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HELPING OUT: A volunteer stacking boxes of aid. The Singapore Red Cross and Mercy Relief have poured $5 million into China and Myanmar. -- ST PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIA
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SINGAPOREANS have given almost $34 million to aid agencies to help survivors of Myanmar's Cyclone Nargis and the Sichuan earthquake, but the lion's share of the amount has yet to be spent.
The Singapore Red Cross, which received the bulk of the donations at $32 million, has spent 25 per cent of the money raised for Myanmar. For China, the tally was about 11 per cent.
A spokesman said the organisation was in close consultation with Red Cross chapters in Myanmar and China to 'ascertain what (projects) will be most effective and cohesive to benefit the survivors'.
He said the group was also in talks with non-government groups in Singapore to explore the best way to rebuild areas devastated by the natural disasters, which together claimed at least 153,000 lives.
The Red Cross also wants to ensure its plans in China would be 'in tandem with those laid out by the government', he said.
In Myanmar, it is finalising plans to reconstruct two villages that include homes, a clinic, schools, a community hall and even a cyclone shelter. The projects will cost about $1.3 million.
'The reconstruction effort is not going to be done overnight, as we need to study the design, speak to contractors, and comply with local government processes and procedures,' the spokesman said.
In the almost three months since the two natural disasters, the Singapore Red Cross and another local humanitarian organisation, Mercy Relief, have poured over $5 million into Myanmar and China.
Most went to food, medicine, tents and water. In later stages of the missions, the money had gone to building shelters for survivors, rebuilding schools and installing water treatment plants, among other things.
Mercy Relief has managed to spend a large portion of the money it raised.
Of the $560,000 it raised for Myanmar relief, it has spent $435,000, or 78 per cent. Of the $1.1 million it raised for China, 95 per cent, or $1.05 million, has been used.
It gave the figures at the opening of its new office at the void deck of an HDB block in Toa Payoh, Lorong 1, yesterday. A spokesman said staff would continue to visit China to see how else they could help. The remaining monies for Myanmar would be used for 'future medical relief and reconstruction', the spokesman said.
The China Embassy here has also received donations of more than $20 million from Singaporeans to date.
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