NEPALI DISASTER RELIEF
Gabrielle LucciWhen news first broke about the Nepal earthquake and its accompanying avalanche, Shaman Market’s thoughts turned to our Nepali partners and what we could do to help. Many of them notified us of the steps they were taking to support disaster relief efforts for affected individuals, especially the artisans in Nepal with whom they work, and by association, with whom we work too.
Knowing that shamans and like minded good hearted people believe that we are all connected and what we do for others we actually do for ourselves, we continue to weave the web of service relief that is already being spun by reaching out to you, our friends, families and supporters, and asking for your help. Natural disasters challenge us to reach further than ourselves and remind us how we are all connected. Prayers, chants, rituals, ceremony and dance are some of the tools one can use to work with and respond to the unseen energies of natural disaster. While ceremonies and rituals that support energy balance and healing are the stock in trade of shamanic practitioners and always welcome and needed, relief effort support requires some “corn and potatoes” effort, too: an exchange of money energy.
If you have never donated to relief recovery efforts, giving directly to organizations who are already on the ground and who have experience with specific disaster types are the best way to help. There are excellent resources regarding disaster relief giving from organizations’ with years of experience. Some of the most highly regarded sites give great guidance. We recommend starting with Fidelity Charitable’s Slide Show Do You Give to Disaster Relief? http://www.fidelitycharitable.org/giving-strategies/disaster-relief/give-to-disaster-relief.shtml. This is an excellent high level, 6 panel slide show which will help you learn about the process of disaster giving. We highlight a few other sites, but there are many more worthy organizations:
- Network for Good’s Disaster Relief: How to Help http://www1.networkforgood.org/disaster-relief
- U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI)’s Guidelines for Giving http://www.cidi.org/how-disaster-relief-works/guidelines-for-giving/#.VUTuM45Viko
- Give Well’s 6 Tips on Disaster Relief Giving – http://blog.givewell.org/2013/11/12/6-tips-on-disaster-relief-giving/
- Guide Star’s Giving to Disaster Relief and Recovery http://www.guidestar.org/rxg/give-to-charity/donor-resources/giving-to-disaster-relief-and-recovery.aspx
Our Nepali partners specifically called out the following organizations they are working with and we pass along to you for consideration:
Bottom line: Give to an organization you trust to apply your funds for the most urgent immediate care, given the stage of disaster recovery. We thank you for your support to our brothers and sisters in Nepal and for working in both the seen and unseen realms. Namaste!
Photo by: Sergio Pessolano
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Gabrielle Lucci
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