Blind Carbon Copy (BCC) - Aubrey Tang's blog

Quoting from Robbie Barnett, Director, Modern Tibetan Studies Program Columbia University:

We (Columbia's Tibet Ecotourism Project) has worked with all of these NGOs in the past and found them very reliable.
Snowland Services Group
Snowland Services Group (SSG) is the best known Tibetan NGO in the earthquake area and is likely to lead many local NGO efforts there. "It is difficult to assess the situation: around 80% of building houses have collapsed, the water dam has been damaged, people are afraid that it might collapse and flood the city. Most people moved to the house festival ground this evening where some tents have been installed. SSG is trying to organize emergency services: water, food, medicine, tents, clothes and beddings. Our cashier who was seven month pregnant has died. It is hard to assess the number of persons who died: report say around 300 , I believe it is much more probably above 3000. One important issue is that people have stop research after a couple of ours, due to lack of hope and equipment. I still need time to asses to situation as today we have mainly been trying to find survivors. I will contact you all tomorrow, if I can have access to internet and people fear that another earthquake might occur this evening. The needs are huge: I will provide with more precise information by tomorrow. The situation , here is critical." (Deve Pierre - Program Director, Snowland Service Group (SSG)).

Funds to *Tibet Village Project *will go on to SSG, because of existing linkage. Only SSG and Rokpa are known to have staff or volunteers in Jyeku now, thought there may be others. (RB)
Note from Tibet Village Project
Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture has been hit by 7.1 earthquake. Chris Jones of Columbia University and members of Tibetan Village Project are on their way from Chengdu to Xining to help coordinate local NGO's response and relief efforts. They are working with volunteers and local NGOs led by Snowland Service Group (SSG) a Yushu Based NGO. A website will be up soon where you can learn more about what people in Yushu need and how you can help. In meantime, Tibetan Village Project will be accepting donations for Qinghai Earthquake Appeal (QEA). Funds be allocated to local NGOs that are involved in emergency response and relief efforts. They need buy medical supplies, tents, blankets, food, and water, etc. Supplies need to be purchased in Xining and nearby cities and delivered by trucks to Yushu. Please visit www.Tibetanvillageproject.org for updates. Thank you." http://www.tibetanvillageproject.org/

Note from Plateau Perspectives
http://yushuearthquakerelief.com/. "Right now, PP is the only organization that's been welcomed by the FAO to come down to Yushu, so we're trying to coordinate with other folks to get supplies and medical personnel ready to go as soon as the OK is given. We're sending a small team down in a few hours, but hopefully more will be able to head down in the next few days." [NB: http://yushuearthquakerelief.com/ is the most complete website so far and may be the only foriegn NGO with official approval to operate in the area - RB. ]

Note from Machik
Machik is networked with Tibetans who have years of experience serving local community needs in the Jyekundo and surrounding areas. Machik is creating a safe mechanism for delivering funds directly to those who are best able to reach those most in need.We assure you that all funds donated through "Machik Earthquake Relief" will go directly to assisting the people of Jyekundo and the devastated communities. http://www.machik.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=273

Note from Bridge Fund
TBF has 4 staff from Yushu and fortunately they are all fine. The devastation is pretty bad and they will be doing an assessment soon. They are currently checking on family and friends.TBF has a number of projects in Yushu and we are sad to inform you that a TBF vocational center and a school have both collapsed. One person died at the vocational center and as yet we do not know the status of the students at the school. TBF will be sending out an appeal to raise funds to support earthquake relief. Please help us in any way that you can. We may set up a separate earthquake fund at RPA as the needs appear to be very significant. We will keep you posted on the situation. Thank you for your care and concern. http://rockpa.org/special_programs/the-bridge-fund/

Robbie Barnett
Director, Modern Tibetan Studies Program
Columbia University, New York NY 10027 USA
ph 212 854 1725/646 266 7553

Tibet Aid
Besides, another option is to donate to Tibet Aid called by Garchen Rinpoche, a highly respected Kargyu lama in the west who came from that region:

Go to www.tibetaid.org to make your pledge online. Click the "Donate" Button under the heading "Tibetan Plateau Earthquake Relief." Under "Notes to Tibet Aid," please type in: "Garchen Rinpoche."

You can also mail in a donation to:
Tibet Aid
34 Tinker Street
Woodstock, New York 12498
Earmark your donation: "Garchen Rinpoche--Earthquake Relief."