People power

One of the most fascinating developments in the aftermath of the Sichuan earthquake is the grass-roots response it has encouraged. Everyday people are organizing on their own to provide relief and support. This might not seem like a big deal to those of use in populist countries, but it is a big deal here. Sentiments like this one (quoted in this article) probably make the central government here nervous:

“I haven’t done this [spontaneous volunteering] before,” said Mr. Hao, 36, as he straddled his mountain bike on Saturday evening. “Ordinary people now understand how to take action on their own.”

The college at where I work is organizing its own support. It's planning to raise money to build new schools. And the students here have decided to hold a talent show to raise money.

Apparently, tents are the most needed item right now. Official numbers place the homeless population in the earthquake region at 5 million. Can you imagine?

If you want do do something to help, take a look at this list. It was compiled by the NY Times, and it's a pretty comprehensive overview of charities that are working to alleviate the hardship of those in Sichuan province.

There are also some ideas in the comments section of the post. For example, one commenter claims that habitat for humanity will be in the region helping to rebuild homes.