Does a tree really fall if no one hears it?

Everyday millions of people are suffering around the world. But we remain oblivious to their daily strives and struggles as we sit comfortably in our homes with little worry about food and our future. I understand that in current times, purses and budgets are being stretched and things are definitely changing, but in comparison to the likes of natural disasters and famines, we have little to worry about.

Unless we see or read media reports about these activities we are none-the-wiser. Increasingly, more and more of NGO’s and other international organisations budgets are consecrated to the development of their media and communications services. There is now a general consensus that to gain funding, such organisations must secure television and newspaper coverage. As the title of the this article states, if you are not around when something happens, how can you be sure that it is taking place? If no one knows what is happening, how can they be inspired to do anything about it?

This is a damning conclusion because by default it puts a price on the situation and individual suffering. Resources can only stretch so far, therefore the terrible decision must be made as to which famine is greater than another. A recent paper by Glenda Cooper published in the 2011 fourth quarter version of Global magazine succinctly summarises the challenges that agencies face, the disparities between funding received and the potential consequences that they may have. 

To put some figures to this, Glenda Cooper reports that following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the Red Cross received an estimated $1,241 per survivor. In the three days following the 2010 Chilean earthquake Oxfam America raised just $3,499 compared to $2.9 million received for the earthquake in Haiti.

The full article is available from here 

Ref: Global – “Profit and Loss: Holding Extractiveindustries to account”, fourth quarter 2011