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Update 12- Wednesday, August 17, 2005
 To date AFAP has completed one of our Tsunami Relief & Rehabilitation Programs. This program assisted the people of Sri Lanka specifically in the Kalmunai and Galle areas with:
TSUNAMI RELIEF & REHABILITATION PROGRAM
Food Rations including rice, dhall, wheat flour, tinned fish, dry fish, sugar, coconut, vegetables, tea, condiments, salt, cooking oil and milk powder (adult and infant) have been distributed to 3,685 families. 40 Water tanks were distributed and 52 New Water Connections to houses in Kalmunaikudy Kalmunai. Cleaning of Wells in Kalmunai (1,061) and in Galle (106)
Construction & Renovation of Toilets: KALMUNAI: 60 permanent toilets have been constructed with 540 planned. GALLE: 32 temporary toilets have been constructed with a further 28 planned. Temporary toilets are being constructed as the Government is yet to make a decision on the enforcement of the 100 metre buffer zone. Testing Of Water In Cleaned Wells: 500 water samples were delivered to the Laboratories of the National Water Supply & Drainage Board for testing.
School Children: School uniform fabric, furniture, stationery and school bags were distributed to schools and children from refugee camps. 6,600 yards of fabric was distributed to 2,415 children in Kalmunai and 830 children in Galle. A play centre for 1,650 children was set up in 3 refugee camps in Kalmunai. Clinics and play areas, and nursery training programs were implemented in Galle.
Kitchen Items: GALLE: 500 families received knives, plates, cups, coconut scrapers, torches and hurricane lamps and baby supplies.
Livelihood Program: KALMUNAI: 86 Carpentry Tools Kits and 78 Masonry Kits were distributed. The livelihood program has included detailed individual interviews and collective meetings to discuss how to ensure capacity to return to work and normal life. 6,433 people have participated in the Livelihood program and 1,350 people have participated in the Community participation and democracy program.
Clearing Debris: KULMANAI: The clearing of debris involved the use of wheel loaders and tractors and many volunteers.
Counseling Sessions: The goals of these sessions are to channel the entire trauma that people have experienced into positive energies.
COMMUNITY CENTRE IN PANDIRUPI
Prior to the Tsunami (26 Dec 2004) St Marys Boys Home was run by the Brothers of Charity. They accommodated 102 boys in the home. The home was both a home and school for the boys.
When the Tsunami hit, it virtually destroyed the village of Pandirupu and the surrounding villages. The loss of buildings and life was amongst the highest in Sri Lanka. It destroyed most of the buildings of the boys home leaving only two buildings still standing. Both of these buildings were extensively damaged. All the other structures on the site were completely destroyed down to the floor level. Luckily as the boys had been sent to another location for the Christmas break there had been no loss of life amongst the residents of the home.
After visiting the site in early January at the request of the local community, AFAP contacted the Brothers of Charity to enquire if there was assistance that could be offered. The Brothers of Charity were very keen to rebuild the area that had been occupied by the boys home. They were concerned that the boys would be uncomfortable returning to the original home for Psycho-social reasons and planned to move the boys home to a new location. They were also committed to assisting the local Community to be rehoused and had plans prepared to build a 100 homes for the disadvantaged people of the community. As the decision to construct the houses developed it was further planned to use the two buildings still standing as part of the development and rehabilitate them as community centres for the new village.
The main two story building is being converted into a Community and administration centre containing a clinic, library, Computer training facility, and meeting rooms and the larger building will be a recreation hall.
Commencing on 18 March 2005, a local labour force of Coordinator, Tradesmen, and labourers were employed and work commenced on the clearing of the site and the interior of the buildings of all debris. A start was made on stripping out all the interior and exterior fittings and fixtures such as plumbing, electrical, doors and window shutters, damaged concrete floors and walls. This was necessary as all the above were damaged beyond use. This work took some weeks to complete and at the same time a start was made on the reconstruction of the building.
After some four weeks on site some order started to appear with the exterior area cleared of all the major debris such as trees, broken slabs of wall and floors. Sand fill had started to be brought in to restore the ground level of the surrounds to their original level.
New walls were being built to the design of the new layout to allow for the intended use of the areas, this included the Computer Training room, Medical Clinic, Administration office, toilets and accommodation for visitors.
The major problem has been the amount of debris to be removed and the limited availability of heavy machinery to remove it. We resorted to teams of labourers (including a team of the local women) and the use of tractors and trailers. Large pieces of debris were broken down with sledge hammers and loaded by hand into the tractors and overall we have managed to maintain the schedule.
This program is 70% complete as at 31 August 2005. The opening of the new Community Centre is scheduled for 1 October 2005.
RELIEF PROGRAM
The initial decision of accessing the data collected by our local partners in Kalmunai, allowed a rapid response to the critical situation of the shortage of food and clean water. Rainforest Rescue International (RRI) and the Neo Synthesis Research Centre (NSRC) are working in the area and we successfully targeted the communities and the specific needs that were falling through the funding gaps in their existing program.
The refugee camps at Kalmunai, targeted for specific service was Vishnapuram, (56 Families) and Islamabath (326 families) both these camps were included in food distribution programmes and Non Food Item (NFI) specifically mosquito nets and water containers.
The emphasis was given to Vishnapuram, the population of this camp is all Tamil. 20 of the families were still living in small tents and having a difficult time with the weather. The camp has been assisted in organizing themselves into a structure with an elected management committee and this committee is now responsible for all activities in the camp and the acquisition and allocation of resources.
There were problems in that there were insufficient toilets (2) erected in the camp. Our first priority was to supply a supplementary feeding program as the food being supplied to the camp by WFP was not the food the people would normally eat and did not include oil, herbs, spices or baby milk. There have been five food distributions in the camp, (the first also included the distribution of mosquito nets.)
Moral was very low with the problems associated with the lack of toilet facilities, and with no activities easily available especially for the children, the distribution of sports equipment and toys made a difference to this as did the construction of a toilet block (2 toilet) and shower block (2 Mandy's and 2 showers) specifically for the women.
The camp was also rewired for safety and comfort; this has made it easier for the people to move around the camp.
Transportation was a major factor in the ability of the camp population to attend both school and to obtain work. A bicycle has been given to each family and has made an enormous difference to the moral as well as the income of the families.
Plans were prepared for the construction of Shelter block for the remaining 20 families still in tents and construction is now complete. The families moved into the building on 14 th June. The shelter was constructed by the population of the camp as they have the necessary skills and we wished to concentrate on ensuring the men have some employment and will be also benefit from the issue of the tools of their trade. A small (10x10) common shelter was also constructed this will be used for a meeting and play area.
Three Muslim Schools in the area were targeted for shoe distribution
Al- Bahariya 88 children
Al-Misbah 51 children
Shums 189 children
Total shoes 328 Pr Shoes
The container of canvas arrived and was finally cleared through customs; the canvas has been distributed to the areas as follows
Moggona South Coast 6,510 mtrs
Ampara East Coast 1,170 mtrs
Trincomalee East Coast 2,880 mtrs
This is sufficient canvas for the cover of over 2,000 dwellings.
The first two containers of medical Equipment have arrived and agreement has been reached with the Health Department and the Department of Social Services. The distribution schedule was agreed and all goods have been distributed.
Six months after – stories from Sri Lanka
 The Boxing Day tsunami was one of the most widespread natural disasters in living memory. Few of the shores that arc the Indian Ocean were spared from the destructive waves that arrived so suddenly, so unexpectedly.
These brief stories, as told by two Sri Lankans to AFAP, provide some detail of the tsunami's horror, and of the hope of people working to rebuild their lives. The names of the people in this story have been changed, however the stories remain faithful to their telling.
It was already swelteringly hot on the morning of the 26th December and Mr Param, the head of the local fishing cooperative in Palamunai village, was glad to be standing in the ice-cooler room near the shore where he was storing the fish from the morning's catch. Mr Param coordinated the fishing boats in the village. It was a voluntary duty, but one that he had enjoyed for the past 5 years. Each of the village's 70 boats were shared between its owner and 2 or 3 families. These families would share the drop fishing labour, whereby a net would be taken out by the small fishing boats and then manually pulled in by people standing on the shore. This practice provided the people of Palamunai with enough fish to eat, and a small excess that they were able to salt, freeze and sell in the markets in Colombo. As he was sorting the fish, Mr Param heard cries from the men on the shore who were mending the nets. As he squinted in the sunlight looking out to the men, Mr Param saw the waves approaching on the horizon. He wasted no time. Shouting for the men to come in, the 60-year-old ran up the street, knocking on each door and calling ãTidal wave, tidal wave!ä
The waves took only 3 minutes to reach the village from the horizon. ãThe waves did not roar as they approached, as some people expect,ä said Mr Param. ãThey were quiet. It was the screams and cries of people that you could hear.ä
When he returned to his village once the waters receded, the fishing fleet had been decimated. Within half an hour his village had unexpectedly lost its income mainstay. His own boat was ruined and the simple ice-room he had been standing in had been leveled.
People were wandering in shock or crying out for loved ones amidst rubble and fallen trees. Mr Param joined in the search. He never found his second daughter, mother of his 6-year-old granddaughter, Tuthana.
Being built on a promontory, Palamunai village fared better than Kalmunai, a small town 15 km away. Kalmunai was situated on a bay that made it particularly vulnerable to the tsunami and when the waters reached the town itself, its long straight streets funneled the waters, increasing their strength and speed.
Shareen was in the kitchen of her house that she shared with her parents, sister and baby, when she heard the cries of people outside. Looking out her door, she saw the waters rushing up the streets. Grabbing her baby and her mother, Shareen ran up the street, as she heard the water surge behind her. People screamed, many being washed away as they came to their own doorways to see the cause of the chaotic sounds.
Clutching her mother in one arm and her baby in the other, Shareen ran until finally she collapsed against the wall of a friend's house. The water came up to her chest before it receded.
ãI was lucky I had had my hair cut recently,ä Shareen said. ãMany of the women died because of their long hair. They became entangled in the debris in the water.ä
When Shareen returned, her house, like every house within 100 metres of the shore, was completely destroyed. Her father was gone. All the equipment for her small tailoring business had been washed away. Although the tsunami's devastation happened in less than 30 minutes, the effect of the waters' brutal impact lasted much longer.
Mr Param held a position of responsibility before the tsunami and, despite the loss of the fishing fleet, he held it still. The loss of his own boat meant that more than 30 people had no means of generating income or food, so Mr Param assumed the role of liaison with relief workers. Visiting the families of Palamunai each day to see who was in the most need of supplies, he ensured that nursing mothers received powdered milk and that no one went hungry.
The relief supplies, provided by funds from the Australian Government, were delivered by AFAP in plastic-wrapped packages suitable for small families. The rice, beans and basic supplements in the packages were not much, but they kept people in the village alive. However without the boats, the people of Palamunai remained dependant on these supplies.
In Kalmunai, temples and churches became refugee camps. With nowhere else to go, Shareen came with her baby and mother to the Hindu Temple of Ganesh. Over the days and weeks, she watched as families and individuals of all religions came to the temple. The number of refugees grew. Many were clutching photographs of missing family and friends; most were still wearing the same clothes they wore when the tsunami struck.
But like Mr Param, Shareen immediately became involved in rebuilding her community. Shareen recognised that if the camp was to be the temporary home for more than 600 people, there would need to be structure.
Shareen helped form a camp management committee, which worked with AFAP to manage activities and allocate resources. It was hard to know where to start. There was no drinking well at the temple so clean water was scarce, and although the camp became host to so many people, there were only a few crude toilets. Adults and children were coming into the camp with strange sores and skin infections caused by handling contaminated soil and debris. Their first priority had to focus on health and sanitation, and Shareen knew they had to move quickly. People were starting to get sick.
Over the following weeks and months, Shareen and Mr Param continued to work with the local and international relief workers.
In the refugee camp, major health issues, the greatest concern after such disasters, were avoided when the camp was moved from the cramped temples to a nearby area with the space to accommodate showers and ablution blocks. Water remained a considerable concern for many weeks due to the onset of drought on the East coast. The relief workers provided the camp with water tanks and cleaned the wells to remove the contaminants, but this was a lengthy process. Many wells took at least three cleaning operations until the water was pronounced safe enough to drink, and there were concerns that the wells close to the sea would collapse due to the external pressure of the sea. However the AFAP well cleaning operations were a success, and the camp members no longer had to wash their clothes in the contaminated water, and had easy access to drinking water.
Over the following weeks, Shareen helped AFAP institute initiatives, funded by the generosity of the Australian people, to improve the morale in the camp. The distribution of sports equipment and toys made a considerable difference, as did a television room where the children would sit and watch in the afternoons, providing their parents with some time to themselves. As the heat of the day made many of the tin-roofed refugee shelters extremely hot, AFAP distributed fans and also chairs to the refugee households, so that they could entertain visitors.
The local orphanage and community centre was being rebuilt, and a health clinic had been set up at the camp that treated many of the basic problems and provided health education to inform the families in the area of the dangers involving the contaminated water and soil.
In Palamunai and Kalmunai, equipment crucial to the community economy was being replaced by AFAP. Coir machines (equipment for making fishing nets and rope out of coconut fibre) were being replaced as were sewing machines, chainsaws and smaller fishing boats.
At Mr Param's direction, the households and families who were in most need received their boats first. These families have already returned to the drop fishing practices, and the catches are slowly increasing under Mr Param's guidance. Mr Param assigned his boat to be the last one replaced.
Shareen's work on the camp management committee led to work with one of the NGOs rebuilding the area. She has made enough money to replace her mother's sewing machine and is now being trained in a computer course.
Although the tsunami was never far from anyone's mind, it was no longer the only consideration. The debris around the areas had been cleared, the river had returned to its banks, and the constant stench of rotten vegetation had abated. People had started to go back to work on bicycles provided by the relief workers, and children had started going back to school with new uniforms and backpacks.
Amidst the destruction, hope is now emerging. The strength of the Sri Lankan communities is being bolstered by the kindness of the Australian community, resulting in a very real bond forged on gratitude and respect.
The Sri Lankan people are starting to live a life again: many already moving out of the camps, most once again planning for their future.
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Update 11- Tuesday, May 17, 2005
A new support group, Tools 2 Rebuild, has joined AFAP to assist in the rehabilitation process. Tools 2 Rebuild is fundraising to source and ship hand tools and reconstruction equipment to Sri Lanka. The lists of tools sent are determined in conjunction with the Sri Lankan government to ensure that only tools that are unavailable in Sri Lanka are sent so as not to undermine the local economy. For more information visit www.tools2rebuild.com.
People living in the temporary camps in Sri Lanka must often travel considerable distances to reach medical facilities. Due to a lack of public or private transport, temporary medical clinics are becoming important additions to these camps. RRI has been operating a medical facility in a camp in Galle, which sees approximately 40 cases / day.
The ecological effect of the tsunami dumping millions of gallons of salt water onto terrestrial ecosystems is just emerging. RRI has been working to address the salinity issue that now threatens Sri Lanka's coral reef, mangrove system, inland freshwater lakes and swamps, and highland systems.
One of RRI's approaches to deal with salinity has been to plant protective tree barriers along 5 km of coast in Palamunai. These tree barriers are placed in an area of open beachfront where sand dunes have been eroded by the tsunami and years of construction in the area.
By planting trees that are not vulnerable to sea spray or salt in the ground, much of the salinity in the area of the barrier is absorbed. Behind this tree barrier a second tree barrier is planted, consisting primarily of fruit trees, such as coconut, mango and jackfruit. This barrier provides supplementary food to those people in the area without income. After this there is a third tree barrier of flowered trees. These trees beautify the barrier front and also attract insects and birds, a crucial aspect of re-invigorating the area's eco-system.
Six fishing boats have been constructed for the community in Palamunai. These are now being successfully used, with 3 families sharing each boat. Fifty permanent houses are also being constructed many of which include Înursery house gardens'.
These house gardens are a part of RRI's nutritional security project which is creating a series of production nurseries that will provide the starter stock and horticultural knowledge to interested Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and nurseries that were affected by the tsunami.
The nurseries provide an important aspect of food security, ensuring people returning to their homes have access to fruit, herbs and spices. Working with local CBO's, RRI is setting up a training program based on the nursery in Galle and facilitate the establishment of regional nurseries each capable of producing 25000 plants annually
RRI is also operating eleven water pumps cleaning seven wells daily. Often individual wells need cleaning twice, thrice and even more depending on the level of salt water that entered the shallow aquifer. RRI checks the salt levels at initiation and completion, with the job completed only when the final check confirms that the level of the salt is within limits set for drinking water.
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Update 10- Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Medical and shelter containers have been sent from Sydney. The first container is a full load of heavy-duty canvas (8000mtr) for use in the construction of temporary shelters and repair to damaged houses. The other two consist primarily of medical equipment which will replace lost and damaged items in the east and south coast.
The refugee camp at Vishnapura, Kalmunai has a population of 56 Families. 20 of those families are still living in small tents and have been having a difficult time with the weather. The camp has been assisted in developing an organisational structure with a elected management committee that is now responsible for all activities in the camp and the acquisition and allocation of resources.
The first priority was to supply a supplementary feeding program to include oil, herbs, spices or baby milk. There have been three food distributions in the camp, (the first also included the distribution of mosquito nets.)
Moral was low in the camps, especially with no activities easily available for the children. The distribution of sports equipment and toys made a considerable difference, as did the construction of a toilet block (2 toilets) and a shower block (2 mandies and 2 showers).
The other problem associated with the camp is the distance from traditional home areas. This has made it difficult for children attending school and for camp residents to obtain work. A bicycle has been given to each family which has made an enormous difference to the morale as well as the income of the families.
Working with the Brothers of Charity, the rehabilitation of the orphanage as a community facility has been going very smoothly. The primary clearing of the site has been completed, and work began immediately on the cleaning and preparation of the interior. All trades people are locals and are responsible for the labour necessary to complete the work area allocated to them and they have been given contracts. The standards for the rehabilitation were made clear and constant monitoring of the work has been maintained.
Additional toilets are being included as will a medical centre and computer room. The old wiring was all removed and conduit was installed for the new wiring. The installation of power points and light fittings has been progressing very smoothly.
The majority of the tiling has been completed, as has the majority of the interior painting and wiring with the exclusion of the shop area, this has still to be bricked and roofed.
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Update 9- Sunday, April 10, 2005
NSRC's well program in Kalmunai is proceeding smoothly, despite concerns that the wells close to the sea (within 100 metres) would collapse due to the external pressure of the sea water and the sandy base they are constructed in.
The cleaning crews are now in the second round of well-building and a third round will be required, as while the cleaning is removing contaminants effectively the problem of salinity remains a concern. It is likely that this will not be solved unless the water table is flushed with heavy rainfall. The east coast continues to suffer from drought, resulting in water supply problems.
Total wells cleaned 156 and an additional thirty wells have been added to the program at the request of the local government personnel.
Uniform fabric is being cut to size and distributed to Schools in the Kalmunai by NSRC for school uniforms. This is a very effective program in bringing children back to the schools. In Galle, uniforms have also been distributed as have items needed for people to return to their work, such as bicycles, ice-trays for fish and sewing machines.
However, temporary schools are having the same issue as the refugee camps with sanitation. As people move back to their homes, the need for the rehabilitation of damaged toilets was recognized by the teams and has been underway for a several weeks. The main concern is of course the health issues, as there is a large population now returning and the majority of the toilets in the area are damaged or totally destroyed. The NSRC teams are concentrating on the ones that require repair and cleaning in order to operate, they are also prioritising those toilets that have a larger population surrounding them. Although a slow process, results are showing.
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Update 8 - Monday, March 21, 2005
Before the tsunami, the village of Palamunai had a fleet of 70 fishing boats. These boats were used in a co-operative sharing arrangement between the owner and 2 – 3 families who would help share the drop fishing labour (drop fishing is the practice of a net being taken out by the small fishing boats and then manually pulled in by people standing on the shore).
This practice provided the people of Palamunai with enough fish to eat, and a small excess that they were able to salt, freeze and sell in the markets in Colombo. The tsunami has crippled Palamunai's small industry, with 60 of the 70 boats destroyed and the people now reliant on food relief distributed by agencies like AFAP. AFAP has commenced a program to re-store or replace Palmunai's fishing boats.
In Galle, AFAP's partner, RRRI, has also set up a health clinic at the Ranpath Raja Maha Biharaya Buddhist temple. This clinic is a temporary measure to replace the local hospital which was destroyed. The clinic has 2 doctors and services the 700 displaced families in the area, seeing between 40 – 60 patients a day. Many of these patients have unusual infections and skin complaints resulting from handling soil contaminated by the waste dredged inland by the tsunami waters. The clinic also provides health education to inform the families in the area of the dangers involving the contaminated water and soil, reproductive health and general health issues.
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Update 7- Friday, March 18, 2005
AFAP's partner, NSRC, is engaging in ongoing needs studies. These surveys ensure that all expenditure remains appropriate to people's current needs throughout the rehabilitation process.
One of the results of the needs studies is the critical shortage of ablution facilities on the East coast. In some refugee camps, more than 300 people have access to only two toilets. In response, 250 toilets are being installed in the areas of greatest need.
The East coast has not enjoyed sufficient rain to flush out the contaminated water table, and as such access to clean water remains a major issue. 160 community wells have been cleaned - a lengthy process necessary to enable the provision of safe drinking water.
The contamination of the water is so widespread that each community well must be cleaned three times, and then the water must be tested. After the first stage of cleaning the water can be used for washing purposes, but only after the third stage can the well be used to draw drinking water. In the meantime, AFAP is arranging drinking water transportation to areas in greatest need.
AFAP's other Sri Lankan partner, RRI , is engaged in another well-cleaning program in the South. Sri Lanka's southern regions are not suffering the same extent of water contamination due to more frequent rainfall. As a result, RRI's efforts have resulted in a large number of successfully cleaned wells – over 300 – that are already providing tested, clean water supply. In the East, RRI is also working with Muslim refugee encampments, distributing food and mosquito nets.
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Update 6 - Sunday, March 13, 2005
AFAP's support groups and partners in Sri Lanka have been engaged in a variety of operations in the worst hit areas in the South and East of Sri Lanka.
One of AFAP's support groups - Talalla Bay & District support group - have been engaged in extensive rehabilitation of the Talalla Bay area. Two villages and their beaches have been cleared of debris. The majority of debris is comprised of fallen trees, destroyed building materials, and the remains of peoples' homes and furniture. Clearing these areas is the initial essential, but time-consuming, phase of the rehabilitation process.
Disposing of the debris can also pose problems. Burying the materials in areas that have been saturated by the contaminated tsunami waters not only provides an environmentally appropriate disposal method, but it also provides a new layer of top-soil that can be used to plant fruit trees and vegetable crops.
Although the rehabilitation phase has begun, many relief operations continue to take place. Sleeping mattresses have been distributed by Talalla Bay and District Support group, and also stationary kits to get the children back to school as quickly as possible.
Equipment crucial to the community economy is also being replaced. Coir machines, (equipment for making fishing nets and rope out of coconut fibre) have been refurbished or replaced as have sewing machines, chainsaws and smaller fishing boats.
Talalla Bay & District are also involved in the reconstruction of a community centre that is run by Buddhist monks for health education for the local children. For more information about the Talalla Bay and District's work, visit www.talallasupportgroup.com
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Update 5 - Saturday, February 26, 2005
Three donated trucks have been used for emergency relief distribution throughout Galle, Ampara and Matarra. Teams have been distributing food, soft shelter and cooking materials. Monitoring exercises have been employed to ensure that the relief items are being distributed effectively and appropriately.
Cleaning of building sites has been completed in a number of areas in Kalmunai and work is about to start on the rehabilitation of the community centers. Architects and planners have also started designing housing, utilising local materials and labour.
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Update 4 - Wednesday, February 2, 2005
AFAP teams, with partners RRI and NSRC, have been operating in regions around Galle and Matarra over the past week distributing food, soft shelter and cooking materials. Architects and planners have been designing housing, utilising local materials and, where possible, bamboo.
Water remains a significant issue in Galle. Over the years, dumped waste that has found its way off-shore has collected in the shallow sea trenches. When the tsunami struck, the pollutants were dredged up from the trenches and thrown back onto the land. As a result, there is widespread soil and water contamination that is impeding the rehabilitation and relief efforts.
Thousand-litre water tanks are being placed strategically throughout Galle in areas that can be accessed by 30 to 40 families. Today 20 tanks have been put in place, and another 150 will be set-up over the coming three weeks. However, according to George Wells, AFAP Logistics Manager in Sri Lanka, the clean-up process could take ãmonthsä.
Contamination is a big problem,ä said George. ãIf you walk on contaminated soil with bare feet, you quickly develop blisters and any open wounds will get infected. Tests are being run on toxic materials that have been dredged in-shore to determine the best methods of disposal.ä
Five teams are also pumping the contaminated water out of the wells and three hundred volunteers are being brought in and issued gloves to act as clean-up crews.
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Update 3 - Thursday, January 27, 2005
AFAP support groups have been increasingly active in the Southern and Eastern districts such as Tallala Bay. Visit Our Supporters to find out more about our in-country partners and tsunami support groups.
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Update 2 - Friday, January 21, 2005
The relief effort continues with emergency distribution in St. Xavier Church, Magonna, organised with Opal and RRI. Distribution of food items and soft shelter reached 237 families and 967 individuals.
The second distribution took place at St. Lukes Church also at Magonna. Father Gerrome of St Lukes has provided a detailed recipient list, and AFAP has loaded relief materials into his storage area for distribution to the recipient homes. RRI will go back next week and do a monitoring exercise of the recipients, which includes 256 families and 1136 individuals.
Medicines have been donated to us by Norwegian Aid (with sincere thanks to Caritas Poland) who have also made available three trucks that have been driven to Galle and will be distributed next week.
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AFAP's Emergency Team led by Dr Ranil Senanayake and Mr George Wells arrived in Sri Lanka on January 4th to help coordinate the relief and rehabilitation efforts of our partner office, NSRC, who had already been active in distributing relief supplies to affected project areas especially in Galle District.
Our coastal rehabilitation team was actually in the field in Galle Bay planting mangrove seedlings when the tsunami hit. They and many villagers were able to escape the wave by running up nearby Rummassala Hill to safety. Everyone from the team is safe.
Ranil and George along with NSRC Director, Ms Kamy Melvani, have spent the past week coordinating the distribution program of NSRC and their 5 main affiliate CBOs in Galle and Ampara Districts. They have been attending all the national coordination meetings and linking our efforts with those of the Government and other NGOs. AFAP's Efforts in Ampara District have been hindered by the presence of a Tropical Cyclone 01B that is dumping very heavy rains here and in Hambantota District causing flooding. Click here to monitor the cyclone using AFAP's APCEDI System.
George and the Eastern CBO team left for Ampara on January 10th, with a load of relief supplies, to do assessments. They returned on January 14th and have been busy in coordination meetings, getting relief supplies through customs and working on assessment write-ups.
Areas of rural Amapara District have been particularly hard hit and AFAP needs continued funds to help these small, isolated communities that have lost almost everything
Your assistance is greatly appreciated and 100% of all donations from the Australian public is spent on the relief and rehabilitation effort.
To donate, please phone 1800 007 308
All donations over $2.00 are tax deductible and can be made by:
Phone: Just call toll free 1800 007 308 to make your credit card donation
Post: Simply fill in the donation form and fax to 02 9436 4637 for credit card donations or post together with cheque to AFAP.
Cheques should be made payable to AFAP Tsunami Appeal.
For the latest information about this and other Asia-Pacific emergencies go to www.afap.org/apcedi |
