Hi everyone,

I am thinking if a donation can be organized for the Japan earthquake. Not only from the EFers, but also from other people in Zurich?

Anyone know how to operate it? Can we just go on the street with charity boxes, and ask for money from people ? And then we can give the money to the Japanese embassy or consulate.

Or a registered charity organization is needed at first place ?

I have no experience at all. I just think over there is a disaster for all the human beings. And there must be some people here expecting to distribute in a certain way.

Thanks.

There are some credible organisations doing this as well:


https://www.bonheur.ch/?L=3

http://www.postfinance.ch/en/about/p...ews110317.html

http://www.rue-de-geneve.ch/agence-r...ve/japan-care/

My biggest peeve with donating through organizations is that most of the money goes to the organization instead of the intended recipients. As much as possible, I seek out a way to get the money directly to intended hands. It is something I scrutinize before I give a large sum of money. Otherwise, I don't take it seriously.

So maybe Japan consulate is a good choice ? They must have direct contact with Japan local needs.

Thanks jrspet，this is great.

Comprehensive details here:
Earthquake in Japan - 8.9 on richter

I feel with Japan and the Japanese. But they are a rich nation.

I at the other hand am embarrassed about Europe. A natural disaster happens to Japan ? Make donations ! Help ! etc

but when people in a country like Libya wanting democracy are in deep shit, the policies are
- let's postpone help until the dictator has won !
- let's fortify our borders against those refugees !

The betrayal of Libya by the West to me will be the reason for a definite NO against even donate a single CHF to whatever those treachery "benefactors" may have in their treacherous and false minds.

And here I include this false and treacherous and horrible women who is "foreign minister" of the E.U. and already weeks ago spoke about "humanitarian". Let this lady go to hell

they don't need money, they need assistance

in this I of course fully agree ! But they need sophisticated assistance. They have more than enough qualified personnel for all relevant tasks. And in case of Japan, everybody ought to realize that to send technical assistance is helping ourselves .

But AGAIN, the Japan topic was welcomed by Western media to turn attention away from Libya and Bahrain.

Here are some links to more charities doing disaster relief in Japan (and elsewhere):

• Oxfam
• American Red Cross
• British Red Cross
• Swiss Red Cross (German)
• Doctors without Borders (MSF)
• MSF (Swiss)
• ShelterBox
• Direct Relief International

Wolli,

nothing against you sympathies for the Arabs and while I fully agree that it is a shame what the West has done so far (well, nothing)... I think I need to put the two events into relation:
The earthquake was not just "a" earthquake - it is within the top five of the largest recorded earthquakes ever. That's big in itself. But the real news is that the Japanese lost total control of their nuclear reactors and we are still now absolutely not sure if there will not be a radioactive cloud coming out of one of the blocks with another explosion any minute... and why would that be so important? The reactor is less than 300km from Tokyo. The Tokyo region has around 35 Million people. Bahrain has one Million inhabitants in total, Libya less than 6.5 Mil... Japan is the third largest economy of the world, the other two are, well, less important. I do not think it takes an evil political agenda- every serious news editor HAS to report on Japan first - it is the bigger story.

That depends greatly on the organisation. It does seem shocking if 30% goes towards admin costs - but when the 70% without those admin costs would be $2M, and with those costs it is $4M, it makes sense.

Buy Japanese goods that are manufactured in Japan. This will have far better effects than giving monies to charity.

Thank you so much for those who are thinking of the affected in Japan.

Here comes another one - Japanese Red Cross:
http://www.google.co.jp/intl/en/cris...quake2011.html

I just donated to them for my own temporary peace in mind. But I would like to do something more in a focused area in the longer term for my own country...