All eyes have been on Haiti for the past two weeks.  The world has been watching, with their hearts going out to everyone affected by the devastating earthquake.

Photo courtesy of TwitPic - taken on cell phone right after quake

When the quake hit the country, landlines went down as panic went on the rise.  But there were still some cellular signals bouncing around, even though cell service was intermittent.  Those in Haiti who had working cell phones took pictures of the devastation - and before cameras could get to the wreckage, images were already being sent around the world.  It was technology that let everyone almost immediately see just how bad the damage was. And as things unfolded, I think it’s fair to say technology has played a huge role in rescue and relief efforts so far.

There are several people who actually owe their lives to the existance of social networking.  Using their phones, some victims of the disaster were able to text to Facebook or Twitter, broadcasting the details of their locations as they lay buried beneath the rubble.  Their friends back home were able to relay that information to rescue workers in Haiti.  Those people would not be alive if they didn’t have their phones onhand.

Cell phones have also played a huge role in fundraising to relief efforts in Haiti.  Let’s face it: a lot of people want to do something, but quite frankly, are just too lazy to get off their butts to make a physical donation.  And a lot of people are hesitant to enter their credit card details online.  But millions of dollars have been raised just by text messaging alone.  You can text a short codeword to a five-digit number set up by registered charities like the Red Cross, and five dollars will simply be deducted from your cell phone bill at the end of the month.  Quick, and very easy.  (At the bottom of this post is a list of shortcodes and numbers you can text in order to give to various Canadian charities to help the Haiti Relief)

All of this makes me think:  When Hurricane Katrina hit the southern part of the States in 2005, Facebook and Twitter hadn’t been released to the masses yet.  Word - and money - could have gotten out that much faster.  And perhaps even one more person would be alive today.

How to donate via text:
Text ASTRAL to 30333 to donate $5 to the Canadian Red Cross
Text AID to 45678 to donate $5 to NGO group Canada for Haiti
Text WORLD to 45678 to donate $5 to World Vision Canada
Text GIVE to 45678 to donate $5 to UNICEF Canada
Text RELIEF to 45678 to donate $5 to the UN World Food Programme