It is heartening to see the net communities swing into action and make such a huge difference in connecting views, people and issues. To take this to a new level, I would like to post this appeal here to try and awaken the conscience of politicians, businessmen and corporate henchmen (however impossible that may sound!)

"Dear CEO, President, PM, CM, etc.

Get involved personally. Tell your people the magnitude of this calamity. Tell everybody in your network to help in any way possible. They will listen to "YOU". They are used to listening to you and following your directions. Please, please don't just give a donation to some fund and feel that your good deed for the day is done.
You have skills. You have an organisation. You have the means to mobilise every enabler needed to rehabilitate the homeless. Put part of your business acumen to reconstructing society. This Tsunami was just nature's way of reminding you of your duties to the world beyond yourself. Let this be the opportunity that gives you the sense to make a continued commitment to the future generation."

For those of you already doing so, congratulations!

Forward planning is crucial for rehabilitation

Everybody is reacting and responding to the mega-disaster. There are several blogs that are doing a wonderful job in coordinating and connecting resources to each other. While relief organisations are providing immediate respite on a need basis, we thought we should parallely involve other people who have the capacity to continue after public memory fades.

This weblog will allow you to bring your ideas, skills and organisational capabilities to a mid-term relief and reconstruction operation and will provide government agencies one of many touchpoints from where they can harvest intellectual and experience capital.

We really don't know if this will become a serious enough contribution. It all depends on all of you who think that on-going disaster rehabilitation merits continuity of emotion ... maintaining the intensity of emotion that exist immediately in the aftermath of any calamity.

We look forward to your involvement.

Awakening Corporate India's Conscience

Awakening Corporate India's Conscience
Is Corporate India Being Stingy in Helping Tsunami Victims
How come Corporate India's contribution towards those affected by the tsunami in south India has been so stingy?
Anil Ambani's personal contribution is of Rs 1 crore but how come Reliance (the richest company in India) has not announced a contribution? Infosys' Rs 5 crore, ITC's Rs 3 crore, Bajaj Auto's Rs 2 crore, LG Electronics' Rs 35 lakhs are only among the few corporates who seem to have been moved by the plight of the tsunami victims in India. PSU's seem to have bigger hearts it seems - with a joint contribution of Rs 15 crore...It's not just about donating tons of cash, every rupee that you can spare counts.

Here's are two examples of how every individual in the corporate world can make a difference

Harish Bijoor, a consultant based in Bangalore sent out an email 600 corporate folks on his addressbook. All he asked from them were utensils (new) and clothes (new). 12 reverted with handsome donations. 1 lorry left for Cuddalore on 31st morning, and hehopes to send another lorry by evening if he can fill it. A local cable manufacturer paid for a full load of 500 ml sachets of water which went to Velankini.

Another Mumbai-based consultant, Pradeep Narasimha, along with his employees and colleagues contributed 2 days salary and sent a draft of Rs 22000/- to the PM's National Relief Fund.Employees of O&M, the advertising agency have donated a day's salary + an equal contribution from the agency.

Let's share some experiences and examples of how we can do a tiny bit to help the victims of this huge tragedy. Let's open our hearts. If nothing at least let's mail this appeal to all our associates, colleagues, friends in the corporate world.

The South-East Asia Earthquake and Tsunami

The South-East Asia Earthquake and Tsunami