Giving money - the easiest, most effective way to help
It's likely that several UK aid agencies will respond in the event of a natural disaster or humanitarian emergency overseas. They will urgently need money for their work and may launch appeals for donations. You should look out for advertisements on TV and radio and in national newspapers or check their websites to find out how you can make a donation.
If the emergency is particularly severe, most of the UK's major aid agencies will work together under an umbrella organisation called the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC). The aid agencies save money by advertising for donations as one group.
The DEC also publicise their appeals for free on the BBC and independent television channels and radio stations. If you donate money to the DEC or individual aid agencies, you can be sure that it will go to support the disaster relief work in the affected countries. Aid agencies will report back to people that donate money to explain how it has been used.
And remember, if you are a UK taxpayer, you are already helping to fund the UK's response to disasters and emergencies overseas, as well as its long-term work to fight global poverty.
The Department for International Development does not issue appeals for donations from members of the public, nor can we accept donations. If you wish to donate money to help in a disaster, you should do so via the DEC, or via an individual aid agency's appeal.
Don't collect or send goods
A common response to disasters overseas is to try and organise the collection and donation of goods that you think are urgently needed, such as food or clothing. We recommend that you avoid doing this, for three reasons:
- Goods that haven't specifically been requested by an aid agency may clog up warehouses, airports and docks and actually prevent essential supplies from reaching people in the disaster-affected area
- The cost of sorting, packing and transporting clothing, blankets and other items collected in the UK often outweighs the benefits of having them donated. It is usually much cheaper and quicker to buy food elsewhere in the affected country, or in neighbouring countries, and this helps to maintain local markets.
- If food, clothing and medical supplies are needed, the large United Nations agencies and the major non-governmental organisations are geared up to provide bulk supplies quickly, without the need for sorting, packing, finding transportation costs or seeking permits. A cash donation helps them to buy whatever is needed most.
Get involved
People with specialist technical skills are often required to help in disaster-affected areas. If you have the necessary skills and experience of working in relief or development, you can apply to become a member of disaster relief charity RedR.
RedR operates a membership register of experienced professionals, with expertise in areas such as engineering (water, sanitation and mechanical), health, child protection, search and rescue, logistics and telecommunications and programme management. RedR only places assessed members from their register with relief organisations in disaster-affected regions following requests. If you are interested in applying to become a RedR Member go to www.redr.org.uk.
However, if you do not have any specialist skills, and are not affiliated to a recognised aid agency, you should not travel to the disaster area because you risk doing more harm than good. There is a high chance that after using up crucial travel, accommodation, food, or translation resources you may be unable to effectively contribute to the relief effort.
Instead, you could consider helping by volunteering in the UK. This can be vitally important to the disaster relief effort.
You could:
- Offer to help staff phone lines for an aid agency taking donations or providing public information
- Organise local, community, church, mosque, synagogue, temple, workplace, or school fundraising events
- Volunteer in a charity shop sorting and selling donated items.
If you want to equip yourself to work in humanitarian relief operations, most aid agencies can provide advice about getting the relevant training in areas including logistics, IT and telecommunications, medical search and rescue, specialist disasters assessment and healthcare.
The main aid agencies also carry a lists of current vacancies on their websites.