Global Voices Online

Updates on the flu situation in Ukraine, at Greetings From Kyiv - here and here, and at Ukrainiana - here.

Scenes From the Sidewalk writes about an encounter with one of Kyiv's many homeless children - and posts photos from actress Olga Kurilenko's visit to a CrossRoads Foundation/ChildRescue's rehabilitation center. Wild World of Sean's Blog reports on a charity visit to a Kyiv hospital for children affected by the Chernobyl catastrophe.

Dumping Grounds for People is a blog devoted to the results “of a four-months long journalistic investigation, conducted mostly undercover in ten institutions for adults with intellectual disabilities or mental illnesses in Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia.” A Flickr photo set, by Yana Buhrer Tavanier, is here, along with this note: “Bulgaria and Romania, both EU members since 2007, and Serbia, which seeks the same status, have a grim track record when it comes to institutional care. This investigation suggests that they are still failing to meet international standards.”

Ella's Blog from the Philippines posts photos of donated goods intended for typhoon victims rotting in government warehouses. The expose has sparked fears that the goods might be misused to support administration candidates in next year's elections. The original site shows a “404 Not Found error” when it is accessed but the contents have been reposted by concerned citizens in blogs and social networks.

Flood victims in Laos are in need of rice, household utensils, clothes, medicines and makeshift houses, according to the government. Typhoon Ketsana hit Laos last month which caused flooding in the southern part of the country.

Tshering Tobgay has some tips on how to help the victims of the September 21 earthquake in Bhutan. Whatever Matters blog has more suggestions.

Maria Conceicao, a Portuguese flight stewardess based in Dubai, has founded the Dhaka Project, which helps the slum dweller children of Dhaka, Bangladesh to lift themselves out of the cycle of poverty and provide them education. As per the project blog, she has been nominated as one of the four finalists for the prestigious ‘Emirates Woman of the Year Awards 2009′ in Humanitarians - Charity category.

Soup kitchens were set-up in different parts of Metro Manila to serve thousands of flood victims.

Scenes from the Sidewalk announces a “virtual fundraiser” to help “transform the lives of [Ukrainian] street and at risk children and reintegrate them back into families and society.”