On December 26, 2004, the Indian Ocean earthquake and the tsunamis devastated most landmasses along the coast of the Indian Ocean, killing more than 225,000 people in eleven countries. Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand were the coastal communities that were affected, to name a few. For the people that survived, their source of income-fishing-is damanaged since fishing fleet and industrial infrastructure in coastal regions have been destroyed by the wave. Thankfully, the humanitarian effort shown by foundations and other countries has been quick and effective, limiting the effect of the disaster to a minimum. Aids came in the form of food, volunteer helpers, and generous sums of funding, thus the state of these coastal communities are quickly restored.
On May 12, 2008, a powerful earthquake toppled buildings, schools, and chemical plants in central China, killing about 10,000 people and trapping untold numbers in mounds of concrete, steel and earth in the country’s worst quake in three decades. Up to this date there are still rescuers looking for those trapped under debris and bricks. Once again, the empathy of others are put to the test. The response is almost immediate. Humanitarian organizations and foundations sprung up and offered help in all ways possible: donating money, providing volunteers to join the rescueing force, or comfort the families who have lost their loved ones, while governments matched their contributions alongside.
However, many others who would like to contribute to the effort in China are not informed of ways to do so. This is, I believe, where Wal-mart comes in. For every dollar a customer spends, Wal-mart could donate a small portion of that (for example, one cent) towards the effort to restore those affected by this natural disaster. This way of collecting funds, though old-fashioned, is quite effective. Not only would help be provided to the victims, but people who wants to make an effort would also be provided a way of...