DutchNews.nl - Cash for Haiti broadcasts raise €41m

Cash for Haiti broadcasts raise €41m

Friday 22 January 2010

Thursday's radio and tv campaign for victims of the Haiti earthquake raised over €41m, an amount later doubled by the foreign affairs ministry, taking the total to €83m.

Aid minister Bert Koender said earlier in the day he would double the amount raised by viewers and listeners before midnight. 'It is fantastic to see how the Dutch are helping out the Haitians,' he was reported as saying by the Telegraaf.

Following criticism from some viewers that not all the money would end up helping the people of Haiti, Koenders said the government's audit office would monitor how the money was spent. The relief programme is being coordinated by an umbrella organisation of the main Dutch charities known as SHO.

Among the fund raising efforts which took place: Jonnie Boer, three-star chef at top restaurant De Librije in Zwolle raised €4,500 selling pea soup at the town's station. One passerby paid €150 for a bowl.

And football coach Guus Hiddink said he would donate €45,000 to the fund-raising effort if the tax investigation department Fiod agreed to do the same. Hiddink was fined the same amount by the Fiod for tax fraud in 2007.

According to the Telegraaf, queen Beatrix also made a donation to Giro 555 but the paper did not say how much.

Subscribe Newsletter
Print-version
News archives

Readers' comments

being in the US, I am so bombarded by how much Americans are giving to this cause. It's wonderful to see how many other countries are doing the same.

By Patrick | January 22, 2010 9:13 AM

So Guus "generous" Hiddink wants to donate the amount he was fined for tax evasion - but only if the Tax Authorities do likewise?

What kind of a c*** must you be to want to gain some political/name-clearing worth from this issue?

Oh yeah, you'd be a mercenary, rich football coach type of c*** I guess.

Disgusting. Almost as disgusting as the average Jan and Janneke giving their hard earned cash whilst the G20 and the IMF - who create and maintain poverty in the world - do sweet FA

By cynic | January 22, 2010 10:16 AM

God bless Holland its so amazing how people in Holland were touched...God bless this country and may the Haitian people be able to use the money donated to them..Its wonderful...

By Rose | January 22, 2010 10:35 AM

Kudos to the Dutch for their generousity.Hope the agencies won't use the big sum of this fund to cover exorbitant salary for their employees. It should rather be used for the right purpose to save life.
Micky

By Micky | January 22, 2010 1:30 PM

Just imagining the waste amount of money that is being thrown away with this situation. Noone seems in charge, dont see a plan of real recovery action. Where and over what time all donations will be spent? OK, buy medicine now, drop water bottles all over, what for a month or two?

Its going to be some few billions of EUR donated in cash and goods. Are they going to build at least 20th century hospitals and schools there, doesnt cost that much? some social reforms? Investment in something that will generate workplaces, or at least ensure country is ready for another 6.2, 7,5 or whatever shake (like heavy machinery) their going to get (and they will).
Or it is now gangs and self imposed leaders that are going to set their rule there, make reports for Clinton family and some other VIPs who come to get their hands dirty for the 'rescue'. It does feel that most of the hundreds and thousands of haitians will be living in some carton boxes or likes even 10 years from now.
This country has chance of recreating itself, though at huge humanitarian expense. But from what can be heard now it seems to going to be the same old Haiti, or even worse as after a quake.

By Jon | January 22, 2010 1:55 PM

It's really good to know people care! Dutch people are branded as stingy but honestly I am yet to experience it. This just shows that people are willing to give and not stingy afterall- Just WOW!!

By Nancy | January 22, 2010 3:49 PM

cynic i think you will find it is the world bank and world trade organisation that create and maintain poverty in the world and do sweet FA witch are both dominated by America serving only American interests and to make money from the poorest countries on the planet please do your research first b4 commenting don't get me wrong the g8/g20 is also a sham of an organisation further more to the American at the top
America is quite simply hampering the attempts to help the people of Haiti turning up a week late and overrulling the UN task forces that where already there and not coordinating with the UN
the only reason America is there is to make stupid americans think they are saving the world apparently again and to serve its own interests with a media frenzy to make people think America is grate and wonderful rather than what it actually is America disappoints me in every way

well done to the Dutch for giving generously with out out of compassion rather than media forced guilt

By freefa11 | January 22, 2010 7:13 PM

God bless dutch people and all that contributed for this holly purpose. What i wonder thought is where this money go and how they will be directed to the people that need them.I mean who is going to control where the money goes.

By kos | January 24, 2010 10:02 AM

This puts the "record-breaking" telethon in the USA in perspective where "over $57m" was raised versus €41m = USD 59m.

250 million people shelled out $57m (actually less, George C and his buddies donated a few millions on their own, versus $59 million from 16 million people.

Oh, and by the way, the agency's salaries & overheads are audited and kept to an average of 7% of the total.

By Russell | January 24, 2010 8:56 PM

Comments have been closed for this article.

Comments