NPR: Local Aid Groups Are Key To Disaster Relief. So Why Are They Overlooked?
“…Local groups like SRISTI [in India] are the unsung heroes in post-disaster recovery. ‘They know the community much better. They understand the culture. They’re there when the crisis occurs,’ says Paul Spiegel, a former senior official at the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and a professor at Johns Hopkins University. ‘That’s a very big benefit.’ But when it comes to getting donations and grants, small groups like SRISTI can’t compete…” (Gharib, 9/8).