Australians Support a Children’s Emergency Fund
13 October 2010 at 2:34 pm
Twice as many Australians believe a children’s emergency fund is a better way of saving children’s lives in natural disasters than launching emergency appeals after disaster strikes, according to a new poll released by Save the Children.
The findings were released to mark the International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction and the launch of a Children's Emergency Fund.
Save the Children’s Director of Emergencies, Mike Penrose says the move to launch the Children’s Emergency Fund ensures Save the Children always has the resources in place before disaster strikes in order to save the lives of children immediately.
Penrose says it takes a few hours to load a cargo plane with $100,000 of life-saving aid, but it can take weeks to raise the funds needed.
Save the Children surveyed 1,000 people on the best way to help children affected by disaster.
The findings include:
- 55 per cent of Australians polled believed the best way to aid children affected by disaster was to establish an emergency fund
- 25 per cent of Australians polled believed the best way to help children was to launch an appeal after the disaster occurred
- 20 per cent said they didn’t know the best way to help children affected by disaster
The Children's Emergency Fund gives people the option to make a regular, or one off donation to help children affected by disaster.
Save the Children has also launched ‘Earthquake Response’ – the world’s first disaster response game App for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch available for free at iTunes.
Save the Children says the game is simple: the aim is to save the lives of children and their families affected by a massive earthquake. To do that, Save the Children will send the character to the affected area to distribute life-saving aid to the most in need. As the crisis deepens and as more homeless people need aid like food, water and shelter, the character must make quick decisions about where aid is needed and how much aid is needed. But the character must hurry, or lives will be lost… just like in a real emergency.
For more information on the Children's Emergency Fund click here.
To download the Earthquake Response app click here.
