Japan Disaster - how YOU can help the orphaned children

swannee7


Joined: 21/08/2009
Posts: 394

Message Posted:
23/03/2011 19:34

We make no apologies for not including TRNC in the headline. This is specifically an appeal to tug at the heart strings and as we all know, the majority of you in NC have big, big hearts!



There's a newly registered, non-profit making Charity that's recently set up (based in Oxford, UK) that will be focusing all its efforts in directly helping the huge numbers of kiddies who were orphaned in the recent disaster in NE Japan. To appreciate this Charity's long-term aims & commitment, please make sure you read their headline letter on the 'About' page of their website. Address is:



http://www.helpinghandsforjapan.org.uk



Hope you may feel able to respond positively. Thanks. The Swannees.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
23/03/2011 19:39

swanee7. Thanks for the link. It's a very worthwhile cause.

CJtill


Joined: 02/05/2008
Posts: 836

Message Posted:
23/03/2011 20:27

Call me hard, and maybe the next generation may forget what happened in those damn camps in WW2, but not me.

I think I will pass on this one.

Michael

philbailey


Joined: 17/01/2011
Posts: 3534

Message Posted:
23/03/2011 20:30

Msg 3 it that a wind-up?

Harold2555



Joined: 19/04/2008
Posts: 1139

Message Posted:
23/03/2011 20:57

Message 4



Possibly not, suprising but not totally unexpected attitude, time doesn't heal all wounds.



Personally I am more swayed against it by the fact that it is the third largest economy in the world, has specifically asked outside agencies not to intervene directly and that the disaster relief committee has rulsed out a general appeal.



On an individual basis the plight of any orphan is tragic but on the Macro scale the problems in the developing world such as sub Sahara Africa need much more aid.





Harold

philbailey


Joined: 17/01/2011
Posts: 3534

Message Posted:
23/03/2011 21:01

A very surpising attitude from someone living in Cyprus msg3

msg 5 I agree

Deniz1


Joined: 28/07/2009
Posts: 3829

Message Posted:
23/03/2011 22:26

Who helped all the british and american orphans left behind after the war when the japanese killed their parents.

philbailey


Joined: 17/01/2011
Posts: 3534

Message Posted:
23/03/2011 22:38

Do you also boycott all German goods ?

BMW, Mercs etc

CJtill


Joined: 02/05/2008
Posts: 836

Message Posted:
24/03/2011 08:45

Message 8

Why bring the Germans into this, as the topic of this posting relates to the Japan disaster.

If you want to discuss boycotting German goods then start your own thread,,,dont highjack this one.

Michael

martinD41


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 3001

Message Posted:
24/03/2011 09:17

msg 7...I think the Japanese paid for their sins on August 6 and 9 1945......

swannee7


Joined: 21/08/2009
Posts: 394

Message Posted:
24/03/2011 12:27

We do respect that people have personal viewpoints but please, folks, its over 60 years since WW2 and 'the sins of the fathers' from all sides. This recent earthquake was the largest ever recorded - 9.0 on the Richter scale - and the massive tsunami that it generated has shattered lives and entire communities. Please just remember the children who have been orphaned and totally traumatised by these events. This is what Helping Hands for Japan is trying to do and that's the point of this thread. Thanks again for your input.

MsGarnet


Joined: 04/01/2009
Posts: 989

Message Posted:
24/03/2011 12:53

I would expect to see the "registered charity" registration number somewhere in the link, but nowhere to be seen. I also note their FIRST money raising event is at the end of this month. Has anyone in the organisation any experience of running a charity? There is no dedicated bank account for one to pay into directly, and only one Trustee - most odd. "Running and staff costs of the charity will only be provided by a small proportion of money taken for providing services at fundraising events." hmmmmmmmmmm - also "We are also engaged in educating the general public, and especially school children, about these long term needs and how we can help". Somewhat patronising, one would think those that endured the tsunami and earthquake would be WELL aware of what their long term needs are.

swannee7


Joined: 21/08/2009
Posts: 394

Message Posted:
24/03/2011 19:25

MsGarnet (msge 12). Extremely valid points, but hopefully unfounded cynicism. We took it upon ourselves to contact the company who are actively engaged in this project and in reply to our email, have received the following:

1. The registration of our charity is currently going through; we expect to have it confirmed within a week or so. At this moment in time we remain unregistered.

2. The dedicated bank account is also being set up. Having just got this off the ground there are still lots of things to do and at this stage we're not taking direct donations through the website until everything is more formally set up.

3. Our website is constantly being updated and details of the 2nd Trustee has now been added.

4. Re our comments on "running & staff costs..etc." (CONT'D)

swannee7


Joined: 21/08/2009
Posts: 394

Message Posted:
24/03/2011 19:38

4. (cont'd)

please understand that all charities need to have full time staff as it's impossible to do everything only with volunteers. The Red Cross for example, assigns something like 25% of the funds it raises towards staff and costs. Thank you for your interest and support."



So, this charity is newly set up and has still to finalise the dotting of the i's and crossing of the t's but they're working overtime to get this particular ball rolling. In light of what the company said above, we take full responsibility for being 'previous', by trying to drum up support for this very worthwhile cause before they were (apparently) 100% up and running and ready to receive donations via their website. We still remain 100% convinced of their integrity, and given perhaps another week or so, believe they'll be a fully registered Charity.

Zoots


Joined: 05/02/2011
Posts: 669

Message Posted:
24/03/2011 19:59

Sad to say but I suspect this venture has been launched by someone who wishes to profit out of the disaster rather than help those in need.

Charities can be a very lucrative business for con artists, scam merchants and the generally unscrupulous who line their own pockets while donating a fraction of the amount collected to those in need. Only in recent years has this sector been policed and regulated harder.

Ask yourself why this group is setting up despite the Japanese government saying it does not need or want this kind of "charity".

I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole.

puppylover



Joined: 05/05/2008
Posts: 1427

Message Posted:
24/03/2011 20:16

Zoots



Sadly I have to agree with you.

MsGarnet


Joined: 04/01/2009
Posts: 989

Message Posted:
25/03/2011 03:15

swannee7 - with respect, please don't feel any discomfort at posting the link - it is clear your heart is in the right place, and like the majority of decent people, the events in Japan are as momentarily heart stopping at 9/11 and our 7/7 were. I used to work for Julian Oxley, then DG of Guide Dogs for the Blind before they relocated from Windsor, and the millions I saw wasted on new Jags for him and the Directors, new incredibly expensive conference table, and so on and so forth, and listened to what they thought of people who died and left their entire estates to their Charity, as opposed to their own families or other concerns - I vowed there and then NEVER to give to another charity...and never have - I give personally clothes and food to individuals or groups I know - and that is it - I never give money.........This charity may well end up credible, but to imply they were registered before they were - doesn't bode well initially

philbailey


Joined: 17/01/2011
Posts: 3534

Message Posted:
25/03/2011 03:20

That msg 17 I understand ,I believe the CEO of red cross in US gets half a milion dollars salary

what I can't understand is a sixty year grudge msg3

especially when you live in a country with a recent conflict

sienna


Joined: 09/01/2009
Posts: 1627

Message Posted:
25/03/2011 12:27

Do those that continue to harp on about what happen years ago extend your boycuts to all things Japenese ..TVs Computers etc etc because most of the circuit boards used in everyday life these days derive from there !!



have a heart - stop judging the children, the people that are suffering NOW they are nothing to do with the THEN

swannee7


Joined: 21/08/2009
Posts: 394

Message Posted:
25/03/2011 17:08

Ms.Garnet (17). Point taken. Can appreciate how 'fat cat' DGs of the larger charities can muddy the waters but this particular charity is very small fry indeed. They're not trying to keep up with the big boys from the various foreign aid sectors but are specifically aiming to generate funds to help orphaned children and will be linking up (eventually) with local, Japanese projects, also working to alleviate the plight of those poor children.



As Sienna (msge.19) has effectively said - the children of Japan are suffering now and their plight has absolutely nothing to do with what took place 60 years ago, or who did what to whom.. Suffering will always be amongst us in some form or another, made worse when we are shown examples of Man's inhumanity to Man.... But when Nature unleashes the biggest quake ever recorded, generating those killer tsunamis, the victims' suffering and loss can be empathetically shared by all of us. Then we can try and help, especially the children.