Do the maths

The United Nations has warned that the same figure again could perish without basic needs such as water, food and shelter being restored “within days” and has called for an immediate $60m to help prevent this.

At the time of writing, 10 days on from the disaster, the figures for the number of dead and dispossessed continue their inexorable climb. Individually many of us have donated to the Disasters Emergency Committee in the hope that this will do something to stop the death tolls mounting any higher.

Many readers have also arranged their own fundraising efforts – ranging from swiftly organised raffles to jelly-bean counting. The sums generated by these activities will doubtless be gladly received by the charities.

However, the social housing sector has its particular expertise to offer. According to the UN, at least 5 million people are now homeless. The Villages of Hope appeal – commendably organised by Sadeh Lok, launched by a coalition of social housing bodies and backed by Housing Today – hopes to provide a solution. It deserves all our support.

As we report on page 7, the appeal does not aim to provide immediate assistance – others are doing this – but to rebuild communities for the long term. In time this could also mean a requirement for skilled workers to supervise the reconstruction: a clear opportunity for social housing staff to do more than simply dig deep into their pockets.

It is daunting to think that to rebuild one community will cost £100,000 – yet in the UK we spend this sum on just one house

Housing Today’s recent Christmas Appeal in aid of the Albert Kennedy Trust for gay and lesbian teenagers has raised £11,636. While this will go a long way to improving the lives of vulnerable young people, the Villages of Hope appeal will need to raise the bar once more.

It is daunting to think that to rebuild just one community will cost 10 times the amount you raised for the trust. Yet in the UK we often spend this sum building just one house and it represents a tiny fraction of the £8bn housing associations have sitting in bank accounts.

Let’s put it this way: if the 50 largest housing associations and 50 largest councils each gave £10,000, that would be £1m. Enough to bring back to life 10 devastated communities around the shores of the Indian Ocean.