Donations Pouring in for Philippines; But it May Not be Enough

by | Nov 14, 2013 | Feature, Headline News |

c. 2013 USA Today

(RNS) Americans are opening their wallets and providing financial relief to the typhoon-battered Philippines at a pace that may be the third-highest ever for an overseas disaster, but still not enough to satisfy needs.

As Philippine officials try to get aid to desperate Typhoon Haiyan victims, relief organizations from the Salvation Army to Mercy Corps are reporting strong initial donations from individual donors. Corporate donations and government aid have also been robust.

“International disasters like this where the scenes we’re seeing on the news are so overwhelming, people want to reach out and help,” says Salvation Army spokesman Ron Busroe. Donations accelerated from $300,000 Monday to about $1 million by Tuesday, Busroe says.

Patrick Rooney, associate dean at Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, expects individual donations to relief agencies to top out at about $1 billion, exceeded only by the $1.5 billion donated after the 2010 Haitian earthquake and the $1.8 billion following the 2004 tsunami that devastated Indonesia. The international relief donations trail the $4.2 billion given following 2005′s Hurricane Katrina and $2.6 billion following the Sept. 11 terror attacks. (All numbers are adjusted for inflation).

Despite the outpouring of generosity, organizations such as the Philippine Nurses Association of America are scrambling to set up donor pages online. UNICEF has sent out an appeal for $34 million to help 4 million children impacted by the typhoon, saying funding is urgently needed for food, medicine, clean water and sanitation. UNICEF has taken in $4.6 million in donations the past three days, vs. $12.3 million it received from donors in the same period following the Haiti quake and $5.4 million it received within three days of the 2004 tsunami.

Save The Children, which issued an appeal for $30 million, has raised over $1 million so far. The organization is sending 12,000 blankets, 2,500 kitchen sets, four mobile clinics and other items, says spokeswoman Francine Uenuma.

Typically, 75 percent of donations come within three to six months of a disaster.

“One of the drivers is how much attention the media provides and if the attention is sustained,” Rooney says. “To the extent that it looks like there’s a need for help, people donate.”

While technology makes it easier to donate, text donations tend to be limited to $10 — well below the $50 median households give, Rooney says. “It increases the number of people who give, but decreases the amount given.”

Boston-based OxFam America has received about $1.5 million from over 10,200 donors, says spokeswoman Helen DaSilva. “We’ve seen a huge spike in people taking action,” she says. “People respond and care about what’s going on in the world.”

Oxfam, which raised about $29 million from U.S. donors for Haitian relief, hopes to provide fresh water and basics such as soap to about 500,000 Filipinos. Tuesday, an Oxfam team assessed devastated Daanbantayan, a town on the northern tip of Cebu.

“The scene is one of utter devastation,” said Oxfam team member Tata Abella-Bolo. “The immediate need is water, both for drinking and both for cleaning.”

Mercy Corps has raised more than $500,000 over the past two days. Despite a series of natural disasters overseas and in the U.S., Mercy Corps chief development officer Jeremy Barnicle says there’s no donor fatigue. Destruction and death, particularly in poverty stricken regions, spur donors, Barnicle says.

Handicap International has taken in $60,000. Elizabeth MacNairn, executive director of the organization’s U.S. operations, says 74 Philippine staffers are prioritizing efforts in the hardest-hit areas. The elderly and children with disabilities are often overlooked and cannot get to normal relief distribution points.The organization provides wheelchairs and crutches, much of it from pre-stocked sites in France and Dubai.

Still, given the large area of destruction and lack of access to hard-hit areas, the organization welcomes what it can get. “Sudden onset disasters tend to elicit a quick donor response, but needs are often massive and require a long-term response,” MacNairn says.

The Mennonite Central Committee, which raised more than $5 million in the U.S. for relief aid following the Haitian earthquake, has already received $120,000 in online donations for the Philippines, says MCC disaster response director Bruce Guenther. About $50,000 has been earmarked for food, basic hygiene items and support for assessment teams.

“Donations started quite slow, but driven by media coverage, it’s really picked up,” Guenther says. Additional funding will be provided to a 10-member team that heads to hard hit Leyte island Wednesday.

Ben Smilowitz, executive director of the Disaster Accountability Project, a watchdog organization which tracks relief efforts, notes that donor contributions for specific disasters may be earmarked elsewhere by relief organizations. Those who want donations intended for the Philippines may want to find a Philippine-based organization and donate directly via pay services such as PayPal, he says.

(Gary Strauss writes for USA Today.)

Copyright 2013 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.

Leading Well: What We Don’t See

by | Nov 13, 2013 | Feature, Headline News |

Takes initiative. Confidence. Competence. Visionary. These are all characteristics that come to mind when we think of strong leadership—particularly male leadership. Unfortunately, even today, some of those same characteristics are viewed as negative traits when applied to women. Instead of being a go-getter, thinker, strategic planner, or capable team member, she is viewed as bossy, strong-willed, or rigid.

Without a doubt women are leading in more ways than ever before. And yet from Sheryl Sandberg’s national best seller, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, it appears that many women are still leading blindly. Sandberg encourages more women to sit at the table, jump in, grab opportunities, and keep their hands up. After all, “it is hard to visualize someone as a leader if she is always waiting to be told what to do.” As leaders, women must get comfortable taking the initiative.

In addition to taking the initiative, women need to become avid learners. Padmasree Warrior, Cisco’s chief technology officer, reports, “The ability to learn is the most important quality a leader can have.” For competent leaders, it is fairly easy to learn the business of our companies and organizations and our job descriptions. Women rarely fail because of what is written on paper. Women often fall behind professionally because of unmet expectations and unspoken rules and that is where many of us need more education.

A few months ago I read a book titled, The Silent Language of Leaders: How Body Language Can Help—or Hurt—How You Lead, by Carol Kinsey Goman. While I do not agree with some of the scientific information shared in the book, I was blown away when I read the chapter, He Leads, She Leads. I would guess that most of us don’t intentionally think about our body language. When we discuss “body” in connection with “professional women,” the conversation quickly turns to determine whether or not we are dressing modestly enough for the workplace. We don’t want to show too much cleavage, we don’t want our skirts too short, or our pants too tight. We don’t want our colors to be too flashy (after all, we do want to be taken seriously and not to look like a party girl). Never be too sexual or suggestive (that’s not the way that a competent leader wants to climb the ladder). We don’t want to dress too old, but want to appear young (but not too young) and fresh. We don’t want to look out of shape or lazy because we want others to know that we can get the job done. But as women leaders, do we really think about our body language?

We need to learn our own body language, its signals, and discern the body language of others if we want to lead effectively. Goman shares that research “offers insight into why corporations have relatively few females in senior leadership positions. It has everything to do with body language—but not in the way you might anticipate.” Goman shares thirteen gender-based differences in nonverbal communication. Perhaps the most important difference is that women are better at reading body language and should therefore use this skill to our advantage. Be attentive to the nonverbal messages in the room.

Both men and women also have strengths and weakness concerning their methods of communication. In addition to reading body language, women are generally better listeners and are more compassionate towards others. Since men are generally “overly blunt and direct, insensitive to emotional reactions, and too confident in [their] own opinions,” women who understand their communication strengths actually have the power to shape conversations.

Be careful because, “communication strengths turn into weaknesses when overdone.” Women leaders do not want to become “overly emotional, indecisive, or lacking in authoritative body language signals.” However, they should be mindful that followers are looking for warmth and authority in their leaders. If you are a woman who is educated, professional, have a title, or work experience, you already have authority. Own it! At the same time, be you. People want leaders who have personalities. When people are drawn by your presence and your professionalism, you win as a leader.

Here is Goman’s advice to women seeking leadership credibility. Lean In by:

Keeping your voice down.
Claiming your space. (Compensate for men’s larger and taller statue by standing straight, broadening, [your] stance, etc. [The goal is to] take up more physical space.)
Smiling selectively.
Watching your hands. (As a woman particularly, you will be viewed as much less powerful if you self-pacify with girlish behaviors)
Curbing your enthusiasm.
Speaking Up.
Straightening your head. ([Literally.] Head tilting is also a universal sign of acquiescence and submission. When you want to project authority and confidence, you should hold your head in an erect, more neutral position.)
Employing a firm handshake.
Keeping your eyes in the business zone. [Focus on the other person’s eyes.]

Dressing like a leader.Trying a little tenderness. (Showing emotion is not only a good thing: it is a powerful leadership strategy.)Looking at people when they speak.Stop solving problems. (Try being a sounding board rather than a problem solver.)Lightening up. [Don’t take yourself too seriously.] 

Women and men need each other, even in professional working relationships. Women can become more effective leaders by understanding their strengths and weaknesses, and paying attention to those of their male counterparts. Presentation is critical when considering expectations and unspoken rules. Women need to learn the power of their nonverbal communication, while understanding that both professionalism and personality are important for leadership growth, development, and advancement.