How To Help Survivors And Those Affected By The New Zealand Mosque Attack

On Friday, March 15, at least 49 Muslim people were killed by a terrorist who targeted two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. According to Fast Company, dozens of other mosque attendees are suffering serious injuries from the attack; as New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden noted, several of the victims were refugees, migrants, and children. She called the attack “one of New Zealand’s darkest days.”


Already, relief groups have stepped in to help issue solace and healing for a grieving community. And while most of us can donate cash, supplies, and time to the cause in and outdoors of the area, there really are a number of other ways you could can support those affected by the attack, whether by helping to take care of their day-to-day essentials or working to help rid the world of anti-Muslim sentiment, along with racism, xenophobia, and hateful speech.


Here are just several of the ways you could act right now and get involved help to bring those affected in the wake of the shootings some categorize kind of comfort and relief.


Donate to a good cause


there really are a couple of relief groups taking donations in a task to aid those still dealing with the aftereffects of the shooting.


For those outdoors of the area looking to issue monetary support, the New Zealand-based crowdfunding platform Givealittle is now hosting a campaign where you could donate to victims. Given the rush to donate, the site may load slowly, so it will probably require countless retries to access.


Similarly, LaunchGood has posted its United for Christchurch Mosque Shootings donations page, where people have donated nearly $200,000 to assist victims and their families. The verified donation page will take funds and issue them in partnership with NZIIC (New Zealand Islamic Intelligence Center) to make sure the cash goes where it's supposed to.


The Muslim charity business Penny Appeal has also taken to Facebook with a fundraiser that's taking donations by means of the its verified page.


For individuals looking to assist from inside of the area, a couple of blood donation centers are actively seeking donors, like because the New Zealand Red Cross and NZ Blood's Christchurch donation center.


Help reunite people with their loved ones


It's been especially tough for some to find their way back to their loved ones after the attack, and as such members of the community have had difficulty connecting with their families. New Zealand authorities have been relying on the Family Links website to help the companions, family member, and loved ones of these affected by the attack find anyone who may be missing. The site can also be used to help register yourself with the "I am alive" status to create ensure anyone who comes calling understands that you're doing OK.


If you’re not a member of the Muslim community, commit to being a good ally


It’s key to combat intolerance and hateful rhetoric, whether it spreads across social media or by individuals looking to disseminate hate speech in the real world.


Report hateful tweets, Facebook posts, and other forms of hate speech you visualize online; while several social media platforms have been rightfully criticized for their slow work in combating hate speech, holding both the firms and the individual posters accountable will add pressure for change.


Amani Al-Khatahtbeh, author of Muslim Girl: A Coming of Age and creator of MuslimGirl.Com, took to Twitter with the accommodating reminder to "be alert" in the event you witness public harassment, noting that's the time whenever allies should show their "love, support, and action."


Al-Khatahtbeh congregated a cooperative, three-step video to help readers and potential allies that outlines actions they can take to show up for both Muslim females and their loved ones, noting that "Muslim females don't need saving." Nevertheless, like the rest of these affected in the recent shooting, they and the rest of the community do need and deserve support.


It's also key to "feel your privilege," according to MuslimGirl advocate and Huffington Post author Zoya Qamar. Understand its role in enriching and improving others' lives.


"Understand what your privilege entails and what that shared privilege with others has enabled," explains Qamar. "I have to feel my race everyday. Feel yours, and feel and unpack the privilege that accompanies it."


Put simply, as Qamar and others have stated, recognize what your identity has allowed for you single day-to-day and start using it to prepare a difference for others, no matter if it's in small ways like shutting down online trolls or simply acknowledging that you're going to hold yourself accountable and be a higher class of person.


Educating yourself on the Muslim faith and even joining in to learn more about their beliefs is an excellent way to ally yourself with someone who may really need it.


“Getting to know someone who is Muslim, that’s the perfect way to be more wise. Maybe you have a neighbor or colleague, or someone at your children’s school who is Muslim. Maybe go and visit a mosque or attend an event. It’s easier to understand people any time whenever you interact with them. Muslims are very welcoming. I feel that’s a very powerful way of being a contributor mentioned Rania Ayoub, director of public relations at the Muslim Educational Trust.


The Council on American-Islamic Relations sums it up best.


"By publicly and vocally speaking about the American Muslim children and families they know, allies—leaders along with everyday people who are not American Muslims themselves—have done a large amount to promote understanding of American Muslims’ lives," the business explains.


Our hearts are with the Muslim community and all of these affected by today’s tragedy in New Zealand. We stand against faith-based violence. You could counter hate at muslimadvocates.Org