Helping Haiti

Recent news has been dominated with the story of the Haitian earthquake. Hitting on 13th January, it is predicted that more than 100,000 people were killed, many of whom are still buried in the rubble. To add to the problem, there have been delays in getting aid and support to the worst-hit areas, leaving survivors without food, drink and basic sanitation in 33 degree centigrade heat.

As the tragic and sometimes gruesome pictures are relayed across our television screens, it sometimes feels that we are too far away to help, especially if you want to do a little more than just hand over a tenner. Well why not get your teeth into our list of opportunities below:  They’re all a little more than making a personal donation and they’ll all help make the difference.

1)    Hold an event

Whether it’s organising a non-uniform day or busking in town, there are loads of things you can do to harness people's good will and make money. For a list of ideas, why not check out the Penny Appeal’s Fundraising page or alternatively, you can sign up to be an Emergency Fundraiser with Save the Children. They will send you a pack with ideas, tips and tools to help you get started and all you have to do is organise it.

2)   Play Farmville

If you’re a FarmVille Addict, why not rack up your points by spending a wee bit of cash on some special limited edition extras for your farm. All the proceeds go to the World Food Programme, who are distributing food and other relief to thousands in Haiti, and all the while you will be beating your friends to the top of the leaderboard :).

3)    Go to Haiti!

OK so this one might be a little bit more demanding than Farmville, but for those of you who are over 18 and just want to get out there to help direct, the Global Volunteer Network are looking for volunteers to see through a 12-month long sustainable project in Haiti that will aim to help quake victims re-start start their lives. To find out more, head here. It's the ultimate ask, but it beats feeling bereft in front of the TV.

4)    Match Photos

If your snowed in or if you just don’t want to leave the house, then why not just spent twenty minutes on this website looking through photos in a bid to help find people who went missing in the quake. It sounds very close to the action and  it is: Just beware that some photographs you might be shown are graphic.

OK that's all for now folks, but leave comments if you actually do any of the above telling us how you get on! And feel free to add to the list if you find anything exciting! :) x