In response to the destruction left in the wake of the January 12 earthquake that rocked Haiti and leveled much of the capital of Port-au-Prince, charitable organizations have utilized media technologies to not only bring attention to the Caribbean nation’s need but also to facilitate donations.
Online social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter have led the call for aid, as well as served as lines of communication spreading news of the desperate situation on the ground and information about loved ones.
“Social networking has been a huge force for us, if nothing more than to put the message out. We’re constantly posting about what the Red Cross is doing, thanking the public for their generosity, and reaching out to the public to continue supporting us,” said Marianne Derlak, an American Red Cross spokesperson.
These sites are also the primary source of information for Haitians living abroad seeking any word of loved ones amidst the rubble of the shattered nation.
“Facebook is such a powerful tool,” said Clyde Vanel, a Haitian American living in Springfield Gardens who flew to Haiti after the quake. “I don’t have the reach of NBC or even The Queens Courier, but I wanted to be like a reporter on the ground. People would send me the names of their father, mother, sister, all through Facebook. With someone on the ground, they at least felt empowered.”
More than just news, these sites have also enabled organizations to spread photos of the crisis, bringing the realities of the situation into the lives of people hundreds or even thousands of miles from Port-au-Prince.
“We can post pictures from Haiti and immediately we can see that hundreds of people have seen them, and they donate in response to them,” said Richenda Ghebrial-Ibrahim, social media manager for World Vision Inc.
Social networking sites, however, are not the only technology being used in the effort. While they are advancing the call for greater relief, cell phones were utilized by multiple relief organizations to collect monetary donations.
Anyone who watched the weekend’s grandest spectacle, the NFL playoffs, learned of one such program, with the American Red Cross advertising its own text message collection at nearly every commercial break.
The program’s purpose is to make it as easy as possible for people to donate to the cause, by simply sending a text message bearing the word “Haiti” to the number 90999. A $10 fee would be tacked on to the donor’s next phone bill.
“I donated via text; I think its great,” said Kaya Lee, 22. “It makes it easy so more people are likely to give.”
As of January 18, the Red Cross had received $112 million in charitable donations, with $23 million coming from its text message donation program alone.
“This is just the beginning, but it has been a wonderful test to the spirit of the American public,” said Derlak.
– Additional reporting by Claudia Cruz and Camille Bautista
