New Earthquake, Different Result

One point eight. The difference in magnitudes of the Chilean and Haitian earthquakes. Over 200,000. The difference in deaths after the Haitian and Chilean tragedies. Although the number of the displaced is the same in the two ravished nations, the death tolls are disastrously different. Haiti's poorly built infrastructure and edifices without strict building codes in place, like those in Chile, clearly elucidate the poverty comparisons better than any interactive charts could.

The Chilean Red Cross has not even requested foreign aid, although the United States did offer assistance, according to a recent New York Times article. Often times, humanitarians believe it is better to donate clothing, manual labor, or food to these nations if money is refused. Usually though monetary alternatives are sent to ensure their donations are used accordingly and do not end up in an executives pocket.

Problems often arise with the above mentioned acts of good faith though, according to Reliefweb.int. A surplus of rice and boats were sent to Asia after the 2005 Tsunami because too many donors assumed it was what the countries needed. The same occurred with donations to build orphanages. Although tons of orphanages were successfully built, many had to be closed because they had no clothes or food to provide for the children.

The Red Cross still has over half a billion dollars left to spend in earmarks from their budge for the tsunami, which occurred nearly five years ago. Without the proper research aid in any form can go unused and unnoticed, leaving more helpless and homeless.

Donations Not Music to Haitians Ears

Haiti remains a hot topic for celebrity attention and charity aid, even after Chile's 8.8 magnitude earthquake in late February. Celebrity and media focus is becoming a double-edged sword for those truly ailing after the Haitian disaster. While attracting the general public and shedding light on the disaster, generous contributions are slowly morphing into a trendy charity that is now en vogue. Red Haiti bracelets, like those of Livestrong popularity, and text message donations detach the public from the cause they are actually donating to and why they are donating.

"Haiti was on top of the Red Cross donation list, I'm sure, before the earthquake," says the Vice President of Boston University's Public Health Organization, Sean Oehrle. "So, I think the attention and money going to Haiti is justified, and the earthquake just exacerbated matters. But at the same time it might turn into a fad, I wouldn't say it's a fad just yet, but I think it might be soon."

That fad Oehrle refers to is due in part to the attention generated by musical artist Wyclef Jean and his Haiti specific donation. Jean's Yele organization recently held a telethon to raise money for Haiti, yet more money seemed to fill Jean's pocket rather than the Haitian people's. Only twenty percent of the money committed to the Yele organization from the telethon is actually going to Haiti, according to a recent Reuters article citing the organization's tax returns.

"When pop stars start giving shout-outs to Haiti when they've never been there, that's when the aid and the point of the crisis gets taken away," added Oerhle.

The UN does not oversee non-profit organizations, so as trendy as it may seem to donate to charities with a celebrity headliner there is no guarantee that these ravished nations are really receiving the money intended for them. Unfortunately, the good samaritans of the world will need to become good researchers as well if they want their good intentions be followed through.

Helping Haiti, Hurting Others?

Nearly three million citizens are displaced from their homes and 300,000 left dead according to the United Nations. Charitable organizations like UNICEF and the Red Cross are asking for donations and aid from people across the globe. Yet only 22% of Sudan's requested funding has been committed or contributed in 2010 according to the Financial Tracking Service.

With 300,000 left homeless and a death toll rising over 200,000, the people of Haiti are battling to stay alive in their ravished nation. Meanwhile local charity organizations are fighting a battle of their own to keep up funding for other causes left in the rubble amidst aid for the Haitian disaster. Text donations, benefit concerts, and "We are the World" remakes are all set to raise money to help after January's devastating earthquake, but ailing nations like Sudan, Afghanistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are receiving as little as 0% of their requested appeals for humanitarian aid. Donors around the world have been distracted by the Haiti media hype and without the Caribbean nation's name headlining shows, charity organizers are finding it difficult to attract the crowds they had hoped.

"It is really difficult to raise money for other causes," said Boston University UNICEF President Meghan Rhodes. "All of our focus and money is going to Haiti. All of our time and energy and funds are going to Haiti. So, it's been really difficult because all the attention is drawn to this whole Haiti thing, which is great, but there's a whole world of living poverty out there and no one is really doing anything to help them at the moment."

Benefit concerts and battle of the band type shows have been a popular theme to rake in donations and attention for charitable causes of late. Yet, unless Haiti heads the bill concert seats and donation jars echo empty tunes. Even local musicians are noticing the falling turnouts.

"One of the other bands that was involved in the Darfur Battle of the Bands show I was in had a benefit concert at the Middle East (bar) for Haiti right after," said one local musician, Jeremy Exelbert. "They seemed to be in quite a rush to get there and from what I heard it was a much bigger turnout."

Other causes around the globe will have to wait until the media attention moves from Haiti to regain the donations they once had, which may actually be sooner than later. After the devastation in Haiti, the organization "Doctors Without Borders" has reported that they received enough money in three days to cover a decade of aid in the impoverished nation. Most of those donations have been earmarked for the future, as the program is set for the current time.