I’m starting NanoAid because I want to help those affected by disasters around the world. After the recent natural disasters, I thought about giving to a large relief organization, but I thought there might be another way. NanoAid augments traditional aid organizations like the Red Cross; it is not intended to be a replacement for them. Large aid organizations can do things like moving massive amounts of food, supplies, and medical help that NanoAid cannot do. However, empowering people in neighboring areas with resources facilitates grass roots relief in a way that large organizations cannot.

I took my first steps by “hiring” people on oDesk to work as relief workers for a week. I posted a job listing and asked for people to submit proposals for what they would do with $50. In developing nations that can buy a lot of food, or pay for someone’s time for a few days. I asked for creative proposals which encouraged project ideas to get more than $50 worth of value. I also asked them to send me the stories and photos of the people they helped, and how they helped them.

Realizing that I needed somewhere to share these amazing stories and nanoaid.org was born. I created nanoaid.org to serve as a tool for connecting philanthropists and volunteers on the ground. My goal for nanoaid.org is to make it easy for donors to find projects they want to fund, and view the direct results of their contributions. I believe that sharing these amazing stories encourages more people to participate and provides more relief. It also provides a connection on a personal level between the donors and the communities they are donating to. I’ve personally found this much more rewarding than donating into a giant pool of resources, and I hope you will too. Join me in this effort to help people survive disaster and rebuild their communities. Donate today and share NanoAid.org with as many people as you can!

• How NanoAid Works
• How to Donate to a Disaster Relief Project
• How to Propose and Lead a Disaster Relief Project