Google creates donation page for Myanmar
By Lawrence Casiraya
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 16:01:00 05/12/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- Google has created a webpage for donations made online to disaster relief efforts in Myanmar.
A Google Checkout Donations page (http://www.google.com/myanmarcyclone/) allows visitors to donate via credit card to either UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) or Direct Relief International, a global non-government organization providing medical assistance to disaster-stricken areas.
According to reports, Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar claimed 21,000 lives and left more than 40,000 missing.
The webpage also includes an illustrated view of affected areas via Google Maps. Google said it would donate up to a million dollars to aid disaster relief efforts in Myanmar.
In a statement, Google said it is also supporting emergency assistance efforts of other non-profit aid organizations including Doctors Without Borders, Oxfam America, Save the Children, The International Rescue Committee and World Vision.
These organizations are grantees under the Google Grants program, which provides free AdWords announcements for non-profit, charitable organizations seeking online donations.
The extent of the flooding in the affected areas, based on data from the UN Institute for Training and Research Operational Satellite Applications Program (UNOSAT), can also be viewed (http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2008/05/unosat-layer-of-myanmar-cyclone-data.html) online. Google is also posting regular updates on Myanmar relief efforts on its Lat-Long Blog (http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2008/05/unosat-layer-of-myanmar-cyclone-data.html).
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