Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement's
Relief Effort
3 January 2005
Koperattiva
Kummerċ Ġust (KKĠ)
and Kopin have teamed up to support the
Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement of
Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the Tsunami. Money has been collected
among members and supporters and a cash donation has already been
transferred.
Sarvodaya
plays an important role in peacemaking, community building, and securing a quality of life in Sri Lanka, and has a 45 year track record in reaching out and helping the poorest of the poor. Sarvodaya has mounted a well organised, countrywide relief effort using their countrywide network of 34 district offices and over 2000 volunteers who work in all parts of the country, well above ethnic and other divisions. Sarvodaya has pledged to take in and provide for all children aged 11 and below who have been orphaned by the Tsunami disaster, and will also care for all women and girls below the age of 19. The Tsunami has left shockwaves of fear, anxiety, stress and confusion in the hearts and minds of the survivors, and Sarvodaya is also mobilising a group of counsellors to support them in their pain and suffering.Sarvodaya, like KKĠ, is a member of IFAT (International Federation for Alternative Trade) and products from Sarvodaya are found at l-Arka in Valletta. Any one wishing to donate to Sarvodaya can send a cheque addressed to KKG at l-Arka, 306, Triq San Pawl, Valletta or addressed to Kopin at c/o 2, Juniper Lane, Birkirkara BKR 04. Further information may be obtained by writing to [email protected] or phoning 2149 1373. For more information about Sarvodaya visit their website at http://www.sarvodaya.org/.
SOS MALTA ASIA EMERGENCY FUND
5 January 2005
The need is great and it is very urgent. SOS Malta is
sending a Maltese Mission to
Sri Lanka. The Mission is made up of three young doctors
and an SRN nurse and will be proceeding to Colombo via London on Friday,
7th January, 2005.
Initially, they will be
staying with the Missionaries of Charity of Mother Teresa in the
capital,
Colombo but will
probably proceed to Galle where the situation is very grave for the
survivors.
You
may wish to send a donation via a blank SMS on the following numbers:
Lm
1 50617364
Lm
2 50618074
You may also send your
cheques to SOS Malta at Dar L-Emigrant,
Castille Place, Valletta or at the following banks:
|
HSBC Bank Malta Plc |
A/c No. 006070932050 |
|
APS Bank Ltd. |
A/c No. 20000245111 |
|
Bank of Valletta Plc |
A/c No. 40013974950 |
The
committee would be indeed grateful if you would kindly forward this
appeal to all.
Thanking you in advance for your generous solidarity.
Sincerely,
Lilian
Miceli-Farrugia
Chairman
"The suffering of our peoples in Asia continues unabated"
Message from IFAT Executive Committee
4 January, 2005
To all our partners in IFAT,
The suffering of our peoples in Asia continues unabated. In the past
two years alone, we had SARS in China; bird flu in Vietnam;
huge floods in Bangladesh; landslides in the
Philippines; and now, one of the biggest
catastrophies in human history.
Our Asia Fair Trade Forum country representatives from Indonesia,
Thailand and India have informed us
that, although the casualties and damage in
their respective countries are staggering,
our IFAT members, their families and
producers have been largely spared. An
exception is Teddy Exports in South
India. Ganesan, the Finance Manager, was on
a Pilgrimage at Velankkani on the east coast
of Tamil Nadu when the tsunami struck; his
body was found early in the morning of
27 December.
Sri Lanka is another story.
Siyath Foundation found its field offices completely destroyed; two
large orders ready to be shipped, suddenly lost in the floods;
at least 12 bodies found in one of their
collection centers. Other Sri Lanka members
have not been able to ascertain who and how many of their
producers have been displaced to date.
The Sri Lanka Fair Trade Forum is embarking on a collective relief and
rehabilitation program, primarily for its fair trade members
and their producers, and secondarily, for
other displaced communities. Relief
activities involve provision of food, clothing, cooking utensils, etc.
Rehabilitation efforts will focus on building of basic
shelters.
On their behalf, I appeal for your assistance. Donations in cash or
kind may be sent to a central address below.
Cash Donations
Account Name: People's Organisation for Development Import & Export
Bank: Hatton National Bank Ltd., Rajapaksa Broadway, Negombo,
Sri Lanka Account No: 02-1113902-2 SWIFT
Code: H.B.LILKLX H.N.B. (Negombo Branch)
Donors are requested to advise Mr. Tyrell Fernando the follwing
details:
Name of Donor
Amount Remitting Bank and Date Remitted
Email address:
[email protected]
Donations in Kind (canned food, light clothing, medicines, basic home
utensils, etc.)
Attention: Mr. Tyrell Fernando
People's Organization for Development Import & Export
197/7 Padre Pio Mawatha
Off Thaladuwa Road, Negombo
Sri Lanka
Tel: 0094 31 2233773
Fax: 0094 31 2233774
Official receipts will be sent to donors by post. An Activity and
Financial Report will be submitted by the Sri Lanka Fair Trade
Forum to all donors.
Our members in Fair Trade Forum-India have evaluated the possibility
of a collective relief program for affected
communities in South India and their appeal
appears below this message.
To all those who have already extended their help, thank you very
much.
In solidarity,
CLARIBEL DAVID
Asia Representative
IFAT Executive Committee
____________________________________________________________
APPEAL FROM FAIR TRADE FORUM - INDIA
Dear Friends,
The National Secretariat of FTF-I has been raising a Relief Fund with
voluntary contributions from member and fraternal organizations
as part of its initiative to extend support
to the Tsunami affected in the Southern
states of India.
We have so far assessed the impacts of the disaster through our member
organizations in the affected areas and tried to identify the
priority areas for the support to be
extended.
We invite our member organizations, fraternal organizations as well as
individuals to contribute generously and extend support to the
affected persons. Monetary support is
necessary to help the most affected without
delay.
To contribute to this noble cause, you can send cheques/ DDs in favour
of 'Fair Trade Forum - India' payable at New Delhi at the
following
address: -
Fair Trade Forum - India
148, Sukhdev Vihar
Mathura Road
New Delhi - 110025
Ph: 011-55264630, 011-26918040
Fax: 011-26838885
Email:
[email protected]
Looking forward to your valuable advice and support.
Yours truly,
Shyam S. Sharma, Ph.D.
"they have no homes, no clothes,
they have lost everything they had saved and invested"
29 December
GOSPEL HOUSE HANDICRAFTS LTD329, KURUNEGALA ROAD MADAMPE NWP SRI LANKA
TEL (+94) (0) 32 2247575, (+94) (0) 32 2247712 FAX (+94) (0) 32 2247646 |
 |
Dear Friends,
The
packing staff at Gospel House are very busy stuffing relief supplies.
Attached are a few pictures of the activity at GHH.
Thanks for all of you who have initiated programmes in your country to collect money and material for Sri Lanka. Thanks for all of you who have sent us funds for our relief efforts. The magnitude of this disaster is beyond imagination for us. Both young and old and every Sri Lankan is grieved at this time and all of them are helping in their own little ways for the victims.
Yesterday I did another trip a little south of Colombo and the devastation has pushed our country 10 years behind. I found a mother holding a school bag of her son who was 6 years and yelling wanting her son back. The son was washed with the wave and she never found him. TV channels are flashing pictures of kids who can early remember their parents names found at different places. Scores of stories of total families killed/lost. A beloved friend of mine since we were 6 years called me last night that he went on a search for his sister and her family. After a frantic search he found their car and the bodies of his sister hugging the two teenaged daughters stuck in the car. His BIL is not be found. The three bodies were buried at that spot as they were badly decomposed.
I visited Vincent (from Egoda Uyana), a producer of Gospel House who had fled when the river by the side of his home over flew in to his home but he moved to safety. He is back and did not suffer any injuries. Soon after seeing him I had to drive down the road bordering the Indian Ocean there were many make shift funeral houses and even two days later 3 bodies floating in the sea. It was bizarre as there was a funeral of seven- all members of the same family. The official death count by the government is around 18000. But there are bodies still floating in the sea and no one wants to handle them as they are badly decomposed and cannot be identified. So many are still lost and the Media is announcing names of people who are lost. Most of the dead are children and women both young and old.
As
we can see the worst stage of disaster will be in a few weeks when the
refugees have to move back to their homes, the fisherfolk have to go
back to sea, the people have to go back to work and the children have
to go back to school. They have no homes, no clothes, lost everything
they had saved and invested, no fishing boats and nets and no school
books and uniforms and no schools, lost their beloved friends. All
most all of them that I spoke to who lost houses said they lost all-
their birth certificates and everything in their house and their
houses too. They only had the clothes they wore when disaster stuck
them at a time when they were totally unprepared. 99% of the victims
are the extreme poor community.
On 30th by 3am the GH and the "Agape Medical Mission" teams will be leaving for Tangalle (the Southern coast of Sri Lanka) carrying food and medical supplies. This will be the phase 1 of our programme and early next week we will be leaving with a stock of other essential items. I know this will be even less than a drop in the ocean but we will do what we can.
The need of the hour is for Food, Water, Clothing ( specially undergarments for both men and women), Clothing for children and infants, Mats, Pillows, Mosquito nets, feeding bottles and medicines,. Within the next few weeks the persons displaced will need kitchen utensils and other basics before they move back to their own shelter.
We will keep you updated daily but if you do not hear from us on the 30th it is just that we all will be in Tangalle. We will make sure that we take pictures of the relief work carried out and sent to you or placed on a website.
Please pray for us.
Gospel House Team.
PS. We attach our previous emails below.
GOSPEL HOUSE HANDICRAFTS LTD
329, KURUNEGALA ROAD
MADAMPE
NWP
SRI LANKA
TELEPHONE :- (+94) (0) 32 2247575, (+94) (0) 32 2247712
FAX :- (+94) (0) 32 2247646
Dear friends,
Email of 28th December
It is the morning of 28th Dec. We are very thankful for all your mails, calls & the support. We have made contact with the Producers in Moratuwa and they are safe.
The deaths have gone up to 13500 this morning. Still the missing is not accounted for yet. The Water, sugar, milk powder packs, biscuits been delivered to the office of GHH packing room. Tonight few of the production staff of GH will commence packing. We have some friends from Holland, UK & the US that will be sending clothes. Cooking utensils are much needed too. It is nice to see how the GH Production staff is working taking much responsibility in organising. This is a good experience too. We see much team work.
Many of you have requested the bank details to send financal help. The bank accounts are as following. Please use the account relevant to the currency that you will send
For US $ - Transfers
A/c NO - DFCA/WEL/USD - 01
Bank of Ceylon
Colombo 6 - SRI LANKA
For Pound Starlings,
A/c - DFCA/WEL/STG-04
Bank of Ceylon
Colombo - 6 Sri Lanka
For EURO Transfers
A/c NO - 0087 55 3000002 5
Bank of Ceylon
NRFC Dept.
PO BOX 1234
Colombo 1
Sri Lanka.
Please let us know when you transfer and please mention purpose of transfer as "Flood Relief"
Thanks very
Shiran Karunaratne
---- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, December 27, 2004 7:24 PM
Subject: Fw: Relief - Gospel House - 2
Dear Friends,
Some of you may be receiving a mail from us for the first time or this may be the second. In any case, we attached our first mail below.
At the moment, all Producers of Gospel House are OK. We still cannot contact one of our producers south of Colombo - Moratuwa. This is a family group and is the producer for the turning items (Products as Skittles). Their small production centre was by the Moratuwa River. Modestus has tried to go this evening to that area and seems very very difficult to get to the place. He will go to that area again tomorrow.
Gospel House was to have their annul family get-to-gather party on the 2nd January. All producers felt that they should cancel this big party and contribute to the Relief of the south. This is where all started. In fact today been a holiday at Gospel House, the office is working in arranging the relief.
Modestus did visit some of the areas that were badly affected by the tidal waves just South of Colombo and most of them being fisherfolk have lost their belongings and abandoned their houses and moved to refugee camps. He with a few volunteers from his church did asses the damage.
As we have said in our last mail the Destruction is too much for our country and we at Gospel House will be doing in our small way to assist some of the people who are suffering. As you may know by now the official death toll is now increased beyond 8000 and still people are unaccounted. As this was a holiday season so many were travelling to the south and there are reports of families being washed away in the flash Tidal waves.
Right now the affected people do need food, water, clothes and medicines. In a few days they will need shelter and cooking utensils.
To meet the immediate need We
just manage to organise the first load of relief to the effected
areas. The GH team with two trucks with food & 1200 cans of Drinking
water, will leave on the 29th early hours. We will be taking a
qualified medical team from AGAPE MEDICAL MISSION a small medical
relief organitation but with much exprience in conducting free
medical clinics in Sri Lanka with medical supplies too. GH has
set aside US $ 2000 from our finances for this for the start. If
any of you would like to partner with us you are welcome to do so
in this effort.
We see the immediate need is also for clothes. The people who fled
for safety had to go away only with what they were dressed at that
time. So if you know any friends or any organitations that are
willing to send clothes ( used) etc... please let us know. We
have spoken to the Director General of Customs in Sri Lanka and he
has personally assured us that all material aid consigned to
Gospel House will be allowed free of duties, taxes and other
levies. It is very important that we receive only used clothes
(washed and dried) as at this time all relief coming into Sri
Lanka is screened by Health Authorities. Also please keep in mind
that Warm wear will be of NO/ LITTLE USE at this stage.
We hope to do the second trip as soon as we come back from the
first . You are welcomed to be partners of this relief Programme.
Your help at this time of need in this country is much apricated.
All fincial help will be used for medical supplies and food.
Please feel free to contact us.The telecommunications facilities
are very bad right now and please feel free to txt (SMS) Modestus
on +94777390041 or me on +94777390042. If you are unable to
contact us. please text us we will be happy to call you back with
information.
You can use the following address for any delievery.
Gospel House Handicrafts,
329, Kurunagala Road,
Madampe, - 61230
SRI LANKA.
Thank you for all your concern
and love.
Sincerely,
Shiran
Email of 27th December
Dear Friends
It is 1.25 am on the 27th December here in Sri Lanka and many in this Island are still awake following the latest situation here. As the International media has reported Sri Lanka has never been ready for such a Natural Disaster and spread through most of the Country. You may be receiving many emails today from other Countries in the region.
Both Shiran and me have received so many telephone calls and SMS and emails enquiring of the situation here. Thanks for your concern.
I just don't know what to write to you the disaster is so enormous and our Country cannot bear it. The death toll is rising by the minute.Soon after the morning flash tidal waves only 150 deaths were reported but now after 12 hours the death toll is over 4300. Over 200000 homes have been destroyed. This is the worst disaster in living memory.
I saw the disaster with my own eyes as I went personally to the Wester coast (Colombo) beach and saw the carnage. Pictures on TV show loved ones hugging the bodies of their beloved and our whole country is mourning at this time. There are reports of entire trains loaded with passengers and hundreds of busses been washed off to the sea. Some victims have been tourist who went to sea to enjoy the beautiful weather early this morning. Some entire villages have been washed away without any survivors.
Gospel House will be moving into the effected areas carrying relief (food, drinking water, dry food) as soon as we can consolidate a stock of such items and group our selves.
In a few hours I will be going to a few places that are badly effected( Providing I have permission to get in to such areas) to see how best we could help them.
Please pray for our country at this time.
Regds
Modestus
