ImanusT
This is a story of a young Vietnamese woman who was inspired to make a difference for victims of the tsunami and katrina disasters. This article was published in the Feb/March issue of Audrey Magazine.
December 26, 2005 marked the beginning of the vivid images of the Asian tsunami disaster. Over and over again, I saw and heard about countless people mourning for their friends and family. They were desperate for basic necessities like food and water that I took for granted. They lived in fear of death caused by overcrowded facilities that were unsanitary and potential breeding grounds for contagious diseases. One year later, victims are still living in tents or sub-standard housing without jobs. It is estimated that over 40,000 widows, orphans, elderly and disabled people are in need of long-term or permanent income support. I could not help but think, “if my parents had not raised me in America, I could have easily been one of those people.”
Honestly, I did not know a single person who directly suffered the tsunami disaster, but it didn’t matter to me. I could not ignore the images of water devouring children and bodies floating in the sea. I had to do something to help brighten the lives of people who were experiencing unimaginable suffering. At that time, I could not physically reach out to the victims in South Asia so the least I could do was help collect donations to send to these people. I wrote a letter to my friends and family members requesting donations for the Asian tsunami disaster. I was able to collect over $1100 for UNICEF not to mention many phone calls of encouragement and support. The astounding response inspired me to start something that would continue to bridge the gap between those who are in need and those willing to donate.
As I looked back and remembered those who have been affected by the tsunami- whether they lost their possessions, home or loved ones- I wanted us to all see a silver lining in spite of tragedy. Amidst my busy schedule as a full-time graduate student I launched a non-profit organization to represent this silver lining. I began by researching the most efficient and effective ways to reach out to people. I observed other charity organizations and realized that advertising and word-of-mouth could only go so far. After much research and consideration, I decided to develop an organization with a mission to go above and beyond reaching out to people within my community. I then launched ImanusT, a crisis reversal corporation in which the word “tsunami” is spelled in reverse to reflect the organization’s roots.
I created a mission that would focus on convincing the media to continue the vivid images that influenced me to make a difference. Since media coverage provides awareness nationwide and emphasizes the importance of donating, I wanted my non-profit organization to reach out to the public by using the media as the main tool to influence others just like how it influenced me. Public relations is my emphasis in school, thus, ImanusT’s mission is to alleviate suffering after a crisis is no longer in the public limelight by fundraising pre-crisis, providing post-crisis donations and increasing public awareness through media outreach.
My organization allows people to make a change with little cost because I rely on public relations to raise awareness and shape the public’s opinion on the importance of crisis relief. I strongly feel shaping perceptions causes a trickle affect and encourages more and more people to donate and become involved in philanthropic activities. The circulation of a story in media can be immense, thus efficiently passing on a message and affecting a vast amount of people. The media is highly effective because it is known to be reputable and trustworthy.
Since the launch of ImanusT, I have pitched to various media outlets to continue to write stories about crisis victims that remind the public to keep these victims in their hearts during rough times. I also launched a direct mail campaign during the one-year anniversary of the Asian tsunami disaster. Money from donors has gone a long way because costs to implement a media outreach campaign is minimal. ImanusT staff members include friends and family members who volunteer their expertise and time for the victims. Legal services, web development and logo design were all donated from friends and family members who simply wanted to help out. The support I get is amazing. Every week I have people approaching me to offer their time and expertise. Instead of having to pay thousands of dollars to get a website created, it was donated. ImanusT can now keep the money raised and give it to the victims directly. In addition, the website is a tool to further promote the mission with little cost and allow donors to know the exact status of their donations. ImanusT’s website will create an online community where donors can learn about every step of the organization’s growth.
Although I was never directly affected by the tsunami disaster, I refuse to ignore my instincts to help people in crises. In the end, I have a simple purpose: to encourage others to be proactive about their feelings of compassion and to help them follow their instincts in responding to images of devastation.
Vuonganh Ann Ngo, 23, is pursuing a master’s degree in strategic public relations at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication. Upon graduation, Ngo will attend law school to gain the legal knowledge to continue the success of ImanusT, www.crisisreversal.com.
