Asha-Seattle
Update
on our tsunami relief efforts up to January 20th 2005
At the onset, we here at Asha-Seattle are
extremely thankful for the spontaneous and overwhelmingly generous support you
all have extended towards our tsunami relief efforts. This has enabled us to
put together extensive relief and reconstruction efforts with our partner
groups on site in India. Asha has prided itself in its absolute transparency
and accountability with all its projects. Asha-Seattle currently supports over
40 projects in various parts of India covering a wide range issues. Being
a zero overhead organization (ALL overheads are met by
volunteers), every cent raised has actually gone towards our
efforts. With a committed volunteer team we believe that our efforts towards
tsunami relief will be very effective.
Our response towards tsunami relief has been
planned and focussed. We are organizing relief efforts into three phases, viz.,
1) immediate relief and aid, 2) intermediate relief efforts and 3) long term
reconstruction and restoration of livelihood. These are not
necessarily distinct and separate entities, but lead from one to the other.
Hence, we are working with proposals that look at all three aspects. We are
also maximizing our efforts to work in close conjunction with the government.
This, we believe, will maximize our efficiency and organization. This will also
help ensure that the government relief measures actually reaches the victims of
this disaster. Additionally, our partner groups are local, and hence are
extremely sensitive to the needs and customs of the affected communities.
In this regard, we have already committed to extensive relief efforts. We have
channeled $ 5000 to Asha-Chennai, which was used by volunteers in the immediate
distribution of food, clothing, medicine, blankets etc. This was done onsite,
and in relief camps, with full government support. We now are working on
extensive long-term rehabilitation efforts, and are stressing
on smaller villages that were totally devastated, but where large-scale aid has
not reached.
We have already started work to help in
the restoration of livelihood of the people of Vellapallam village (in
Nagapattinam district), along with its reconstruction. This village lost all
but 10 of the 200 houses standing, and 27 lives. We worked with our partner, Anugriha,
to come up with a clear proposal to get this once prosperous village
back on its feet. Temporary shelters have been built, and household utensils
and food have been provided. In addition, efforts are well underway to
desalinate the contaminated ponds and dig new bore wells for fresh water. For
livelihood support work is underway to acquire and fix new motors for
50 boats (which are currently being repaired, for which loans are being
obtained), and get the fishermen back to earning their living. Finally,
Anugriha will also build a children’s activity center in this village. Future
plans are to extend this reconstruction plan to a similarly devastated
neighboring village. Funds committed to this are already $33450.
Along with the Northwest fisheries community,
we have come together with an innovative "support a
boat" scheme to rebuild the boats of fishermen who have
lost their boats. Through this you can help sponsor the costs to get boats
operational again.
We have also approved of another excellent
proposal from our partner, Rejuvenate India Movement (RIM).
Our initial efforts are in the reconstruction of shelters for 60 families in
two habitations, as a first step in the long-term rehabilitation process.
Again, we are working closely with government and local authorities to ensure
that there are no mid way glitches. The costs for this are over $12000.
We will need to raise more money for livelihood related work which is
still being planned.
We are currently evaluating more
outstanding projects from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Andaman and
Nicobar islands. Not all NGO’s are allowed to work in the strategic
Andaman Islands, and we ensure that our partner groups are working with the
full permission of the Indian government. We have approved of some immediate
relief efforts in the Andaman and Nicobar islands with our partner, ANET. This
is at $230 a day for 10 days.
In addition to all this, we have created and
are distributing resource material and pamphlets in Tamil, English, Basha
(Indonesian) and are working on a Singhalese version as well. We also
participated in a candle light vigil held at the University of Washington.
All this information, project details,
photographs and an extensive collection of resources are all
available on our website. We have an ambitious target of raising $200,000
for our relief efforts, and have raised $50000 thus far.
We believe with your help it will be possible. Visit us at http://www.ashanet.org/seattle
The Asha-Seattle team
January 20, 2005