How to Provide Aid to Victims of Tsunamis [Initial items]

Initial items that you can consider donating (in kind or money to purchase) include:

• Water purification tablets, and any other water purification tools
• Oral Rehydration salts (Oralit)
• Bleach, disinfectants, Carbol (disinfectant) Soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste, talcum / calamine powder, sanitary napkins
• First Aid medications, and over-the counter medicines for fever and diarrhea
• Non perishable food, vitamins (especially for infants & children), rice, instant noodles
• Buckets, and plastic water containers, garbage bags
• Sheets, towels, hammocks, mosquito nets and any other linens / bedding
• Any (if possible quick drying) clothing
• Cooking and eating utensils
• Mosquito repellant
• Tents & tarpaulins
• Writing utensils
  

SUGGESTED FORMAT FOR NON-MONETARY AID TO ACEH:

Please contribute what you can, in the best way you can.

A good format for immediate assistance is as follows:

1. Purchase plastic buckets (pails, ember), with handle and top.
2. Fill each bucket with small quantities of a variety of the most urgently needed non-food supplies (see list below).
3. Write the contents of each bucket on the outside of the bucket, neatly in permanent marker pen, in Indonesian.
   
4. Drop the bucket(s) off at donation drop-off points

RATIONALE: This format allows transportation of pre-sorted essentials to the stricken areas in Aceh. It is waterproof (once taped shut at the drop-off points by volunteers), pre-packed and durable. The goods are likely to get into the hands of individuals in the field more quickly, and in better condition than other formats. It precludes sorting in the field, in conditions which are not conducive to such processing (wet, muddy, disorderly). It allows easy distribution of a variety of most-needed supplies in a usable format and quantity directly to individuals and households.

MOST NEEDED: Water containers (the buckets themselves), waterpurification tablets, bleach, disinfectants, disinfectant cleaners (karbol, pinesol), soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, basic first aid supplies, medications for fever and diarrhea (Panadol, Oralit, etc), over-the-counter cold and cough medicines, wound disinfectants (Betadine), plastic garbage bags, vitamins, towels, mosquito repellents, coils and sprays, mosquito nets, sanitary napkins, bedlinens, cooking and eating utensils, candles, quick-drying clothing, torches and batteries, washing powder, anything else that you would find essential in such a situation, yourself (in compromised shelter, in the rainy season, without electricity or water supply).

Restrict contributions to supplies and brand names that an average member of an affected community in Aceh would be able to use without any further explanation or training whatsoever.Contribute only supplies that will be easily understood and are familiar.