COMMUNICATE FIRST, GIVE LATER!

So you wish to help people who have suffered through a catastrophe? 

1. Avoid unsolicited help.  "The wave of unsolicited and poorly planned shipments....was the second disaster,"  as per this well argued opinion (earthquake-nepal-dont-rush-help-volunteers-aid).  The author's suggestion is to donate money.  We say - wait, don't give money.
2. Enable people, don't just give money.  Giving money is easy if you are rich or you feel guilty, and it has massive corrupting tendencies.  Sure, money is necessary, but it is not sufficient.   What is more productive, and less corrupting, is to spend time connecting and communicating with people on the ground who are working on ideas that make sense to you.  If giving money through large agencies was effective, 8000+ people would not have died out of cholera after the Haiti earthquake.  Please spend some time asking yourself which ideas you wish to enable, not just which aid-agency's plea is in your inbox!
3. Adding the above two points together, if you want to help - spend time finding and talking to people on the ground.  Ask them what help they need.   Do this until your heart knows clearly whom to give to.   Until then, keep your money to yourself so that it does not become counter-productive.  Until then, let this 'need to help' keep stirring in your heart so that it may find a more deserving outlet!