Hong Kong and Asian Professionals Contribute to Sichuan and Myanmar Disaster Relief With Both Donation and Knowledge
May 15, 2008 – Hong Kong SAR, China
An online platform for relief efforts – Relief.Asia – is launched today in Hong Kong by Internet Society Hong Kong (ISOC HK), supported by The Professional Commons. Relief.Asia has
been developed in the wake of the recent Myanmar Cyclone and Sichuan Earthquake disasters.
The website was deployed as a tool and platform to drive awareness and community contribution towards the rebuilding of nature-savaged regions through the application of Information Technology.
DotAsia Steps-up Commitment to Relief.Asia with Charity Auctions
Guangzhou, 17 June 2008 – Relief.Asia today delivered a second batch of GPS personal tracking and SOS devices to the Guangzhou Civil Affairs Bureau to be used in relief and rebuild efforts in the Sichuan earthquake and the recent Guangdong floods. The GPS personal tracking and SOS devices – Peace On HandTM — developed by Navia Corporation, allow relief workers to stay in communication and provide a safety beacon in case relief teams are trapped in aftershocks and landslides.
Two weeks ago, I met by accident taxicab driver poet He Ming who told me about how three thousand Chengdu taxicab drivers had the week before sped to Dujiangyan to help as soon as they heard about the earthquake. They helped rescue people and then brought bring them to Chengdu hospitals. On their own initiative, he told me. "When we heard about it, we just acted instinctively".
He showed me a write up about it in the Huaxi Dushibao (here it is online at unn.people.com.cn/GB/14748/7241608.html one of the Chengdu newspapers on May 22. He shared with me his poem about the taxi drivers going to Dujiangyan on the day of the earthquake that he has been sending around by text message.
(abstract from AIT Myanmar trip report prepared by Wit Hmone Tin Latt, intERLab/AIT)
Two coordinators from Asian Institute of Technology visited Yangon, Myanmar on 30th May, and reported back that DUMBO is now scheduled to be launched on 15 June 2008.
Five Townships will be connected and communicated through IPStar satellite link. Myanmar Egress (ME) has managed to secure 6 IPStar Stations for deploying DUMBO into five hardest-hit areas such as Bogalay, Phyar Pon, Dedaye and Laputta which will have another sub-station either in Malamyaing Gyun or Pyinsalu, whereas the headquarter or the command and control center will be stationed at the ME Head office in Yangon. Sahana registry server will be kept in the Myanmar Teleport. ME will open a resource center which acts as a venue for all relief organizations and the local NGOs to communicate instantly in the mode of video conferencing, text messaging and VoIP etc. with their field offices in disaster areas through DUMBO system.
At the invitation of the local Government and more particularly at their own initiative in the belief that it is their corporate and social responsibility to assist with the Cyclone Relief… many local companies started organizing themselves soon after the event.
The Cape Negrais Relief Group is made up of several (5) local companies and has taken on responsibility to provide relief work in the Western Ayeyarwaddy arena –Ngapudaw Township. Over the past weeks as we move onto reconstruction, each company has chosen to work in key areas, as the Western Ayeyarwaddy Delta (tip)… is the arguably the most inaccessible of the various disaster zones. The SPA group is now working mainly on “Middle Island” (Alekyun in Burmese).
[EN PDF]
全力支持