Google launches fundraising tool for migrant crisis

On Tuesday, the search engine behemoth announced it will match the first .5 million in donations to humanitarian relief for refugees and migrants.

The donations made to Google will go to four nonprofit organisations that are offering aid to refugees and migrants.

The refugee and migrant crisis in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa is claimed to be the world’s largest since the Second World War.

“We’re happy to be able to support these efforts to bring essential assistance – including sheLTEr, food and water, physical security and medical care – to people in need”, said Jacquelline Fuller, Director of Google.org. “We’re particularly impressed by Save the Children’s commitment to protect vulnerable children and families affected by this crisis”. Rather than having an executive make the announcement, Rita Masoud, a Google employee who fled Kabul with her family when she was seven years old, wrote about her personal experience. Other refugees have fled armed conflict or persecution from countries such as Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Iran.

“Our journey involved many dark train and bus rides, as well as hunger, thirst, cold and fear”, she wrote.

Google has set up a donation page through their One Today website, the program which lets users give $1 each day to causes and nonprofits that inspire them.

Fortunately, European nations have agreed to take 40,000 refugees at their meeting in Brussels last week but Melissa fleming, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told a press conference in Geneva: “This is a single welcome step towards addressing the current refugee situation in Europe, but it is clear that much more is still needed”.