<
https://theconversation.com/libya-floods-why-cash-is-the-best-way-to-help-get-humanitarian-aid-to-people-affected-by-disasters-213669>
"The heavy rainfall that hit Libya during Storm Daniel caused two dams and four
bridges to collapse in the coastal city of Derna, submerging most of the city
in floodwater and claiming thousands of lives.
As you watch the disturbing scenes of this disaster on the news, you might
wonder about the best way to help. Sending that blanket in the closet you have
never used or those painkillers in the cabinet you overbought last time you had
a headache might seem helpful.
But research suggests otherwise. Such “in-kind donations” (physical items such
as food, clothing, household items and medicine) can actually place a heavy
burden on the humanitarian aid network.
If items are delivered to disaster areas in bulk, humanitarian organisations
can struggle to receive, sort and send them to people in need quickly. Any
accumulation can clog critical airports and warehouses.
This is known as “material convergence”. Humanitarian organisations can become
overwhelmed with unsolicited donations.
This can range from medicine and food (sometimes at or near expiry), to
equipment that’s just not compatible with the country’s systems – whether
that’s because of voltage differences or product labels written in a different
language.
To avoid such backlogs, research shows donating money in cash or via bank
transfer to verified international humanitarian organisations is the most
helpful and efficient response to humanitarian crises. Within the past decade,
some organisations have even launched successful cash and voucher assistance
programmes to pass this money on to people in dire need.
Giving cash rather than in-kind donations also respects the dignity of
beneficiaries, and prevents duplication and delivery of unneeded aid. Also,
perhaps most importantly, it helps to support a local economy that might be
crippled by crisis.
Cash-based interventions safeguard people’s purchasing power and help them
cover urgent needs during crises, according to the Word Food Programme (WFP).
This isn’t as simple with in-kind donations."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
