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Dear Friends and Family,
As you can see from the internet and other news sources, the tragedy of the 7.9 magnitude earthquake that leveled many cities and villages in Sichuan province, China is not being shielded from the world's view. As I listen to daily NPR stories and see images of victims, I am overwhelmed with a feeling of impotent compassion. I want to help in some way, any way.
Last night I attended a forum here on campus held by a professor in the Anthropology and China Studies departments who is closely linked to Sichuan University. I took Professor Stevan Harrell's course on China's Environment last quarter and I have a warm regard for him. He is an incredible teacher and has been deeply commited to productive action in terms of last week's disaster in China. If you feel that you want to contribute to the aid being collected for China but want to make sure that your donation will be used immediately and with good intention, please visit this Web site for more information: http://www.fiuts.org This is the Foundation for International Understanding Through Students and Professor Harrell firmly supports their current efforts. Below I'm including a letter written to the UW community from Professor Harrell. As many of you know, I will be returning to China late this summer. I am joining a University Exploration Seminar as a teaching assistant and will be responsible for documenting the trip through photography and daily "journaling". The seminar will take place at Sichuan University, approximately 40 miles from the May 12th epicenter and we will be visiting sites most affected by the earthquake and offering any assistance possible.
Thank you for taking a brief look at this site and I wish you all well.
To my Chinese friends, my heart goes out to you. People in my community are thinking of you and sending support as best we know how.
Letter from Professor Stevan Harrell:
-----Original Message-----
From: Stevan Harrell
Sent: Monday, May 19, 2008 8:27 PM
To: anthro@u.washington.edu
Cc: Burke Museum
Subject: How to help with China earthquake relief
Dear Friends:
As the massive earthquake fades from the US media, the needs of the survivors continue. We are proud that a team from the University of Washington, including the students and site manager of our Sichuan Exchange program, the people at the Foundation for International Understanding Through Students, and the UW Combined Fund Drive, have united to find a way that the UW and other university communities can make a difference in the massive relief effort now going on and the even more massive reconstruction effort that will have to begin soon.
People and organizations in Sichuan need money and supplies. We have arranged with the Combined Fund Drive and FIUTS to be able to transmit money quickly to our people on the ground in Chengdu, who will in turn provide money and supplies to local branches of large international organizations who cannot necessarily get funds quickly from their own central offices (such as a joint project of Conservation International and Oxfam) and to purchase supplies for local Chinese organizations that cannot receive foreign funds directly, such as the Chengdu Urban Rivers Network, which is working in the devastated city of Dujiangyan, as well as student organizations at Sichuan University.
You can contribute now. The easiest way is through FIUTS www.fiuts.org, where you will find a fuller description of what we are doing as well as a way to contribute on line. You can also contribute in other ways specified on their website. For the long term effort, you will soon be able to contribute through the University Combined Fund Drive through payroll deduction.
Thank you very much for considering us.
Steve
Stevan Harrell
Professor
Department of Anthropology
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195
