Sichuan Quake Relief (SQR)

Sichuan Quake Relief’s activities have been continuing. For details and pictures of one of the recent visits up north, see Earthquake Zone – Survivors’ Stories, part of a blog by Fiferis.

• The web site has been updated to include:
  • more pictures linked from Flickr
  • Chinese, French, German and Italian translations were added — any volunteers for translating the main page into other languages, please email us.
  • List of projects completed was updated
  • Excel file with lists of items purchased and sources of donations and amounts of donations for the month of May 08
  • site converted to .php for easier updating (one for the geeks there)
• T-shirts have been printed and are available at The Bookworm. They are made of high-quality material and are selling well — get your hands on them quickly (pay for them first though, please).
• Volunteers have been travelling out to various villages to deliver more aid, and collect information on what they require. They report that the authorities are well-organised in the areas affected by the earthquake. The current strength/advantage/purpose of Sichuan Quake Relief is to channel donations (for example, a donation of hundreds of large tents), guide volunteers into the area, putting them in touch with the villagers and helping the aid to be delivered (in this case, helping to erect the tents).
• A meeting of Sichuan Quake Relief volunteers created a basic organisational structure which will allow the organisation to continue to function as an info hub and donations channel, mainly, but not exclusively, for foreign donors and donations. It is important to stress that Sichuan Quake Relief has been working with very many local people and organisations.

So, despite the apparent lack of major developments on the web, there has been a great deal of activity. The organisation continues to make a real difference to the lives of the people it has managed to reach, by helping with accommodation, food, water, educational supplies, and hygiene supplies, and just by being part of the huge effort which shows that people in the affected region have not been forgotten, and will continue to receive support.