ALKHOBAR, 11 January 2005 — Tech companies worldwide continue to step forward to do their part for tsunami relief. Computer Associates (CA) has donated $200,000 to UNICEF in support of the organization’s massive efforts to help the millions of people affected by the tsunami. In addition, CA will provide its standard two-for-one match to all employees giving to international aid organizations through the Company’s Matching Gifts Program.
“We greatly appreciate the quick response of Computer Associates, which will allow UNICEF to provide immediate relief supplies for children and their families who have lived through this widespread death and destruction,” said Jeff Towers, VP at the US Fund for UNICEF.
In a statement on its assistance to tsunami relief, IT giant HP said: “The global HP family has been deeply moved by the impact of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in South Asia. In order to provide critical, immediate assistance to the affected people and communities, HP has committed up to $3 million in support through direct corporate contributions and employee matching funds. In addition, HP employees have been coordinating a number of local volunteer and fund-raising activities.”
The employees of Microsoft have expressed their deepest sympathy to the hundreds of thousands of people affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami. In response to this tragic event, the company has made a commitment of $3.5 million in financial support for relief and recovery efforts.
“Our hearts go out to everyone who has been affected by this terrible tragedy,” said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. “Microsoft is committed to helping governments and relief organizations in the recovery effort through financial donations, technical resources and volunteer support.”
Microsoft’s donation will include $2 million in immediate corporate contributions to local and international relief agencies. The company projects that its matching of employee charitable contributions worldwide will provide an additional $1.5 million in corporate donations to relief agencies.
The company’s donation announcement is an extension of efforts already under way by local Microsoft subsidiaries in the affected region. Immediately following the disaster, local Microsoft offices worked to respond in concert with local nonprofit agencies and other efforts on the ground. To date, the company has assisted with funding, technical assistance and other resources in Indonesia through Palang Merah; in Sri Lanka through Sarvodaya; in India through MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF); and in Thailand through the Office of the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund.
Some IT companies are giving their technology as well as cash donations. A group of 40 IBM volunteers worked throughout the night on Monday, Jan. 3, to prepare 1,000 IBM ThinkPad laptop computers destined to aid in recovery efforts in Southeast Asia. The volunteers installed fingerprint scanning technology critically needed to identify victims of the tsunami. IBM Corporate Community Relations worked closely with its US business partners to secure the technology — as well as extra batteries, country-specific power supplies, web cameras and fingerprint scanners. The computers have now been shipped to Bangkok, Thailand and from there will be distributed to outlying areas.
The effort is just one part of an outpouring of IBM volunteer and corporate support that includes $1 million in cash and services, a total that may increase. IBM managers in Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia and Thailand received calls from officials in those countries seeking recovery assistance. The IBM Crisis Response Team has been in the region for nearly two weeks coordinating universal technology solutions that can be used across geographies to help coordinate disaster recovery efforts.
According to Stanley S. Litow, VP, Corporate Community Relations and president, IBM International Foundation, IBM is providing assistance in establishing data management systems to track missing persons, assisting with establishing secure, wireless communications, managing logistics associated with refugee camp management and medical supplies, establishing systems to manage allocations of donations and consulting on a growing issue — trauma response.
It is not only US-based tech companies that are responding to the needs of the tsunami victims. Sony Ericsson has donated 1,300 mobile phones and has directed teams to Sri Lanka and Indonesia to restore communications. Two teams of Ericsson Response Volunteers and a mini GSM system have been sent out. The mini GSM system will serve Aceh, Indonesia as the network in the region is destroyed. Emergency communication in Aceh has been facilitated by six satellite phones donated from Ericsson Indonesia and a further 20 satellite phones that have been sent from Ericsson Response. The 1,300 donated mobile phones are to be used by aid agencies in the area.
France’s Alcatel, which is present in all countries hit by the recent tsunami, will make $1 million worth of aid available to its local subsidiaries. This aid will expand local emergency actions already under way to restore networks and to provide relief in the most appropriate way.
In Sri Lanka and Indonesia, vital fixed and mobile communications services are being restored. Alcatel is working urgently on this matter as it commented that, “Mobile networks play a key role in establishing the necessary contacts to provide essential relief needs.” In the locations hit by the tsunami, Alcatel employees are making personal contributions, which will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the company. Alcatel has 1,400 employees in the region.
With the true extent of this tragedy now apparent, some international tech companies are reevaluating their aid efforts. In Korea, Samsung’s senior management made a decision to augment contributions to tsunami relief. Samsung has increased its contribution from $1 million initially, to now $3 million in financial support. The company has also formed an emergency rescue corps consisting of local employees in South Asia and medical personnel from Korea, who began on-site operations on Jan. 5.
The expansion of support came after Samsung Chairman Kun-Hee Lee heard reports from the scene that indicated the extent of the devastation was much greater than first understood. The chairman then called on the entire group to increase humanitarian aid and expedite relief work in hopes that the lives of those affected could return to normal as quickly as possible.
Employees at Samsung’s local subsidiaries in the disaster area have collected money and material goods. Moreover, 200 Samsung employees from the Thai subsidiaries are organizing relief efforts with Korean expatriates in Thailand. This contingent has joined forces with the local Korean Association and Korean Tourist Association to perform rescue work in Phuket.
The emergency rescue corps has established a temporary base camp at Phuket and hopes to give medical assistance to victims in neighboring Pang Nga, as well. The medical personnel in the corps consist of more than 10 doctors, pharmacists and nurses from the Departments of Orthopedics, Emergency Treatment and Family Treatment at the Samsung Seoul Medical Center, Korea. They plan to provide medical services to disaster victims and work to prevent the spread of disease.
