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European Disaster Volunteers (EDV) is a new, volunteer driven, UK registered charity that aids disaster affected communities worldwide by helping them achieve sustainable recovery. EDV is acting on its new charitable status by launching a campaign to fund long-term recovery in the Asia-Pacific region which has been recently affected by major natural disasters. The group is appealing for donations and plans to start working overseas early next year.

Executive director Andrew Chaggar, a survivor of the 2004 Asian tsunami, explained that rather than responding immediately, EDV will deploy once the dust has begun to settle. This lets the group identify areas which have not received sufficient aid and provide long term support to the communities that need it most.

“We go in as organisations which focus on more immediate need are starting to scale back their operations,” said Chaggar. “Our focus will be on reconstruction, education, and other projects that leave affected communities better able to cope with future challenges.”

Because EDV focuses on long term recovery and starts work after the chaotic and unsafe initial aftermath, the group is able to welcome anyone over the age of 18 to volunteer, regardless of specific skills and experience.

There is no form of participation fee when volunteering with EDV, but volunteers are expected to pay their own travel and living expenses, but as Media and Marketing director Emma Taylor points out, living costs in the affected regions are much lower than in the UK, so you don’t have to be rich or raise a huge sum of money to volunteer.

To donate directly to EDV’s Asia-Pacific Recovery Fund please go to http://www.edvolunteers.org/donate. All donations received between now and January 2010 will go directly to this fund. EDV aim to begin working abroad in early 2010. So please give generously.

For a PDF of EDV’s full appeal visit http://www.edvolunteers.org/sites/default/files/EDV_AP_Appeal_EU.pdf

To register to volunteer or learn more about EDV you can visit the “about EDV” and “volunteer” sections of EDV’s website.

You can also email media@euorpeandisastervolunteers.org with any questions.