The Dutch government reports that 14 million people (8% of the total population) are affected by the floods and the UN organisation OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) needs about 357 million euro to provide aid for the coming three months. In 1953 nearly the entire South-West of the Netherlands suffered a similar flood where 1834 people died. The Netherlands received aid from all over the world, including Pakistan. What is the Netherlands doing to aid Pakistan now?
Many Dutch media reported outrage at the lack of a national television charity event, but given the money such an event would cause (around 1 million euro), charity organisations feared such an event might end up costing more than the money it would raise given that it is holiday season. However, the national account used for gathering individual donations, giro 555, has been opened on the 13th of August and has collected 2.5 million euro during the first 5 days already. Earlier events that did have a television charity event raised 208 million euro for the tsunami in 2004-2005 and 155 million euro for the Haiti earthquake in 2010.
The national government has donated 3 million euro in response to the UN request for aid. Additionally, according to the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs, Pakistan has been receiving Dutch international aid since 1957. The current aid program focuses on environment and water, proper governance and human rights, and has a budget of about 50 million euro per year.
Meanwhile, the Japanese ministry of foreign affairs has provided about 11.2 million euro and helicopters for the recent floods.
Additionally the nornmal yearly aid donated via the Official Development Assistance (ODA) program is divided into three categories, namely loans, grants and technical cooperation. In 2008 the figures spent on these were 438, 55.6 and 10.8 million euro respectively.
To help the UN get the money and goods to help out the people in Pakistan, you can help out too by playing the games at Freerice.
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