Story: Tsunami Disaster Stirs Massive Aid Effort, 01/05/05
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june05/aid_1-05.html

Reading Comprehension Questions:

1. What has the Bush administration done to help victims of the South Asia disaster?

2. What connection did Secretary Colin Powell make between helping tsunami victims and terrorism?

3. How has the Internet helped fundraising efforts?

4. How can you tell if an organization is legitimate and effective?

5. Why do fundraisers say is it better to give money than clothes and other items?

6. What did the relief organization Doctors Without Borders recently do to ensure that donors know how their money is being spent?

7. What happened after the September 11 terrorist attacks that has made aid agencies cautious about spending donor money?

Discussion Activity (more research might be needed):

1. Should the United States government spend taxpayer money on Asian disaster relief or let Americans give on their own? Why?

2. What considerations should Americans make before donating money?

3. Do you think the media is doing a good job describing what is going on in the affected areas? What more would you like to know about the situation?

4. What different groups can do something about the disaster -- schools, churches, city governments? What should they do?

5. If you were a government official who had to decide where to send a million dollars of aid, how would you decide which countries and crises to send it to?

Write a 300-500 word essay on either of these topics providing clear examples. Send your completed editorial to NewsHour Extra (extra@newshour.org). Exceptional essays might be published on our Web site.