Fast Media - Slow Recovery

Today there was a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Pakistan. I heard about it 6 minutes after it happened via Twitter when CNN tweeted about it. Last year around this same time news of the Haitian earthquake spread just as fast through social media. Not only did people receive immediate, on-the scene news through Twitter, Facebook, an text messaging, they were able to donate money to Haiti via the same avenues in the first mass digital media/text message fund-raising effort. And it was a huge success...at least on the fund raising end.

As of last week, the one year anniversary of the Haiti earthquake, little of the damaged areas of the country had actually been repaired. Although in some ways digital media has helped globalize fund-raising for philanthropic efforts, it has not yet effected the actual physical work that has to be done. Most of this has to do with political corruption and bottle necks for the money on the Haiti government’s side. No matter how much money and how quickly the world gives to the country’s efforts, if it is mishandled, the people of Haiti and other countries, like possibly Pakistan will not benefit from the ease of the technology. No matter how many advances happen in technology, when it comes to rescue and rebuilding efforts, it still takes physical people to do the work, and a functioning government to make sure they have the resources needed. One year later, a lot of work is left to be done. Here are some ways we can still help.