Cathay Pacific, Dragonair appeal for inflight donations to support relief effort in Nepal

The recent magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Nepal has caused vast devastation to the infrastructure of the country and has left multiple deaths and injuries in its wake, with more than seven million people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. 

Cathay Pacific and Dragonair announced that, from 1 to 15 May, all donations collected on the flights will go towards the relief work of UNICEF Hong Kong (UNICEF HK) in Nepal, and launched an appeal to invite passengers to support the existing inflight fundraising scheme to support those in need.

Passenger donations will be used to assist the children and families affected by the disaster in the form of clean water, hygiene kits, medical and nutrition supplies, tents, tarpaulins, vaccines and emergency medical kits to help prevent post-earthquake diseases, as well as support other reconstruction efforts instigated by UNICEF HK. Cathay Pacific and Dragonair are also providing immediate assistance to non-profit organisations and charities that are sending relief supplies and rescue teams to affected areas.

In addition, the Cathay Pacific Group has launched a staff fundraising campaign from now until 13 May with a pledge to match, dollar by dollar, all donations made by staff. All proceeds will go directly to UNICEF HK to aid the organisation’s relief work.   

Over the years, the Cathay Pacific Group has responded swiftly to help communities affected by major natural disasters, and this time we continue to ask for the generous support of passengers and staff to assist those in need in the quake zone.

Commercial Bank supports disaster relief work in Nepal

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has contributed towards an initiative of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce to raise funds for disaster relief work in Nepal by the Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management (APADM), a regional grouping of which the Chamber is a member. The APADM, which has also supported Sri Lanka during times of natural disaster, has already despatched a rescue team and established a Field Hospital in Kathmandu. 

Etihad Guest members donate over 30 m miles to victims of Nepal earthquake

Members of Etihad Airways’ award-winning loyalty program, Etihad Guest, have donated over 30 million Etihad Guest Miles to provide humanitarian aid to victims of the earthquake disaster in Nepal.

Etihad Guest established a dedicated site on the donations section of its Etihad Guest Reward Shop web page and invited its members around the world to contribute their miles to support the cause.

The response was very generous, with thousands of Etihad Guest members going online to donate millions of Etihad Guest Miles.

The Miles are collected by the Reward Shop and converted into cash which is then donated to the United Arab Emirates Red Crescent relief organisation to purchase blankets, foodstuffs, medicine and to provide shelter for the many thousands of injured and homeless people following the earthquake. 

Yasser Al Yousuf, Managing Director Etihad Guest, said: “Humanitarian donations are incredibly popular with members of the Etihad Guest program who are keen to contribute and provide much needed support to those who are impacted by tragic events such as this one. We have received a tremendous response from our members to support the earthquake appeal, and the donations are still coming in.” 

Etihad Airways strives to play an important role in contributing to the communities of every one of its destinations, and in this instance has supported a wide range of other initiatives that complement the donations made by Etihad Guest members, including the donation of 5,000 blankets that the Red Crescent has sent to Nepal.

Etihad Airways resumed its scheduled twice-a day service to Tribhuvan Airport in Nepal on 27 April and added additional flights and upgraded to larger aircraft to accommodate the large numbers of family members and aid workers flying to Nepal immediately after the earthquake.

Bulgari supports Save The Children’s humanitarian efforts in Nepal

• € 500,000 to help children and families affected by earthquake

Bulgari is supporting Save the Children’s humanitarian response with € 500,000. The goal is to help normalise the lives and living conditions of the children and families affected by the earthquake. Coincidentally, Bulgari and Save the Children have been planning to start in 2016 a new youth empowerment project in Nepal.

Bulgari Group Chief Executive Officer Jean-Christophe Babin believes that Bulgari’s decision to support the humanitarian crisis in the region has been particularly fast and meaningful in its reach and impact. “The earthquake in Nepal has had such devastating consequences,” he says. “We need to do as much as we can, and as quickly as we can. The children and their families are our first priority, especially in the critical area of nutrition which is the focus of Milano 2015 Universal Exhibition where we already collaborate with Save the Children on this crucial theme.”