Phuket, Thailand: Milk needed for tsunami kids

A charity daycare center in Bang Muang (Phuket, Thailand) has appealed for donations of milk for small children. The “Nice Care Center” behind the Tambon Administration Organization in Baan Bang Muang, near Baan Nam Kem, is run by the Duang Pratheep Foundation in Bangkok.

Coordinator Rojana Phraesrithong explained that the daycare center looks after more than 150 children as their parents struggle to make a living. Some children stay overnight and at weekends if both parents are out fishing.

K. Rojana explained that, immediately after December’s disaster, many people donated milk and other necessities but now, with fewer people visiting the camp, supplies are running low.

“The center has more than 150 children, aged from three to 18 years old. The little ones need pasteurized, sterilized or powdered milk,” she said.

Anyone wishing to donate milk should contact K. Rojana at Tel: 09-8941738.


(Source: Phuket Gazette)

Sri Lanka: Art Therapist Volunteer Needed

Ms. Paulson writes to us:

Food For Life Global is currently looking for a qualified Art Therapist to volunteer at Gokulam – Bhaktivedanta Children’s Home in Sri Lanka.

Food For Life Global was so impressed by the level of care at Gokulam, that we have sponsored the home and are working to raise funds that are desperately needed due to the 100 tsunami orphans arriving currently.

On top of traditional fundraising we are also creating a whole new venture: Children Of The Tsunami – Arts, Gifts, and Education. COTTAGE will be a line of greeting cards designed with the art work of the children, with all proceeds going to the Children’s Home. COTTAGE is a project intended to financially support the children of Gokulam, to raise awareness about the Home and to provide the children with an artistic outlet. We hope to facilitate creative art therapy for the orphans, enabling them to express themselves in a unique way.

We’re open to any ideas or proposals, but are hoping for a two or three week project. FFL will provide housing, meals, and all art supplies needed.

Please contact us know if you, or someone you know, may be interested.

Thank You,
JenRenee Paulson
Food For Life Global
jenrenee@ffl.org

Help Needed in Thailand

From our comments section:

For those seeking to help in Southern Thailand, Please contact Dan at http://thailandtsunamirelief.blogspot.com for Handclasp International. Your helping hands are welcomed and needed!

Tina Juliano
http://thailandtsunamirelief.blogspot.com/

Information Request about Sri Lankan Families

Peter Freeman sends this request by email

I am very concerned about the welfare of two families that we visit, every time we visit your country, they live in the south western area of Sri Lanka. in the area of Moragalla. Berawala, & Bentota, the two families in question that I am worried about are as follows, as I have since found out that the area they live in has been affected, I have had several people come back to me, with the same reply each time, get in touch with the Sri Lanka tourist board, these people are not tourists but Sri Lanka Families, Please Help me find out if they are ok.

Mr Susantha De-Silva & Family
No. 155a Maradana Road
Moragalla
Beruwala

ALSO

Mr.& Mrs. S. Ramesena & son
221 D2 Gameda Road,
Kaluwamedara
Aluthgama.

Any news of their safety & well being, (hopefully all is well with them) any news would be greatly appreciated

Thanking you for your time trouble & patience, I hope there is a positive response.

I can be contacted on the following
E:mail address: greenstone22@btinternet.com
Or on the telephone at 07796 675291
Or by post to Mr. Peter Freeman
22, Ashburton Road
Ickburgh
Norfolk, IP26 5JA

SURVEY OF NAI YANG BEACH, THALANG - PHUKET

FIELD REPORT TO NAI YANG BEACH, THALANG, Phuket
===============================================
22 january 2005


Survey carried out by paola dm, tsunami help volunteer
in Phuket


I carried out a survey of my local neighborhood this weekend.

Here the situation is much less dramatic than in other areas, I hear, like
India and Sri Lanka for example. Basic needs are met, and is just a question of getting people back to their lifes.

In Phanga Provence up north people are still living in tents and although massive relief operations are in place, there is little 'on the ground' information of who they are and what exactly they need, so that people can help them directly

I can try to go to Phanga over the next couple of weeks, but if some volunteers are already there please post the info and spare me the journey.


By providing some basic data I hope donors who are wondering 'how can I help'
can get involved directly, and to encourage more field reports from other areas to be posted.

Similar granular data of people in other countries may be useful





Some small shops have started trading, although there are very few shoppers around, some have plans to do so within a few months and some have the means to get back to work, in the hope that life may go back to normal.

A few others still live in tents here too, although the only way to find out is to survey the areas in person.


Any donors, persons or entities interested in helping out any of the families below, kindly post a comment to this notice, so that others may keep track of whos getting what and decide to allocate their help accordingly

Please note that residents and shop keepers beach side may be asked to move
at the end of the season due to govenrment plans to rationalise (and protect from exploiteation?) the area


thanks


SUMMARY
=========
Nai Yang beach lies a few kms south of Phuket airport
Only nine people died in this location, over a hundred injured, but many many missing.

It has been the home of many small businesses and a only a couple of larger hotels
beacause it is near a national park protected area

Currently there are plans to move the small businesses away from the beach, so many discussions are taking place between some stalls owners and the government

I started my survey of needs at the southmost tip of the beach, and walked my way north to check out the situation, as this is the best that I can do for my neighborhood

I asked the following questions to the residents who were there at the time of my visit name of business and type of activity damage suffered help received from government and other sources plans for the future resources needed to start again

Below is what I found out,

I HAVE NOT VERIFIED the information provided
Please direct your resources as you see fit

Also note that from interviews I understand that only business owners who
are originally from this district have received help from the government,
all other residents who are originally from other districts or provinces
are not receiving any help


ALL AMOUNTS IN THAI BAHT

BANKS RESTAURANT
==================
This is a small family restaurant, (I was a regular there)
Their entire house and business has been completely wiped out, together with ALL their
belongings.

The family of three however is resourceful and happy to be alive
They found sufficient resources withing family and friends, in five days they have rebuilt a small house
and are planning to set up a new kitchen and open their small restaurant again

They say they have received the following financial assistance so far


2000 thai baht for loss of employment
15.000 +20.000 compensation for damage to property

they received contributions in kind from friends and relatives
to build their home equal to 120.000

they plan to open again april or october

they need to build the kitchen and buy all restaurant equipement
estimated cost 150.000
and they need to repair their fishing boat and buy a fishing net
25.000


CONTACT MR WALLOP SAELAO
TEL 66 1 9785728
(thai and english)

========================================================================
CHAO
===============
Bank's owner told me that mr CHAO is their next door neighbor (south side) who has lost his home and small restaurant
but the land may no longer be suitable because now there is a river on their land
He may have to find land elsewhere

contributions received so far: not known
estimated need 150.000


CONTACT MR WALLOP SAELAO/BANKS RESTAURANT
TEL 66 1 9785728
(thai and english)
=======================================================================

MR SOM CHAI TANOM KIT

used to live next door (norht side) to BANKS, he was a caretaker
to a house that has been partly destroyed (half of the walls are down)
he has no house and no job, and has not received any compensation by the govenrnment
probably because he is not originally a local resident
To help him

CONTACT MR WALLOP SAELAO/BANKS RESTAURANT
TEL 66 1 9785728
(thai and english)
========================================================================

SEASON RESTAURANT

Lost everything, received 2000 +20.000 (loss of job+compensation for damage to property)
needs approx 150.000 to start trading again

MRS AROM
66 76 260487

=======================================================================

THE TAILOR SHOP

The tailor is a senior man, his wife is dead, the building destroyed and all stock and belogings gone

He has received 2000+20.000,(loss of job+compensation for damage to property)

needs 150.000 to set up the shop again

contact MRS AROM if you wish to help the tailor

MRS AROM
66 76 260487

===================================================================

MR CLONG

used to have long chairs and umbrellas, and all his business is gone
he has also received 20,000 in contributions but needs 70.000 to start again

======================================================================

SUNSET BAR

It was a wooden bar built around a tree, used to serve alcohol
only the tree is left, the owner seems fit and resourceful

has received 12.000 compensation,
need over 100.000 to start again

mr yom theptons
66 6 9405239

=====================================================================
BEACH CLUB

they used to serve alcohol and play lound music
have received `15.000 in contributions, and see to have sufficient resources to
start their business again in October

mr KAEW
66 7 891 2384

====================================================================

OCTOPUS RESTAURANT
DOLPHIN TRAVEL AGENTS

Two brothers, Lost all building and equipment but they have managed to
re-open and now they are back in business with a few tables (not the travel agents
who are still closed)

received 7.000 need 150.000 they say

MR LEK 01 6763499

========================================================================

HANA SEAFOOD SEEMS BACK IN BUSINESS

=================================================================


MR NIEW AND MR KAI told me they used to have a long tail boat
to take tourists around, and now have lost their business
they were sitting outside HANA SEAFOOD and told me they have only
received 2000 baht for loss of employment
they only speak thai phonr 66 9 9098575

====================================================================

SEA BEACH

this to me seemed perhaps the most urgent

the old lady Mama Ruai used to have this restaurant and also lived on the premises
the wave has wiped everything including all personal belongings, and they have lived
in a tent for the past three weeks

now they have built a small room with thin wooden walls around the ruins
and have no means to get back on their feet
also they did not keep money in the bank so all their savings are gong

they only have two tables and six chairs and a little handwritten sign
outside the wrecked premises says 'open for tea and coffee'
they dont have tables, tableware, cooker, fridge but also apparently no personal
things

her daughter used to have a small bar and gift shop next door, and everything is gone

the daughter has a child who attends the local school
Muang Thalang

Help received so far: 2000+15.00+2000+7.000
(loss of job+compensation for damage to property)
Need over 150.000 to purchase all restaurant equipment

They spoke little English but their sister can speak some

MRS SOMCHAI
66 1 0877977

============================================================================

an English couple Erik and Lili Walker have provided the tents for Mama Ruai and her
family

they are residents at the pearl village opposite and are willing to coordinate
any help around the beach until the beginning of april 2005

66 69 533 124

enwalker2003@yahoo.co.uk


======================================================================

THE MASSAGE LADIES

a very kind donor from switzerland, mrs Erika, has purchased large
umbrellas for the group of massage ladies on the beach

Erika is also trying to sponsor all the schooling needs for all the affected
children of Nai Yang, she should be back next month


=============================================================================
MRS TRI


A disabled lady who used to sell refreshments opposite the Sea Beach
has no hands due to some illness
she has received contributions around 40.000 but she may be moved
elsewhere, and may need help with her child and elderly mother

also the husband has lost boat, engine and fishing net


MRS TRI
66 4 1902676

==========================================================================

MRS NUWARAT

used to have a small restaurant and lost everything
she has not received any help from the government because she is from
another province
her papers show a loss of approx 143.0000

mrs Nuwarat
09 5869852

=============================================================================

MARIO TOURS

Mario (my travel agent btw) has managed to save his couple of cars and bikes
but has lost shop, his wife clothes next door and most of his trade
they have two children and live in rented accommodation in a village nearby

He is doing some taxi driving for the moment
may need to move his business elsewhere

contributions received 4000+9000
(loss of job+compensation for damage to property)
Estimated damage 150.000+

mario1bee@hotmail.com
66 1 2723549

=====================================================================

FARMA AND MALE

Two very poor ladies with lots of children who used to sell drinks
on the beach have lost their only asset: the drink cooler full of drinks
They are now struggling and living with an income of 20 bah per day

any help offered please contact MARIO above


======================================================================

KWANTA

Kwanta restaurant has been wiped with all its equipment
she told me she has received private donations sufficient to basic needs to start again,


she has also provided a list of telephone numbers of other
businesses near her who have been affected if you wish to help them



KWANTA 66 1 2722595
SUPANEE (help needed posted on this notice board ten days ago)
66 1 8949939

KOBI (KWANTA'S BROTHER bar next door) 01 8941913
ULA SHOP 66 7 2641536
POINPEN 66 1 8959489

=====================================================================

IF YOU ASSIST ANY OF THE PEOPLE ABOVE PLEASE POST A COMMENT HERE
SO THAT OTHERS MAY DIRECT THEIR EFFORTS ACCORDINGLY

FROM THE PEOPLE OF NAI YANG BEACH,
ESPECIALLY FROM THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN


MANY THANKS


PAOLA DM

An Urgent Appeal For Clothes From The Commanding Officer Of Jaffna - Sri Lanka

Last night I received a call on my cell phone from Major S.R. Tirumavithane, who is the Commanding Officer in the North of Sri Lanka from the 4th Gemmunu Watch. He said that 2 of his battalions (no longer active but stationary) were hit hard by the Tsunami on Dec 26th, and they've lost everything they had.

He's been feeding the people with dry rations but is urgently appealing for clothes - adult sized ones. Major S.R. Tirumavithaneis appealing to anyone who can clothe the people in 2 of his batalions (400 people/batallion), he also said that he can give full Sri Lanka Airforce clearance for the clothes coming by plane. The Commanding Officer for the North of Sri Lanka can be reached on +94 0212264155

Meanwhile i've found out that theres a person named - Patrick Perera who's working closely with the STF to transport and distribute supplies primarily to the East of Sri Lanka. At the moment they are supplying to the coastal areas between Pandirippu and Panama. They currently have around eleven large trucks for transportationof goods and personnel on the ground to assist with distribution. They should also be able to provide assistance moving areas to other parts of the island as well.


Also Expo Air have offered free flights for this tsunami crisis:

Conditions of carriage:

* Expo Air is only responsible for loading, transportation and unloading of all relief cargo to an from aircraft
* Carriage of ONLY essential relief goods
* Each shipment should be 10,000 kgs (8 tonnes)
* All trucks carrying cargo MUST be weighed and certified of the weight from a weighbridge.
* Shipper's representative shall accompany their cargo and de dropped off at destination.

Flight Schedule - All flights will commence from Ratmalana Airport


* 2 x flights daily to Ampara at 06:00 & 06:15 hrs
* 1 x flight daily to Wirawila at 08:30 hrs
* 1 x flight daily to Batticaloa at 11:00 hrs
* 1 x flight daily to Jaffna at 13:30 hrs

Please contact GERARD JANSZ (of Expo Air) on 0777 186519 in case you have any cargo you need to drop off at these destinations.

Should you need assistance in consolidating several requests into one shipment of 10,000 kgs/ 8 tonnes, you could contact the CHA Information Centre on 4737782 or 4737783 for assistance.



If anyone can please help these 2 affected battalions in the North please do so and get in touch with Major S.R. Tirumavithane on 0212264155 - they need URGENT help in any way possible.


Posted on Behalf of the Commanding Officer of Jaffna.

Plea By Rotary Club of Colombo Regency: Urgently Needed Relief Items

The urgently needed items in Sri Lanka are - tents, food rations, medicines and child care products.

We are cuurently in the process of getting quotes for the items listed to secure sponsorships.

For more information, please visit the weblog site - www.reliefforsrilanka.blogspot.com


Tharanga Gunaratne (Immediate Past President),
The Rotary Club of Colombo Regency

Fishermen in Phuket, Thailand need engines and nets

We are surveying the local community for mid term needs.

Most fishermen living on the west coast which was affected by the Tsunami have lost part, or most of their equipment.

I am aiming at making a list, but any well intentioned donors could perhaps start organising the operation, I am estimating up to a hundred on this island

Ideally, volunteers interested in helping with this project would coordinate with International Fishermen Associations and local representatives as they can help 'rationalise ' the effort so that help is distributed equally around individuals based on their existing condition, extent of the losses and economic need

Fish is indeed becoming more expensive around here and currently most supply is imported

One lady, Sirithai50@hotmail.com, who was affected by the wave and lives on a beach, has volunteered to coordinate close to her, north of Phuket. She has also lost her entire business and may need some wood and a hand to build her shop

Contact me through the link available in my signature if you need to contact me

Boats and Fishing Nets Needed in Nagore, Tamil Nadu, India

NAGORE (TN): The tidal waves from the sea devoured their near and dear ones and all belongings. Yet, the sea beckons them, as irresistibly as ever, for a hard-earned living and to end a life on others' mercy.


The fishernmen of this village, who survived the tsunami onslaught, are restless to return to the sea for earning a living instead of staying in relief camps.

"Give us boats and fishing nets. We want to go to the sea and earn livelihood on our own. For how many more days should we stand in such queues waiting for food and water?" says Mayyalakan, a fisherman.

Source: The Times Of India, 11 Jan 05

India: Help a child get back to school

Narain had wrote to us about his effort in getting TN kids get back to school:

We along with the Akshara Advertising agency has launched a website aiming at helping children in TN to get back to their school. As you aware of the fact that, they lost all the things, we tried to help them with basic School support materials.

The cost of each kit is Rs.225 (approx US$ 5) and you can do your bit, by visiting this link.

Party in the Middle East to raise relief funds for Tsunami Victims

Party in the Middle East to raise relief funds for Tsunami Victims:

A major event is to be held on Thursday 13th January 2005 in Bahrain to raise funds for the tens of thousands killed in the Tsunami that obliterated much of the coastline of South East Asia last week. The idea was spawned by Radio Bahrain personality Krazy Kevin, whose frequent messages of sympathy for victims over the airwaves sparked himself and the vocally talented Jo Lincoln to form a committee to host a major fundraiser.

Under the umbrella of the newly named ‘Tsunami Relief Fund’, the event, ’Hands Across the Water” will be held at the Diplomat Radisson SAS (Bahrain), in their Grand Ballroom. The hotel has kindly offered its services and staff free of charge for this event.

Many of Bahrain’s societies and prestigious companies have come together to help organise the event, which will almost certainly raise a generous amount of money, 100% of which will be sent to those affected by the disaster through the international charity organisation DEC (Disaster Emergency Committee), an independent body which distributes funds evenly to people displaced by tragedies such as the tsunami.

The fundraiser will be from 2pm to 12am (midnight), with the hours between 2pm-5pm being allocated for families, and many exciting events for the whole family will be available, such as a bouncy castle, face painting and much more. 6pm to 12am (midnight) will be for adults only, where some of Bahrain’s local talented bands have offered to entertain visitors. In addition, there will be raffles with great prizes throughout the day kindly donated by Bahrain’s local companies.

Entrance tickets are BD3 ($8-USD) for adults & BD1 ($2.65-USD) for children.

If you would like to get involved in the event by sponsoring, donating, or for more information on the ‘Hands Across the Water’ please contact Krazy Kevin on 39891757, if you are dialing from outside Bahrain, please call +973-39891757 or email kraazykevin@yahoo.com


Source: Djs - Krazy Kevin from Radio Bahrain - 96.5FM & Gulf Daily News - Kingdom of Bahrain

Psychological Intervention for Disaster Victims - Volunteers Needed

Urgent Appeal for Volunteer Expertise in Psychological Intervention:

Dear friends,
We have received an appeal from the Center for Psychology in Malaysia for professional trainers/psychologists in the area of psychological crisis & disaster intervention (including crisis counseling, psychological trauma support, disaster intervention, disaster psychology). These would be people who would be willing to volunteer their time for about a week or more in Malaysia.

The immediate goal is to equip teams in Malaysia interested in helping in short-term psychological relief efforts for thousands of children and adults in areas most badly affected by the tsunami i.e. Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and India.
The long-term goal is to explore ways to sustain psychological relief work in the above areas.

The Center is exploring the following possibilities for input from experts from the United States:
1. training Malaysian practitioners on how to train paraprofessionals, aid workers and volunteers in providing immediate psychological support to tsunami victims. (3-4 day training)
2. an introductory training to aid workers and volunteers already going or considering going to the affected areas (half-day training)
3. facilitating a seminar on exploring ways in helping rebuild the mental health infrastructure, community capacity-building, and the reconstruction of individual well-being in the affected areas (one-day seminar)

This request is still at the proposal stage. However, the Center will fund transportation and accommodation costs for 2 -3 experts.
Ideally, we are looking for American experts already in the region of South Asia. Having worked with people in Asia would be a plus. The training provided needs to keep in mind the geographical and cultural aspects of the affected region.

The center has received multiple requests to help in the manner of crisis counseling, but there is very limited resources and expertise to turn to in Malaysia itself. Any ideas you may have in dealing with this massive tragedy is welcomed at this stage. Finally, if you know of funding agencies willing to provide funds for mental health efforts in these affected areas, please let us know.

Contact us by email at quickhelp_world@yahoo.com

Regards.
Brendan J. Gomez & Patricia Ang
Pennsylvania State University

Click here for more info

Message board for volunteers and aid organisations in German

Dirk Jung has set up a German language message board for volunteers who want to travel to the disaster region, and for organisations who are looking for volunteers to help there.

Help Needed in Thailand, Phanga Prov. Yan Yao Temple

Report from Phanga, Thailand 8 jan 2005, 8pm local time


Yan Yao temple,


Two german volunteers are shifting dead bodies from the refrigerators to the

table for identification purposes.

they say that they are well looked after, but there are about 5000 bodies yet

to be handled

If anyone feels they have the right skills and happen to be in the area
please go give them a hand

Also limited internet access in the area, if someone could set up an internet access point it could be helpful

Food For Life (FFL)Tsunami Relief Volunteers Needed For Sri Lanka

Registration does not guarantee a position on the FFL Relief Team. We must assess your qualifications and match them to the needs on the ground. You will be contacted within 7 days of your registration. Please note the following information and prerequisites:

You will need to take care of all visa requirements, travel and immunization shots (Cholera, Typhoid, Hep A & B). VegTravel has agreed to temporarily provide wholesale travel discounts for all bonafide FFL volunteers. You must have a return ticket. Volunteers will be picked up at the airport in Colombo, and after a rest, driven to the distribution sites about 10 - 12 hours away. We would ideally like all selected volunteers to be able to arrive on January 15th.

We would like all volunteers to understand that at this time, Food for Life is concentrating on food relief and that conditions are austere. Understand, there may be delays and obstacles along the way. You may be asked to do very simple tasks like cutting up vegetables and cleaning.

FFL will be setting up two new food relief operations from scratch. We are looking for 14 volunteers for these two operations. FFL will be providing accommodation, food and clean water to all volunteers.

Please click here for more info & to register yourself as a volunteer fro FFL

Tsunami Technology Help Needed (Hardware & Volunteers)

$ 4 billion has been pledged to provide for basic needs, in the meantime the is NO organised way of information gathering at this stage because of the nature of the calamity and understandably so.

I am volunteering to set up a team of tech guys to go to South Asia and setup database systems so that decison makers can have a pool to log into and get info at the click of the mouse. At this stage it makes much sense for all efforts to provide the basics , clean and safe water , medicines ,food and shelter. But you will realise that for this to be implemented effectively over time , a sound info system must be put in place so that decision makers know what to send where.

All we will be looking for are people to sponsor us specifically with the following so that we can donate our tech skills for some us who are unemployed BUT want to help.

(i)Desktop Computers - to setup database system.
(iiLaptops - to use on field trips to collect data.
(iii)Tech Volunteers - geeks prepared to go in South Asia and implement these systems.

We managed to get software from Linux and Microsoft distributors and are OK to this end.

We thank you in advance.

Robert Ndaba
TsunamiTechs
347 262 6417

Reply to: blackmanreality@yahoo.com

Volunteers needed for benefit auction in Exeter

Benefit Auction To Aid Victims Of The Tsunami Disaster In South Asia will be held in the beginning of March in Exeter. Both silent and live auctions will be held. Volunteers are needed to work on a committee to organize the event. Activities include calling companies for donations, making baskets for the silent auction table and writing press releases and letters. Volunteers are also needed to work on the day of the auction.

To volunteer or donate items, call Larry Provencher at 772-2522 or e-mail larryprovencher@yahoo.com.

Help rebuild Kosgoda in Sri Lanka

We, like many people, are wary of giving money to a government-run fund (subject to corruption and agendas) or even a huge relief organization, not knowing how the money will be used or where it's making an impact. We think that by focusing on a small part of the affected area, we can efficiently give assistance to people when and how it's needed, and not be overwhelmed by the sheer faceless numbers that we see in the media.

We want to help Kosgoda because we know these people, and we know what they need to rebuild their town and their lives. But obviously, that assistance requires money to fuel it. 100% of all money donated to this cause will go directly to the people who need it; as a group of locals and friends, we have no overhead and we know how best to use the funds. The effect of your funds will be reported on this site.

We can receive your donation in a number of ways. Note that personal checks, cash and bank transfers are preferred, since we have to pay transaction fees on credit cards.

By mail (North America):
Kosgoda Rebuilding Project
c/o Montessori International School
1230 N. Gilbert Rd.
Mesa, AZ 85203
(Checks must be written to Therese Kestner)

By mail (elsewhere):
Kosgoda Rebuilding Project
55/1A W.A. Silva Mawatha
Wellawatte, Sri Lanka
(Checks must be written to Mrs. R. S. W. Wickremesinghe)

In person: Drop off at the address above, or if you know one of the people involved, give it to him or her.

Bank transfer: Mrs. R. S. W. Wickremesinghe, account #0230196036, Bank of Ceylon, Wellawatte

Online: we can charge your credit card, thanks to U-Haul International.

By phone: Montessori International School in Arizona can take your credit card at (480) 890-1580.


For detailed information, please visit the Kosgoda Rebuilding website.

International Mission Board (IMB) - Volunteers Needed for Indonesia

Dozens of people and organizations have contacted our IMB office in Jakarta, asking if they can help. The answer is a qualified YES! At this point, assessment teams are just now being able to enter the afflicted areas. Once they have reported back we believe that we will need volunteers to enter this area.

Specifically, we are looking for three types of volunteers:

1) Those who have prior training in disaster relief, (e.g. - State Convention Baptist Disaster Relief teams), 2)medical personnel, and 3) those with expertise in water purification. If you have medical training, please consider coming on a rapid response emergency medical volunteer team.

We are specifically looking for Doctors, Surgeons, Nurses, Paramedics/EMT?s, and Pharmacists. Our goal is to have the first medical teams ready to enter some of the worst hit areas within two weeks. At this time, we are only seeking preliminary information to see who is interested in coming and/or in coordinating one of these medical teams. We will probably need volunteer teams to come into this area over the next few months. We have reports that hundreds of doctors are needed in Banda Aceh (the capital of Aceh province) alone.

Volunteers need to be in good health, have their passports current, be able to take off for a week to ten days on short notice and must be willing to work in very difficult areas. Literally tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people are in desperate need of medical care and are not receiving it. This tragedy can be a great opportunity for the people of God to show His love to a dying world.

If you are interested, you can contact Dr. Charles Cole at the Jakarta office of the IMB, Dr. Jim Brown (the coordinator of IMB World Hunger/Disaster Relief) or the Volunteers in Missions dept. at the IMB. We know that many of you who may not have medical or disaster training, may want to come as volunteers, however it is highly unlikely that we would gain permission for you to enter this area. Thank you for understanding these limitations. Again, thank you for your prayers, concern, financial gifts and your willingness to volunteer during this time of tragedy.

In Christ,
Dr. Charles Cole

For more information on volunteering, please contact one of the following:

Dr. Charles Cole: cbcole@emailworld.biz
Dr. Jim Brown: jbrown@imb.org

Church Mission Society (CMS): Relief Volunteers Needed

The Church Mission Society (CMS) is keen to respond as soon as possible to requests from some of our partner churches in Sri Lanka, India and South East Asia for suitable Christian professionals to go and work in those places for three months or longer.

We expect to recruit, select, prepare and send people who are:

• doctors
• community-health workers
• water or structural engineers
• construction professionals
• child-care workers
• community-development workers
• project managers
• psychiatrists and others experienced in trauma management counselling.

Please make these needs known to anyone whom you think might be suitable and ask her or him to contact stuart.buchanan@cms-uk.org.

CMS will soon have a full report of the needs in Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

We have these specialists visiting our partners and those in the affected areas in Sri Lanka and Indonesia:

• Adrian Watkins, CMS Regional Manager for South Asia
• Rev Dr Pat Nickson, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
• Garry Ion, specialist on building after natural disasters
• David Hall, who has worked for DFID as a water engineer

Canon Chye Ann Soh, CMS Regional Director and Shin Yong Tang, CMS Regional Manager for South East Asia leave shortly for Indonesia.

Please encourage enquirers to complete and return our enquiry form.

Forms received by 14 January can be taken by the team for consideration.

Downloadable enquiry form [word]

Download criteria

Please Help To Build An Orphanagefor The Tsunami Children In Southern Srilanka

Considering large number of small children orphaned by the tsunamiin Southern Sri Lanka the California based non profit corporation Insight Mission Society is raising a fund to build an orphanage in Southern Sri Lanka , the Society's Secretary Walter Jayawardhana told the media.

The Society President Venerable Pallebage Chandrasiri Thero said, at least US $ 30, 000 is necessary for the project.

Jayawardhana said the Society is trying to obtain a piece of land from a private donor, close to Matara, away from the sea for the Society to put up buildings. Any interested donor should contact Jayawardhana at the phone number appearing below.

All Checks for the project should be written to Insight Mission Society and mailed to c/o Walter Jayawardhana, 15419 Grevillea Avenue,Lawndale CA 90260.

Jayawardhana said at least two Buddhist temples in Southern California have also promised to divert funds collected by them to this project. Donations from UK, Canada and Australia are also welcome.

Those who are interested to know more details , please call the following telephone numbers for more details:

Venerable Pallebage Chandrasiri (818-768-9382) Walter Jayawardhana (310-644-0230) Kanthi Edirisinghe ( 310-756-6253) Ananda Markalanda (310-603-1326)

Anton Rowel (661-252-3540) Winnie Dissanayaka ( 818-231- 8097) Saman Boralage (818-633-4871) Kumaradasa Samarasinghe (909-983-0630)Doowe Siri Ariyawansa (818-731-1676) (EOM)

Volunteers needed in South India to help tsunami victims

A group of non-governmental organization, the Tsunami-South India NGO Coordination Cell, is currently recruiting volunteers to help with relief operations in South India.

The group is urgently needs Tamil-speaking volunteers to:

1. Manage the central stores in each zone, supervise packing of relief kits and assist the programme team in documentation; 2. Village-level workers to help in enumeration (keeping track of people in need of relief packages), relief kit packing, distribution and recording; 3.Work as counselors in villages.

The Tsunami-South India NGO Coordination Cell is working with 21 local NGOs in seven affected districts -- Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Kanyakumari, and Karaikkal. Relief is being provided to more than 16,000 families.

Speaking for the alliance, Dr Jacob Dharamaraj, Coordinator of the Cell said, "Ours is an informal alliance striving to make a dynamic change in the disaster-torn parts of South India. Staff and volunteers have been tirelessly working long days to set into place plans,
strategies, donations and volunteers to initiate relief, encouragement and a stable return to normality."

The group is also being supported by OXFAM, Hong Kong, Save the Children - UK, Save the Children - Finland, Concern Worldwide - Bhubaneswar and NOVIB.

Tsunami-South India NGO Coordination Cell
No 4, Sathalvar Street
Mugappair West
Chennai 600 037
Phone (Off) +91 44 26244211
+91 44 26357854
Fax (Off) + 91 44 26250315

Appeal to Volunteers from Director, VolunteerSriLanka.org

Dear Volunteers and friends of Sri Lanka:

As you all know, right now things are still very chaotic here. The Sri
Lankan government and the various responding agencies are still assessing
the extent of the damage and devising their long-term recovery and
reconstruction plans.

In response to the overwhelming offers of assistance, the Center for
National Operations, the Sri Lankan Government entity coordinating the
response, relief and recovery efforts, has approved the creation of
VolunteerSriLanka.org (VSL), to help match volunteers with organizations
responding to the disaster in Sri Lanka.

VSL will have a two-fold operational agenda. The first will be a volunteer
help desk to be set up at Bandaranaike International Airport. Volunteers
arriving in Sri Lanka will be able to register at the new VSL help desk.
The information provided will be made available to the major multinational
aid agencies, the major international NGOs and the bilateral aid programs.
However, our primary focus will be the 13,000 small local NGOs operating in
Sri Lanka – those in greatest need of assistance and with the least amount
of resources.

If you have already been placed by VSL, information will be available at the
airport concerning how to contact your sponsoring organization.

The second operational agenda for VSL will be the establishment of a website
that will allow volunteers to visit our website and register online, letting
us know their respective skills, experience, and other pertinent
information. You will also be able to find current information on the
situation in Sri Lanka, health and safety tips, travel suggestions, etc. We
hope to have our website available by Wednesday, January 12.

As soon as our website is ready we will be sending out another e-mail
announcing the launch and inviting everyone who has expressed interest thus
far to visit the website and register.

In the meantime, if you are traveling to Sri Lanka, please look for the VSL
desk upon arrival at the airport. If you live here or have already arrived,
please contact us at VolunteerSriLanka@hotmail.com or call us at +94 11
476-5500 to provide us with the information we need to match you with a
suitable organization.

We aren't guaranteeing we can place every volunteer, but we are dedicated to
matching those willing to sacrifice their time and effort with the needs of
organizations in Sri Lanka. Thank you again for your generous offers of
assistance and we will be in touch as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Tod Bruning
United States Fulbright Scholar
Director, VolunteerSriLanka.org

Appeal to Volunteers from Director, VolunteerSriLanka.org

Dear Volunteers and friends of Sri Lanka:

As you all know, right now things are still very chaotic here. The Sri
Lankan government and the various responding agencies are still assessing
the extent of the damage and devising their long-term recovery and
reconstruction plans.

In response to the overwhelming offers of assistance, the Center for
National Operations, the Sri Lankan Government entity coordinating the
response, relief and recovery efforts, has approved the creation of
VolunteerSriLanka.org (VSL), to help match volunteers with organizations
responding to the disaster in Sri Lanka.

VSL will have a two-fold operational agenda. The first will be a volunteer
help desk to be set up at Bandaranaike International Airport. Volunteers
arriving in Sri Lanka will be able to register at the new VSL help desk.
The information provided will be made available to the major multinational
aid agencies, the major international NGOs and the bilateral aid programs.
However, our primary focus will be the 13,000 small local NGOs operating in
Sri Lanka – those in greatest need of assistance and with the least amount
of resources.

If you have already been placed by VSL, information will be available at the
airport concerning how to contact your sponsoring organization.

The second operational agenda for VSL will be the establishment of a website
that will allow volunteers to visit our website and register online, letting
us know their respective skills, experience, and other pertinent
information. You will also be able to find current information on the
situation in Sri Lanka, health and safety tips, travel suggestions, etc. We
hope to have our website available by Wednesday, January 12.

As soon as our website is ready we will be sending out another e-mail
announcing the launch and inviting everyone who has expressed interest thus
far to visit the website and register.

In the meantime, if you are traveling to Sri Lanka, please look for the VSL
desk upon arrival at the airport. If you live here or have already arrived,
please contact us at VolunteerSriLanka@hotmail.com or call us at +94 11
476-5500 to provide us with t