Support Rescue SA: campaign to 'Give a Rand for Japan'

The Rescue South Africa Disaster Response Team left for Japan from OR Tambo International Airport on a chartered flight. Pic: Rescue SA/Embassy of Japan in South Africa.

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The 40-member Rescue SA team was drawn from emergency services across the country and includes 10 doctors and paramedics who left for Tokyo last week Wednesday, 16 March 2011, with 15 tons of equipment, and 1200 litres of water, to join aid workers and rescue teams from around the world that have responded to the devastation caused by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Group of journalists

A group of 10 journalists - from Eyewitness News, e.tv, Beeld, The Times, the Independent Group and Carte Blanche - is also part of the mission. Apart from Rescue SA itself tweeting as @ResqSA and posting on Facebook, coverage includes:

• EWN's Alex Eliseev (@alexeliseev; photographs on Facebook here and here and on yfrog)
  
• SABC's Vauldi Carelse (@vauldicarelse and her comprehensive blogging)
  
• eNews Channel's Jody Jacobs (@jodyfabian)
  
• The Star photographer Jennifer Bruce (photo gallery on IOL)

CEO of Rescue SA and with them in Japan is Ian Scher, the husband of Bizcommunity blogger and columnist Marion Scher.

Says Sandra McDiarmid, Old Shanghai MD, "We have developed this campaign to raise the much-needed money to assist the Rescue SA operation while they are in Japan. It is aimed at garnering support of all South Africans and giving them the opportunity to get involved in assisting the devastated nation. All it takes is a donation of a R5, the cost of the SMS."

Bizcommunity.com has confirmed that the entire R5 is donated.

"Continue their heroic work"

Give a Rand for Japan campaign credits: Ad agency Old Shanghai Firecracker Factory for Rescue SA. ECD: Glen James. Art director: David Taylor/Emma Douglas. Copywriter: Desree Brown/Inge Blignaut Production: Candice McGee. Account management: Sandra McDiarmid.

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"The campaign aims to raise money so the team of Rescue SA volunteers can continue their heroic work in Japan. Sponsors who have made the campaign possible include: Manmade, Medhold, Manganese Metal Company, MTN, Altech Autopage, Honda Marine, Standard Bank and Netcare 911 but we are calling for additional support from South Africans who can donate money by sending an SMS, which could save someone's life."

Comments Samantha Botsis, Rescue SA spokesperson, "We cannot thank the agency and the sponsors enough for their support. If it wasn't for campaigns like these, we would not be able to deploy our volunteers for such noble causes. We firmly believe that this campaign is making it accessible for South Africans to truly make a difference in Japan at a time when it is needed most."

"We are aiming at using the money raised for more equipment, better camping gear and additional resources towards our missions. We are hoping to dispatch warm clothing to our volunteers in Japan in the coming days as they are working in freezing conditions."

"Amazing to see the power of social media"

Rescue SA on Facebook.

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Adds McDiarmid. ""The disaster response team in Japan is keeping us continuously updated via Twitter and Facebook. It is amazing to see the power of social media. Since the campaign broke on the weekend we have seen an increase in followers and support for this worthy cause, as well as the private sector coming on board and donating a staggering R4.8 million."

"The money raised will provide Rescue SA with equipment, resources and getting them home and we encourage all South Africans to participate in this very worthy cause. You cannot begin to imagine the state of Japan after such devastation and the people of Japan need all the help they can get," concludes McDiarmid.

Apart from donations, send much-needed messages of support to the Rescue SA team via Twitter (use hashtag #resqsa), Facebook or email az.oc.as-eucser@ofni.