1 commentA disaster for the world’s poor
I dreaded waking up each morning last week, as seemingly another natural disaster hit the Asia-Pacfic region. A typhoon in the Philippines, a tsunami in Samoa, and an earthquake in Indonesia, each more horrific than the last.
My dread came not just from the tragedy of each of these events, but from the realization that long after the media and aid agencies have gone home, it is the poorest who will be left to pick the pieces of their lives, and upon whom the greatest burden will be left.
Disasters hit those in extreme poverty hardest for two reasons.
First, the poorer you are, the more likely you are to live somewhere that could be hit by a natural disaster. The poorest tend to live in the most vulnerable locations – close to the coast, in poorly designed houses, or on the most marginal land.
And, secondly, those in extreme poverty are the least able to recover. Without insurance, savings, or any other assets, a disaster quite literally means that everything is lost. The extreme poor are also more likely to depend on the environment for their livelihoods – a tsunami destroys fisheries, a flood washes away topsoil and drought destroys crops.
Recognising this, we need to think about how we can best support those affected by disasters.
In the short term, this usually looks like making donations to the emergency response organizations – the Red Cross, CARE, Oxfam, World Vision and the like. It’s almost always best to give money rather than goods, as cash given today can equal tents, food and water tomorrow. Goods often weeks to get to the emergency site, can often be culturally inappropriate, and are usually more expensive than local alternatives.
In the long term, it’s about making investments in all communities before disasters hit to help them prepare, and for those that have suffered, it means thinking in terms of years, not weeks. It takes time to rebuild houses and roads, and it takes even longer to rebuild livelihoods. That’s why agencies will sometimes report that a couple of years on from a disaster, they’re still spending money that was given at the time. It’s not incompetence, it’s good development.
Our response to poverty is based on enabling people to stand on their own two feet. As part of this, we need to work to support people and communities to prepare for disasters, and demonstrate resilience when they occur.
Simon was a Changemaker in 2007, and is now the General Manager of poverty awareness organisation the Global Poverty Project, http://www.globalpovertyproject.com
One Response to A disaster for the world’s poor
Until now, a huge part of the Philippines is still recovering from two supertyphoons that hit the country. In Benguet, a few hours from my home, more caskets are needed to provide a decent burial to the many casualties. For the first time in my life, the whole country has been in a state of calamity. While I am lucky that my town is not severely affected, I can only imagine how difficult it would be for those who have lost their homes and families.
This crisis also brings in a lot of opportunities. It has come as a painful reminder of our inactions. It has also brought us heroes from all walks of life.
Do include us in your prayers.