During global disasters the IT community worldwide is pulling together to find new ways of putting to good use the tools that are free and available to all, and to share knowledge and good will to support, where possible, other humans who may be facing extreme misery and sorrow. This website is being produced rather rapidly with donatedresources by a bunch of nice helpers, who share the vision of a direct ‘relief supply chain’, that would involve a few basic steps.Four Basic Steps

The idea is to set up a system *with the least possible effort*
and free and open tools, where possible, to allow the following processes to take place

1) p2p Aid project mangers (individual volunteers, Refugee camp manager/ngo reps) create a blog entry listing urgent needs, and supports the logistic of picking up and delivering donations, prefereably in kind donations that would reach people in need directly

2) Potential donors browse requests and makes the necessary arrangements for sending the relief items to p2p Aid Project Manager, chosing a preferred carrier/intermediary where available

3) The main carrier delivers the relief items to a main pick up point where p2p Aid Project Managers can collect, or to the final destination depending on arrangement

4) The p2p Aid Project Manager acknowledges the delivery of relief items to the by sending a receipt, and sending periodical follow up reports where appropriate.

Additional Ideas

1) the signature could be digital one, for example camps in
Pakistan (quake) and New Orleans (Katrina) have internet access –

2) We would encourage donors to send non-monetary donations blankets, tents, food items, and whatever its needed, but we can support a basic monetary donations although in some country its not straightforward

4) sometimes shipping from overseas may not be the most efficient way. Why not set up networks of suppliers nearest to the project area, where the donor can ‘order’ relief items to be
dispatched? Indirectly donors could be contributing to rebuild the economy of affected areas.

(images courtesy of flickr users: spyrylgyrl & dharmesh 84)