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 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

Sri Lanka: Sponsor an Orphan

There are thousands of children in Sri Lanka who have lost their parents, or whose parents have lost their livelihood. You could sponsor an affected child and contribute towards his/her financial needs.

Vanguard will administer the process of selecting children, coordinating all activities, follow up activities including frequent personal visits and provide regular feedback to sponsors.

What is required from you are,

* A donation equivalent to a monthly payment of SLR.1250.00 or US$ 12.00
* Gifts for birthdays and religious/traditional festivals.
* Personal visit to the sponsored child at least once a year (if resident in SL)

For more information, please email orphans@vanguardfoundation.com or call Ms. Ashani Jayasinghe +94 (0) 777 397176

Counseling Work In Sri Lanka

Contact Person : Ashani Jayasinghe 0777-397174

Looking For Volunteers

In a time of deep distress, the best way you can help someone Is just to find the time to actually listen to them......

Vanguard foundation is on the look out for volunteers to be trained as counsellors to help the Tsumani victims In this time of trauma and turmoil If you can spare the time And you are interested .... please send us your details (Name, Contact Number etc.,) via email to info@vanguardfoundation.com (please indicate on the subject line "volunteer counsellors") or call 0777-397174 or fax 011-4614376

Please do pass this mail to your friends so they might have a chance to join with the aid work and help those people affected by the tsunami.

Info For All Medical Volunteers in Sri Lanka

Info For All Medical Volunteers Travelling to Sri Lanka, Please Contact Official Coodinator for the Tsunami Health Sector Response in Sri Lanka:

Dr. A. Harsha De Silva
Co-ordinating Officer for foreign Medcial Officers and Assistants
Tel: +94-777300177 or +94-723480642
Office: +94-112674680

Volunteers in Singapore

Calling all Volunteers in Singapore:

Call 24-hour hotline 6416-6655 to volunteer your services. You will be matched to the various organisations according to their needs.

Help Needed in Kerala, India

From our reader:

The St. Joseph International Academy In Kerala,India (in the area around Kollam one of the hardest hit regions in Kerala) needs assistance.

Please contact Mr. Fernandez over the website http://www.stjosephinternationalacademy.com/ .

I had wished to go myself but was unable to gather enough money for my costs. I would be thankful for any teachers who would be willing to go help at this school. My name is Debra Koehler and I can be reached at koehlerdebra@yahoo.de . Here you can also pay for a childs education for one year which includes all day care for 150.00 us dollars per child.This school plays an important role for the education of poor families. Please adopt a child for a year. Thanks Debra

How to help in India - AID India Appeal

There is still a need for volunteers here for different teams. There is also a similar need of volunteers who can spend a few days in Pondicherry/Cuddalore/Nagai/Kanyakumari, preferably those who can speak Tamil. There is also a need for doctors, paramedics and community health workers.

Read more here

Help Preganant Women thru UNFPA

Among those affected by the Tsunamis in Asia are tens of thousands of pregnant and nursing women. Like all expectant mothers, these women need adequate nutrition and access to vitamins, medicines and antenatal care to deliver safely. Even in the best of circumstances, more than 15 per cent of these women would need emergency obstetric care. The trauma caused by the earthquake and tsunamis could push this risk even higher.

In the wake of the disaster, UNFPA is working with partners to assess immediate needs and to supply life-saving medicines and supplies to enable pregnant women to deliver safely. Other UNFPA include emergency obstetric care and the establishment of temporary health facilities.

Read more here

United Nations : Volunteers needed in Srilanka

Source : Voice For Help

Volunteers are needed for United Nations to support relief work in Sri
Lanka. You can help them by providing your professional skills or by on the
ground relief services. If you are interested please contact United Nations
office and add your name to the volunteer database.


Volunteers are needed for United Nations to support relief work in Sri
Lanka. You can help them by providing your professional skills or by on the
ground relief services. If you are interested please contact United Nations
office and add your name to the volunteer database.

Contact UNDP Office 0112580691-7/ 0776904029 (Juan)
UNDP Office
202-204 Bauddhaloka Mawatha
Colombo
P.O BOX 1505

Smile Foundation seeks credible NGOs onsite in Tamil Nadu

Smile is a small organisation working with children in eight states. We are interested in finding people/organisation with whom we could partner with for long term rehab of children/commmunities. They would like to get in touch with some credible people/organisation with whom possibilities could be explored.

We all are aware of the havoc created by Tsunami in coastal regions of South Asia spilling over to southern and Island states of our country. Thousands of families have been disaster struck, many swept away by tidal waves and untraceable, the survivors battling for life and survival while being completely awestricken and completely defenseless. Misery falling on them no extent. Our families suffering the worst human pain of experiencing their loved ones having been swept away, home having vanished and life completely at the verge of ruin.

While we can not replace what they have lost but we can certainly make our small human endeavor by attending to their most urgent and pressing immediate need and contribute our might to collectively help bring down the miseries. Smile Foundation, being a developmental support agency working for welfare of children, cannot remain a mute spectator such human catastrophe.

Smile Foundation therefore seeks your help by providing some credible non-governmental organizations active in disaster struck areas of Tamil Nadu with whom it could tie-up for canalizing its contribution in relief measures.

You are requested to respond IMMEDIATELY.

The organizations we look to partner with must:
a.. Have physical presence in affected areas of Tamil Nadu.
b.. Be in active existence for last 2/3 years and involved in developmental activities.
c.. Have a credible track record.
Kindly forward the details at Proposal@smilefoundationindia.org

Thanks.
Anupama Puri (Smile Foundation)

Donate in Boston and Chicago to India and Indonesia

--- From a Blog Reader----------

India Development and Relief Fund (IDRF)Boston Chapter
(Non profit 501(c)(3))

Donate online at www.idrf.org.
100% of contribution will be disbursed by local NGO's to assist with medical services, purchase and repair of fishing boats, distribution of fishing nets, repair of diesel engines and supply of fuel, distribution of textbooks, school equipment and uniforms and house construction and repair of community infrastructure.


---------
The Indonesian Community in Chicago has set up a relief fund for those of you who would like to help.

Indonesian Disaster Relief Fund
Acc# 08462366902, Routing # 271071321
Charter One Bank
400 S. La Salle street
Chicago - IL 60605

For more information, please call: 815 - 254 7208

Donate in Manhattan

--From a Blog Reader--

In affiliation with the American Sri Lanka Buddhist Association, a tsunami relief donation center has been opened at 528 Canal Street in Manhattan at the corner of the West Side Highway. The center is open from 7:30am to 11pm, seven days a week.

The center is asking Manhattan residents and businesses to donate items that are badly needed by the tsunami victims. (We do not accept money) Since all labor for both collection and distribution is voluntary, and shipping containers and shipment to Sri Lanka have already been donated, one hundred percent of all donated items get into the hands of the people that need them.

Contact:

Nick Spanos
646-879-5357
Robert Rowen
646-270-3222

For more information, please go to:
American Sri Lanka Buddhist Association
214-22 Spencer Avenue
Parkside Hills, Queens NY 11427
Phone: (718) 468-4262
http://www.helplanka.org/

Another NGO in chennai wants volunteers/doctors

http://samanvaya.com/relief-work/update7.htm

Contact : Tamilnadu Tsunami Relief Initiative

CONTACT INFO-Desk:
For information on the relief work and to provide your support, contact the TTRI: Samanvaya is coordinating the information on behalf of the network agencies. Call Ram or Rama at (land line) +91-44-25550781 or mobile 09382160811 (Ram) or 9384550781 (Rama).

Need help building shelters in Vijayawada, India

A Reverend has sent us a request asking us to post this message for help with the rebuilding of shelters and help with orphans of the tsunami shelter. You can contact him here:

Rev. B.B.B.Prabhakara Rao
Santhinagar, #77-18-7.
Singh Nagar Post
Vijayawada - 520015
Andhra Pradesh
South India
Phone: +91.86.202073

POST RECAP: HELP NEEDED 12/28-01/02

Help Needed: BURMA 12/28-01/02

Help Needed: INDIA 12/28-01/02

Help Needed: INDONESIA 12/28-31

Help Needed: SRI LANKA 12/28-31

Help Needed: THAILAND 12/28-01/02

Help Needed: Other Countries 12/28-01/02

Child Family Health International needs help

CFHI needs help to get aid across to South Asia. See http://www.cfhi.org/campaign.php4?ssno=12

Excerpt: Child Family Health International (CFHI) builds and strengthens sustainable healthcare services in underserved communities worldwide. In keeping with this mission, we provide emergency relief in the form of medical supplies during times of crisis.

How to help from New Zealand

Source: http://www.volunteer.org.nz/communityfund/disasterfund

The Global Volunteer Network has launched an appeal to help those who have been devastated by the tsunami.

Your donation will be used:
• To donate blankets and clothes to those who lost everything (it is currently the cold season).
• To adopt a misfortunate family in the worst hit area, and build them a new house (the cost for a house is around US $1000) so they have a roof above their head again.
• In support for the World Vision Relief Fund - the New Zealand government has promised to match every dollar that is donated. These funds will be used to support rescue teams, food parcels and emergency shelter.

100% of received funds go directly to the relief effort. Please note that WorldPay takes a 4.5% commission for credit card purchases before GVN receives the funds. Donations made to GVN are not tax deductible.

Or alternatively you can post a donation to:

Global Volunteer Network
PO Box 2231
Wellington
New Zealand

PS. We have has a number of requests for opportunities to go and help in South East Asia. We have been informed that it is better TO send funds at this stage, but we are investigating the need for a rebuilding team to go in February.