SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 14, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As disasters continue to batter the Asia-Pacific region this season, including massive flooding in South Asia, the call for investment and focus on disaster preparedness and risk reduction continues to grow from the global community.
To aid in this effort, Give2Asia, a San Francisco-based 501(c)3 social enterprise and the Philippines-based International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) have published Disaster Vulnerability and Donor Opportunity in South and Southeast Asia, a resource for philanthropic donors to assess the vulnerability of their grantmaking and to identify strategic investments that build disaster resilience in Asia's most vulnerable countries at the community level. The report is a part of the joint Give2Asia and IIRR NGO Disaster Preparedness Program, supported by a three-year $1.5 million grant from the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation.
Donors can read the full report by visiting give2asia.org/disaster-vulnerability-and-donor-opportunity.
Through this program, Give2Asia has leveraged its 10 years of disaster recovery experience to create pathways for private philanthropy to help vulnerable communities in Asia prepare for disasters. In this process, Give2Asia and IIRR have conferred with hundreds of local NGOs and community-based organizations working on the ground in Asia.
"Supporting disaster preparedness and risk reduction has proven to be the most successful and cost-effective way to avert major crises following hazard events," said Matt Grager, Disaster Preparedness Director at Give2Asia. "Private philanthropy has an important role to play in this effort, by integrating disaster preparedness and risk reduction into current grantmaking strategies and by committing to build resilience in target communities."
This new resource will allow donors to assess how disasters can negate their philanthropic gains and damage their bottom line in six of Asia's most vulnerable countries:
- Bangladesh
- India
- Indonesia
- Myanmar
- The Philippines
- Vietnam
Give2Asia has recently written about the need for philanthropy to shift focus from relief to risk reduction and resilience in Forbes, and provided an action plan for integrating disaster preparedness and risk reduction into philanthropic strategies in Alliance magazine.
To learn more about Give2Asia, IIRR, and the NGO Disaster Preparedness Program visit www.give2asia.org/disasterprep.
About Give2Asia
Give2Asia makes international grant making safe, effective, and impactful. Since its founding in 2001, Give2Asia has raised $237 million in gifts and donations from corporate, foundation, and individual donors for community partners in Asia. Give2Asia has demonstrated its effectiveness in serving the needs of international philanthropy with its on-the-ground presence, knowledge of diverse social and economic conditions, and the expert matching of donor interests with innovative and effective grantees.
Give2Asia Disaster Programs
Give2Asia has responded to nearly 40 natural disasters in the Asia Pacific region during the past 10 years. Give2Asia's strategy is to support recovery by partnering with local charitable groups based in affected communities and to engage in multi-year programs to support rebuilding, economic recovery, psychosocial programs and other unmet needs. Give2Asia reports back to donors on every dollar spent. Learn more about Give2Asia's disaster response strategy at give2asia.org/disaster.
About the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction
The International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) is a community development and hands-on training organization with more than 50 years of experience. IIRR has implemented people-centered, sustainable development programs in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and today, maintains a strong presence in East Africa and Southeast Asia. Strategically located in the Global South, IIRR runs its programs from the field. While it is registered as a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization in the U.S. and has its headquarters in the Philippines, all senior decision-makers are located in the field. It is important that IIRR staff hail from the region where they will work, allowing its programs to be locally-relevant, tailored, and community-driven.
IIRR Disaster Risk Reduction Program
IIRR's disaster risk reduction program framework, called Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction (CMDRR), builds the capacities of communities to reduce and manage their disaster risks. CMDRR enables communities to facilitate participatory disaster risk assessment, use these assessments for planning and preparedness, mobilize community members to be involved in risk reduction and facilitate learning. It has championed CMDRR in East Africa and in Asia. It has worked in many of the most at risk communities from the arid regions in East Africa to flood-prone poor communities in the Philippines. IIRR has also started to integrate natural resources management, food security and livelihoods development and health in CMDRR.