AirAsia to help raise funds for Haiti
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AirAsia is joining hands with UNICEF to help the raise RM438 million (USD128 million) for relief efforts for children and families in Haiti. The appeal is part of UNICEF’s 2010 Haiti Earthquake Children’s Appeal. Haiti was struck by a devastating earthquake in the late afternoon of 12 January 2010. The temblor, believed to be the worst in the region in more than 200 years, killed over 100,000 of the population — with the number expected to rise — and caused massive destruction to property. AirAsia has established a dedicated link on its website. Guests can contribute to UNICEF’s cause by visiting www.airasia.com, and clicking on the link to make donations by credit card. AirAsia Group CEO Dato’ Sri Tony Fernandes said, “The AirAsia family wanted to help when we first heard about the tragedy in Haiti. When UNICEF asked us to join them, we readily agreed. Our web site receives about 20 million unique visitors every month. Plus, of course, AirAsia carried an estimated 25 million guests last year. Even if only a small number among them join this effort, we believe we can help make a difference - perhaps save some lives. “We are proud to work with UNICEF in this effort. Our prayers go out to the people of Haiti in this time of tragedy,” said Fernandes. For UNICEF, AirAsia’s contribution and support signifies the airline’s commitment to provide relief assistance to the earthquake victims. Representative to UNICEF Malaysia & Special Representative to Brunei Darussalam, Youssouf Oomar said, “I would like to thank AirAsia for coming forward and supporting UNICEF’s “2010 Haiti Earthquake Children’s Appeal” in Malaysia via their website. Your support today will make it possible for UNICEF to rebuild children’s lives and give them the childhood they deserve.”It is hard to overstate how urgent this emergency has become, which is why we need all the help we can get. You can be confident that every ringgit you give to UNICEF will go farther to save more children in Haiti,” said Youssouf. *UNICEF’s request is part of a United Nations appeal for RM 1.9 billion (US$ 562 million), launched on 15 January 2010, to facilitate humanitarian operations for the next six months in one of the poorest countries on earth. Haiti ranks 148 out of 179 countries on UNDP’s Human Development Index. It has a long history of being struck by one natural disaster after another, and is struggling to recover from years of violence, insecurity and instability.This is not the first time that AirAsia has come to the aid of people and nations at times of tragedy. AirAsia was in the forefront of relief efforts in the wake of the tsunami that struck the region in 2004, Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar (2008) and the earthquake which struck Sichuan in China (2008). AirAsia has also supported the recovery of Bali, Indonesia, after the terrorist bombings in 2005, by giving away 12,000 free seats on its flights.AirAsia also responded when an earthquake occurred in West Sumatera, Indonesia on 30th September, 2009 at 17:16:10 Indonesian time. The earthquake measured 7.6 on the Richter scale and struck at sea, 50 km from Padang, the capital city of West Sumatera, Indonesia.
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