt the proposals contained in Oxfam’s recent report, A Fairer Deal for Syrians, and sign up to the target of resettling around 9,500 Syrian refugees in the UK.

“The scale and gravity of the crisis in Syria is immense, with nearly four million refugees expected by the end of the year, half of whom are children. These are people who have witnessed and survived unimaginable horrors and are desperately in need of safety and support.

“By providing a place of sanctuary here in Scotland we can transform the lives of individuals who have seen their world destroyed through no fault of their own.

“Scottish Refugee Council and many of our partners are ready to offer a welcome to these men, women, and children from Syria, and to make sure they have access to the services and support they will need to settle in to their new environment.”

Muirhouse to aid Syrian refugees

“We hope this appeal will make a big difference to people who are living as refugees in tents in cold winter weather” – Edinburgh Direct Aid

Muirhouse Community Shop is to be a collection point for the latest Edinburgh Direct Aid appeal. The community shop on Pennywell Road recently worked with EDA when the shop assisted with the Toys for Gaza appeal and will now support an initiative to aid Syrian refugees.

The latest appeal is for winter goods, such as coats, boots, jackets etc and anyone can drop of their donation to the shop five days a week.

Lisa Anderson, EDA Secretary said: “Edinburgh Direct Aid has launched a new appeal to send a further container of aid to Syrian refugees. We have previously sent a container of winter clothing and another with a 4×4 ambulance and food supplies. We have a small warehouse in Granton, but we are delighted that TRIM have offered use of the community shop to make it easier for people to drop off donations for this latest appeal.

“We are hoping to collect winter coats, boots, wellies and toiletries over the next few weeks with the help of the volunteer staff at TRIM. We hope this appeal will make a big difference to people who are living as refugees in tents in cold winter weather.”

Community Shop manager Robert Pearson said: ” We were delighted when Lisa contacted us asking for our help. I believe that residents will feel as though they are making a difference by giving something small. At this time of year many of us will buy a new coat, jumper, etc. and we are asking for you to drop your old ones off at the shop. Shop volunteers will be on hand to advise any resident who may have questions. Muirhouse Community Shop will NOT be accepting any cash donations for this appeal – we are purely accepting goods on this occasion.”

Tenants & Residents In Muirhouse (TRIM)

Website – http://muirhouseresidents.co.uk
Find us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/trimgroup
Also on Twitter – http://twitter.com/MuirhouseTRIM

NHS volunteers head out to Sierra Leone

More than 30 NHS staff from across the UK departed for Sierra Leone yesterday to join Britain’s fight against Ebola – the first group of NHS volunteers to be deployed by the UK government.

The British team will now complete a week of training in Freetown before moving to British-built Ebola treatment centres across the country.

Following this training and acclimatisation, the group – which includes GPs, nurses, clinicians, psychiatrists and consultants in emergency medicine – will begin work setting up procedures, diagnosing and treating people who have contracted the deadly virus.

They will work in treatment centres built by British Army Royal Engineers and funded by the Department for International Development.

International Development Secretary Justine Greening said: “Our fight against Ebola in West Africa is one of Britain’s biggest responses to a disease outbreak. Almost a thousand military personnel, scientists, healthcare and aid workers are already on the ground in Sierra Leone working to contain, control and defeat this terrible disease.

“But to beat Ebola we desperately need the experience and dedication of skilled doctors and nurses to care for the thousands of sick and dying patients who are not receiving the treatment they need.

“Every one of these NHS heroes will play a vital role in the fight against Ebola. It is only because of their combined efforts that we stand a chance of defeating this disease.”

DEC launches Ebola crisis appeal

DEC launches first ever appeal in response to disease outbreak

Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) member agencies are scaling up their aid efforts in West Africa where they have already helped over 2.5m people affected by the Ebola crisis. The DEC launched its Ebola Crisis Appeal yesterday with appeals carried by all major UK broadcasters.

The urgent appeal for funds is essential to help member agencies intensify their efforts to stop the explosive spread of the disease and support those affected.

DEC Chief Executive Saleh Saeed said: “Aid workers are on the front line in the fight against Ebola. Some are facing great risk and local staff and partners are also being ostracised by their friends and families because people are so terrified.

“This is a price they are prepared to pay as they struggle to stop the spread of the disease and support those affected by the crisis. They need your help NOW not only to support medical treatment but to bury the dead safely, care for Ebola orphans, help families disinfect their homes, provide food to people in quarantine and, critically, to teach communities how to keep themselves safe and stop the spread of Ebola.”

This is the first time in the DEC’s 50-year history that it has launched an appeal in response to a disease outbreak: an historic move that reflects the scale of the situation.

The Ebola outbreak is the most severe the world has ever seen: it has so far infected 10,000 people and killed nearly 5,000 more, with the World Health Organisation warning of up to 10,000 new cases a week by December if it is not contained.

All major UK broadcasters carryied the DEC appeal yesterday, including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky. The appeal is also supported by other major DEC partners including ITN, BT, Post Office, British Bankers Association, Royal Mail, RadioCentre and NewsNow.

In addition to the 2.5 million people reached by DEC member agencies’ efforts, several hundreds of thousands more have been targeted by radio broadcasts and print materials containing life-saving messages on how communities can safeguard themselves from the disease.

Amongst the aid delivered activities so far include:

ActionAid has reached over 271,000 people in Sierra Leone and Liberia, delivering sanitation supplies to medical facilities, giving food and clothing to affected families and running public information campaigns.
British Red Cross partners have buried 3,595 victims of Ebola safely and with dignity across Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. They have helped to trace over 41,000 at-risk individuals.
CAFOD is giving food aid to over 9,000 quarantined families, providing sanitation materials and training faith leaders to raise awareness of safe burial practices.
CARE International has distributed hygiene packs to 1,100 vulnerable and quarantined households in Sierra Leone, reaching 53,000 people. The kits include soap, buckets fitted with taps and other essential materials.
Christian Aid is distributing food and hygiene kits to over 2,000 quarantined residents in Ebola hotspots and has reached 1.2 million people with awareness raising work, run by 900 volunteers using existing community networks.
Concern Worldwide is managing burial teams, educating communities on prevention methods and supporting district health workers. It has reached 170,000 people in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Oxfam is providing hygiene kits, giving health and burial workers protective clothing, supplying water to treatment and isolation centres, and co-ordinating door-to-door awareness-raising campaigns. It has reached almost 500,000 people.
Plan UK is giving psychosocial care to children, and has distributed food and sanitation kits to nearly 45,000 people.
Save the Children are building and managing health and community care centres where Ebola sufferers can be isolated and treated. It is training health volunteers and providing medical supplies.
Tearfund is working with over 1,000 churches to curb transmission, reaching over 350,000 people with prevention advice and distributing 2,600 hygiene kits to families.
World Vision has reached 7,500 people in mosques and churches with disease prevention advice and is providing materials to health workers.

The DEC does not set fundraising targets for its appeals and is always grateful for whatever support the UK public are able to offer.

To make a donation to the DEC Ebola Crisis Appeal visit www.dec.org.uk or call the 24-hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900. You can also donate £5 by texting the word SUPPORT to 70000.

What your money could buy:

£25 can provide cleaning kits including bleach, soap and a bucket for three families at risk from Ebola.
£50 can provide basic protective clothing such as gloves, masks, boots and gowns for three volunteers supporting people under quarantine.
£100 can provide training to a community on how to keep themselves safe and help stop the spread of Ebola.

Stay up to date with developments in Ebola, the emergency response and the fundraising efforts with the DEC on twitter:http://twitter.com/decappeal or on Facebook via http://www.facebook.com/DisastersEmergencyCommittee

pictures: Getty Images

Ebola: UK ready as UN calls for for more funds

United Nations chief Ban Ki-Moon has urged the world to do more to help the West African countries stricken by the Ebola virus outbreak. He has launched another urgent appeal for funds to help fight Ebola after a United Nations drive for donations fell far short of its target.

The UN chief said a $1bn trust fund he launched in September has received just $100,000 (£62,000) so far. Despite pledges, only Columbia has paid in full – although donors have given over £250 million to other UN and aid agencies.

Mr Ban said it was time for the countries “who really have capacity” to provide financial and other logistical support, and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan told the BBC’s Newsnight he was “bitterly disappointed” with the international community’s response. “If the crisis had hit some other region it probably would have been handled very differently, ” he said. “In fact when you look at the evolution of the crisis, the international community really woke up when the disease got to America and Europe”.

Both UK and Scottish governments have supported financial appeals and they continue to closely monitor the situation.

The Prime Minister chaired a COBR meeting on Ebola yesterday to discuss the situation on the ground, the UK response and domestic preparedness. In a statement, a Downing Street spokesperson said:

The Prime Minister chaired a further COBR meeting on Ebola this afternoon (Thursday 16 October). The attendees included the Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary, Health Secretary, Transport Secretary, International Development Secretary and Armed Forces Minister.

The meeting covered the situation on the ground, the UK response and domestic preparedness for potential cases of ebola. The advice from the Chief Medical Officer is that the risk to the UK from the disease remained low.

The International Development Secretary updated the meeting on the UK aid response and how the UK is leading the international response in Sierra Leone. The package is focussed on improving facilities, training staff and supporting the Sierra Leone government. This included the building of 6 new Ebola Treatment Facilities, local community care units and specific training for health workers, all of which remain on track.

The Armed Forces Minister set out that the military deployment continued to move forward with speed. RFA ARGUS would depart Falmouth tomorrow, taking 3 Merlin helicopters, and would stop in Gibraltar to collect 39 DfID vehicles. It is expected to arrive off of Freetown at the end of the month. Today, just over 100 members of 22 Field Hospital had deployed to commence establishing an Ebola Viral Disease Treatment Unit in Kerrytown. A number of engineers on the same flight will commence development of the Ebola Training Academy, with the first course delivered by the end of October.

There was a discussion over the need for the international community to do much more to support the fight against the disease in the region. This included greater co-ordination of the international effort, an increase in the amount of spending and more support for international workers who were, or who were considering, working in the region. The Prime Minister set out that he wanted to make progress on these issues at the European Council next week.

There was a detailed update about plans for protecting the UK against Ebola. The Health Secretary set out that screening was up and running across all Heathrow terminals and would be in place at Gatwick and St Pancras during the next week. There was a discussion regarding screening across Europe and the Prime Minister made clear other countries needed to do more and introduce their own checks if we are to strengthen protection across the board.

The Health Secretary set out that the national exercise to test UK preparedness had gone well. The system had responded well to two separate test incidents taking place at the same time. Contingency planning would continue and further advice is now being distributed to GP surgeries and other NHS institutions to ensure staff were fully aware on what to do if they suspected a patient may have Ebola.

The Scottish Government Resilience Committee (SGoRR) met on Wednesday evening to discuss the latest developments in Scotland’s response to the Ebola outbreak in west Africa.

The meeting was attended by First Minister Alex Salmond, and Health Secretary Alex Neil, along with experts in infectious diseases from Health Protection Scotland and senior officials from the Scottish Government.

Ministers were updated on the latest situation in the three affected countries of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. They were also given updates on how Scotland’s health service is preparing for a possible case, and steps being taken by the oil industry to protect workers who are returning from west Africa.

The First Minister said: “The Scottish Government’s approach to Ebola is two-fold. First and foremost, we must make sure that Scotland is as prepared as possible to deal with the risk of an Ebola case appearing on our shores. Secondly, we must do all we can to help with the situation in west Africa to try and contain this infection and ultimately bring it under control. We have already donated £500,000 to help the World Health Organisation’s efforts to combat Ebola and we stand ready to provide further assistance as and when required.

“The risk of an Ebola case in Scotland remains low. However, we are far from complacent, and I am confident that Scotland’s health service is well prepared to deal with any suspected Ebola cases. We will continue to closely monitor the situation to ensure that all appropriate checks are in place to protect the people of Scotland.”

Mr Neil said: “Scotland has four infectious disease centres which are ready to deal with any suspected cases of Ebola-type diseases. We have ensured that guidance has been issued to health professionals to ensure that they are well equipped to know how to deal with any suspected cases, and we are well stocked with all the necessary protective equipment.

“Scotland has dealt with infectious diseases in the past, including swine flu and a case of viral haemorrhagic fever, similar to Ebola, in 2012. I am fully confident that we have the systems and expertise in place to cope well in this instance if required.”

The disease has killed around 4,500 people so far, mostly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.