No Island

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were. Any man's death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." - John Donne, Meditation XVII

Zulkifli Mohamad Nor grieves at his home in Penang after describing how tidal waves killed five of his seven children. (AFP/Tengku Bahar)

"The almost Biblical scale of this catastrophe may leave even the most altruistic of individuals feeling helpless. What can one person do in the face of such utter, elemental destruction?" - The Independent, How You Can Help The Victims Of The Tsunami

An aerial view of Pattinapakam, a slum which was destroyed by a tsunami, near Madras, India, Thursday, Dec. 30, 2004. (AP Photo/M.Lakshman)

"We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the British public and continue to be humbled by their response. Money pledged so far is already making a difference to people whose lives have been shattered by this crisis. Life saving supplies such as food, water, medicines and shelter are already getting through. [...] The money is vital." - Brendan Gormley, DEC Chief Executive

Volunteers form a chain as they help distribute relief material from vehicles into a makeshift relief center for tsunami victims in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (AFP/Indranil Mukherjee)

"£15 - Will buy one family plastic sheeting a water container and purification tablets
£35 - Provides a family with enough food for a week
£100 - Zinc sheeting and timber to help rebuild two family homes" - Channel 4 News

Indian tsunami victims reach out for relief rice packets from a relief van in a fishermen village near in Cuddalore. (AFP/Dibyandshu Sarkar)

"The Disasters Emergency Committee is an umbrella organisation of Britain's 12 leading aid agencies which launches and coordinates Britain's national appeal in response to major disasters overseas. Members of the DEC are: Action Aid, British Red Cross, CAFOD, Care International UK, Christian Aid, Concern, Help the Aged, Merlin, Oxfam, Save the Children, Tearfund, World Vision." - Channel 4 News

For Americans, Amazon.com allows direct donations to the American Red Cross, whilst Apple lists the main organisations for US and international donations.. The BBC features links to every relevant organisation and advice on how to donate or help; this 5-minute-long report showing both the event and the aftermath is extremely distressing and makes it very clear just how much needs to be done. For a very fine example of blog-based fundraising, have a look at what Daisy's been up to, and to get a sense of perspective on the death toll, click here.

We are all diminished. Give what you can. Be involved.