Following up hot on the heels of 2004 is a brand new year of potential.
While disaster struck late in that year, current efforts at aiding the victims of the tsunami and earthquake are proceeding in full force.
Businesses in Singapore have chipped in to aid relief efforts. Donating a percentage of a day's profit takings is a good gesture, though I would have preferred that they either donate all of the takings, or simply come up with an out-right donation. Advertising their products with a pledge to "give a percentage of takings to charity" certainly does benefit the needy, while at the same time en-riching the business when well-meaning donors flock to buy these items. Talk about taking advantage of a disaster!
Besides that, the high profile of the disaster in the local media has ignited a renewed sense of charity in the local populace. Never mind that they had already donated their fair share to charity - Singaporeans opened up their wallets once more to give - perhaps a small glimmer of hope of recovery for the victims in Indonesia, Phuket, Sri Lanka and India. Not only were people killed in the earthquake and its tsunami spawn, more were displaced from their beloved homes (treasured belongings destroyed, family members washed away to some other place). Epidemics threaten their very survival.
I am glad that the world has stepped up to the challenge of saving the people affected by this belated "Christmas Disaster", even though the sum raised so far is nothing compared to the amount spent in the New Year celebrations. At least some people have bothered to acknowledge that others are not as fortunate as them, and extend a helping hand to these people.
We are the world.
