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Details
2015
Apr
28
Thank you for your contribution to the Nepal earthquake relief efforts. The appeal for the Nepal earthquake ends on 31 May 2015.
Frequently Asked Questions on the Nepal Earthquake
EFFORTS BY THE SINGAPORE RED CROSS
What is the Singapore Red Cross doing in response to the Nepal earthquake?
Distribution of relief items in full swing
- On Sunday 17 May, 300 kilograms of medical supplies donated by Gold Plus International and water filtration kits were shipped to Nepal. 500 water filtration kits, also known as Fieldtrate Lites, will be distributed to the affected communities in collaboration with Singapore NGO, Relief.SG. Fieldtrate Lite is a light and portable water filtration kit, capable of producing clean water within minutes without the addition of any chemicals.
- SRC is also working with local partners like Nepal Red Cross to distribute other relief items. One of the priorities is to help the villagers with a more permanent shelter option. Working with a local Nepalese NGO, SRC is providing corrugated sheets and shelter kits to up to 800 families in Sindhupalchuk, one of the worst hit areas. With the monsoon coming, there is an urgent need for shelter for these families.
- In addition, SRC is working with another local NGO to distribute nine truckloads of food packs to 1000 families in the Dolakha, Ramechhap and Sindhupalchuk districts. Each pack consists of 30kg of rice, 5kg of Dhal and 1kg or salt. The distribution of the food relief packs commenced on 17 May.
- These relief efforts are in addition to SRC’s initial disbursement of S$200,000 worth of relief items (including food and non-food items) and emergency supplies.
SRC medical teams continue to provide care
- Singapore Red Cross Medical Teams continue to provide primary medical and emergency care in Bidur, Nuwakot, about 3-4 hours drive out of Kathmandu, at the field hospital established by Qatar Red Crescent. The SRC medical teams have been in Nepal since 1 May 2015, and plan to continue operating till the end of May before handing over operations to local medical personnel. However, SRC will continue to assess the need for medical services in the coming days before deciding if an extension of medical services is necessary. To date, 4 medical teams have been deployed and 1 more team will arrive in Nepal on Wednesday, 20 May. The medical team has been seeing 200-300 patients a day.
Discussion on recovery projects underway
- The SRC coordinating team based in Kathmandu has started discussions with Nepal Red Cross and other partners on possible projects for the recovery stage. This includes providing psycho-social support for the survivors of the earthquake and a back-to-school pack for the affected children.
Amount Raised so far
- The public appeal launched on 28 April has collected S$6.5 million to date. This does not include the contribution made by the Singapore Government.
EFFORTS BY THE RED CROSS MOVEMENT
What has the Red Cross Movement been doing in the aftermath of the Nepal earthquake?
The Red Cross team, on the ground, including Nepal Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has mobilised emergency responders.
The Red Cross Movement has activated its Regional Disaster Response Team (RDRT) and Field Assessment Coordination Teams (FACT).
Singapore Red Cross is in contact with its Movement partners, closely monitoring the situation in affected areas, and plans to send disaster response personnel to the affected areas.
RESTORING FAMILY LINKS SERVICE
What is the Restoring Family Links Service?
Singapore Red Cross provides the Restoring Family Links service to assist Singaporeans and Nepalese in locating their family members whom they have difficulty contacting.
If you would like to locate a family member whom you have difficulty contacting in Nepal, you can register at http://www.familylinks.icrc.org/nepal-earthquake
DONATIONS
Thank you for your contribution to the Nepal earthquake relief efforts. The appeal for the Nepal earthquake ends on 31 May 2015.
Advisory to Donors
- Donations made in response to appeals in relation to any overseas disasters or humanitarian crises are not entitled to tax relief, unlike general donations to the Singapore Red Cross (SRC).
- The assistance provided by Singapore Red Cross to communities affected by such disasters and crises is made possible by the voluntary donation of time and money from the Singapore public. Public Appeals launched by SRC are disaster and locality specific. SRC is bound by the rules and regulations laid down by the Commissioner of Charities in the disbursement and management of such “solicited funds”.
- There are occasions when SRC decides not to launch any Public Appeal but members of the public still come forward to make donations. Such donations, where a particular disaster or humanitarian crisis is specified by the donor will be treated in the same way as funds raised through a Public Appeal, with SRC exercising the same due diligence and care in the disbursement of such funds.
- In the event that donations are not used up after three years as aid granted and expenses incurred by Singapore Red Cross in that specific disaster response, any surplus or unspent money can and may be used to prepare for future disasters and to serve communities affected by other disasters or may be used to complement or to sustain projects undertaken by SRC in helping those affected by disasters in the same country or in the region.
- The Singapore Red Cross recovers, on a descending rate starting at 5 percent, administrative and handling costs for all fundraising campaigns or public appeals for overseas relief. These administrative fees are part of the SRC’s Programme Support Recovery.
- Please note that for internet banking, ATM, etc other online channels, there will be no receipts issued by the Singapore Red Cross. When a transaction is made online, the system will generate an online acknowledgement.
What percentage of donations will be channelled to the disaster?
We assure you that 100% of your donation – less administrative expenses – would be channeled to the survivors of the Nepal earthquake.
Administrative fees are charged at 5 percent of the total amount collected (below S$5 million). Thereafter, the admin fees collected will fall between 2 percent to 1 percent depending on the amount collected above the first S$5 million.
However, if and when enough funds are raised and the country stops accepting international humanitarian aid, SRC would then re-deploy excess funds to underfunded disasters in the same region, so as to ensure humanitarian aid gets to those in need.
Will I receive tax exemption for donation to the Nepal earthquake?
No, tax deduction is not applicable for overseas giving.
Will donations be accepted in foreign currency?
Donations can be made in foreign currency but only notes are accepted. Please do not donate foreign coins.
Can I donate via a cheque from an overseas bank?
We do not accept cheques from overseas banks.
Will receipts be given to individual donors?
Individual receipts will only be given to donors who make donations of more than S$50 each.
How are funds collected to be allocated?
All the funds collected will be channelled towards SRC’s response to the Nepal Earthquake. This includes sending relief supplies to the affected communities, providing emergency services and supplies such as medical and water and sanitation, and supporting recovery and reconstruction efforts in the later stages.
We have, in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), dispatched our first tranche of relief items comprising household kits and shelter tool kits. Our advance team has arrived in Kathmandu on the morning of 29 April. Our team will consult our Movement partners, including the Nepal Red Cross and the IFRC to assess the situation and identify the pressing needs on the ground, as well as make preparations for the deployment of our first medical team on Friday. We plan to deploy three medical teams over the next few weeks. Besides that, we are are also likely to dispatch a water and sanitation team, together with equipment, and if needed and operationally feasible, specialists, like orthopaedic surgeons. The assessment of the Advance Team, will enable us determine how best the funds collected can be best allocated, at this relief stage to provide immediate relief to the survivors of the Nepal earthquake and disaster.
How are funds sent to Nepal and who are they handed over to?
It is not the practice of the Singapore Red Cross to simply handover the donations made by the people of Singapore to any particular organisation or body. We consult our partners, especially the Movement partners, in this case the Nepal Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). We also make our own assessments on the needs on the ground. It is only then that we decide how best to allocate the funds in order to bring relief to the affected communities. In most cases, we will decide exactly what we are contributing rather than merely handing over the money collected. Likewise, we will carefully identify and assess both projects and partners when we consider early recovery and rebuilding projects for the survivors of the Nepal earthquake. Singapore Red Cross will do its best to ensure that we work with established credible and trustworthy partners in Nepal who will effectively deliver the projects to help rebuild the lives of the survivors of the Nepal earthquake.
IN-KIND DONATIONS
Can I donate food for the survivors in Nepal?
We do not encourage food donations as there are many considerations to take into account; the dietary preferences of the disaster-hit country, the expiry dates, storage conditions, the manpower and time required for the inspection, organisation, repackaging and the distribution.
Can I donate medicines for the survivors in Nepal?
We do not accept donations of medicines/pharmaceutical products. Donated medicines may not be relevant to the emergency situation, to the disease pattern or to the level of care that is targeted. Medicines donated may be unknown to local health professionals and patients or may not comply with locally agreed policies and standard treatment guidelines. Some donated medicines come under trade names that are not registered for use in the recipient country and without a generic name on the label. There is also a need to consider the remaining shelf life of the medicines and the required documentation.
Disaster relief agencies and first responder units are usually well-stocked with the provisions to manage a medical crisis. When there is a need, they will work directly with drug companies and medical suppliers to get the right supplies to the right place.
Can I donate clothes / make in-kind donations?
We do not accept in-kind donations like clothes due to logistical considerations associated with freight related issues. Besides the need for permit, there may be delays in clearing the items at the airport due to influx of donations from all over the world. If there is a delay, a fine may even be imposed. That is after deploying extensive resources to collect, sort and pack at the initial stage.
We advocate monetary donations because cash can be used to purchase items more quickly at other unaffected areas within the country, thereby enhancing flexibility in Singapore Red Cross’ response coordination at this critical time of need.
If you are keen to make a monetary donation, please refer to our earlier response on the donation channels for the disaster.
VOLUNTEERING
I would like to volunteer in Singapore to help in the disaster. How can I go about this?
Thank you for your interest in volunteering locally to man the call centre or collection centre for the Nepal Earthquake.
We have fulfilled all volunteer needs required for the local deployment (call center / collection center). Hence, there is no immediate volunteer needs for local deployment till further notice.
I am keen to volunteer in Nepal. How can I do so?
We appreciate your availability to commit for deployment of service to Nepal.
Please note that we have also fulfilled all volunteer needs required for both the overseas and local deployment (call center / collection center). Hence, there is no immediate volunteer needs for local deployment till further notice.
THIRD-PARTY FUNDRAISERS
If I would like to get my colleagues to donate collectively to the Nepal earthquake, how could we do so?
Please send a cheque to be made payable to ‘Singapore Red Cross Society’. On the back of the cheque, please indicate ’Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund’, along with your name, contact no. and address. Please post the cheque to Singapore Red Cross, 15 Penang Lane, Singapore 238486.
Can I get a donation tin for my company to solicit funds for the Nepal earthquake?
If your company is wishes to solicit funds in public (with the exception of the Orchard Road area), please email your request to fundraising@redcross.sg
If your company is soliciting funds within Orchard, please apply for a permit with the Singapore Tourism Board.
Please refrain from downloading the Donation Box Request form at Corporate Partnership as the form is meant for local donations, not for the Nepal earthquake.
The Fund raising department will advise you when to collect the tins.
If I would like to fundraise internally within my company / school /organisation, how can I go about this?
Please email your request to do third party fundraising to fundraising@redcross.sg
If my organisation has raised money via a donation tin, will I know the amount raised by the donation tin?
The Singapore Red Cross will inform the company/school/organisation the amount raised from the tins.
LEGITIMACY OF THIRD PARTY FUNDRAISERS
How do I ascertain that the person is really seeking donations for the Nepal earthquake?
The label on the tin will state it is for ‘Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund’ along with the Red Cross logo.
How do I know if the third party fundraiser is legitimate?
The list of legitimate third party fundraisers will be placed on the Singapore Red Cross website. This list will be updated at the end of each working day.
List of Third Party Fund Raisers for Nepal Earthquake
| Name of Company |
Remarks |
| External Fundraising |
|
| Air Line Pilots Association – Singapore |
Completed on 10 May |
| Cold Storage Singapore (1983) Pte Ltd (All Dairy Farm outlets) |
|
| Copthorne King’s Hotel |
|
| Daily Juice Pte Ltd |
|
| Marina Mandarin Singapore |
|
| New Ubin Seafood Restaurant |
|
| One for All Singapore Pte Ltd (Marutama Ramen) |
|
| Seager Inc. (The Planet Traveller) |
|
| Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) Global Education |
|
| Takashimaya Singapore Ltd. |
|
| UnUsUal Productions Pte Ltd |
Completed on 8 May |
| Yoga Seeds Pte Ltd |
|
| Zouk Club Singapore |
|
| |
|
| Internal Fundraising |
|
| Anderson Junior College |
|
| Angsana Primary School |
|
| Beatty Secondary School |
Completed on 5 May |
| British American Tobacco |
|
| First Toa Payoh Primary School |
|
| ITE College East |
|
| Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School |
|
| Monetary Authority of Singapore |
|
| Nanyang Polytechnic |
|
| Nanyang Technological University / Red Cross Youth NTU Chapter |
|
| Overseas Family School Limited |
|
| Raffles Institution Junior College |
|
| Shell Eastern Petroleum Pte Ltd |
|
| Shinnyo-En Singapore |
|
| Singapore Chinese Girls School |
|
| Tanjong Katong Girls School |
|
| Temasek Junior College |
|
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