permaculture

[Jean Luc Girard <jeanlucgirard@online.fr>]

Wesley Roe and Marjorie Lakin Erickson wrote:

> Personally, we can donate to groups that are working close to the 
> ground, that have longstanding ties to communities, and that share the 
> values of sustainability and justice.  

I suggest  the sarvodaya initiative in Sri Lanka ...
Read forwarded mail.
JL

Dear All,
Sorry for this delay in reply.
We are working round the clock in all affected districts and in Colombo.
We are sorry we are unable to answer each email with specifics.
Instead we are sending you a general letter with all the necessary
details.
Please log into our websites for more details. http://www.sarvodaya.org

Thank you so much for your love and affection.
With the blessings of the Buddha
Ariyaratne (Ari)

SARVODAYA RESPONSE TO THE NATIONAL CALAMITY

TSUNAMI HITS SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka was hit by a massive tsunami on December 26 around 8 am,
caused by an earthquake in Indonesia (9.0 magnitude on the Richter
scale).

More than 20,000 people are feared to have died, but the estimates could
go even higher as updates come in.  More than 1.5 million are displaced
or homeless (1 in 12 of the population). This is the biggest natural
disaster  to hit Sri Lanka in recent history. This particular wave came 
up slowly,
rising  sixteen times during the day, causing most of the destruction as it
receded back into the ocean.

Sri Lanka had a three-day holiday weekend and many people had been
visiting relatives or had taken a trip to the beach. It is therefore
even more challenging to determine the full impact of the tsunami, since
thousands of people are missing, unaccounted for or far from home.
December being peak tourist season for Sri Lanka an unknown number of
foreign tourists have been affected.

Communication is presently difficult to impossible. Getting an accurate
assessment of the devastation's extent is difficult. Phone landlines and
mobile phone connections are virtually non-existent in many parts of the
country and the electricity supply has been cut off. Even police and
rescue teams cannot reach many affected areas. Rumours are spreading and
misinformation is becoming rampant.

A CALL TO ACTION

      Donations, financial and in kind, are needed for most pressing
immediate relief efforts.

      Thousands of people have lost their jobs or will lose their jobs
as, for example, many tourists might leave the island in the next few
days and weeks. 

      Mobilizing counselors: Psychological trauma counseling needs
will arise in the near future as people are trying to cope with life
after the initial shock.

      Long-term rebuilding of vital infrastructure: sanitation, water,
electricity and public services have been wiped out and need to be
rebuilt. This requires a long-term financial commitment beyond the
initial clean-up and first response effort.

Please check the webpage www.sarvodaya.lk
or www.sarvodaya.org on how to donate.


DESTRUCTION IN THE COASTAL AREAS

Sri Lanka's coastal areas were the hardest hit. The most affected are
the poorest of the poor who live very close to the beach, often
sandwiched in-between the sand and the train tracks or road. The
proximity to the waterline and the vulnerability of their wooden huts
left thousands of people dead and 1 million homeless without access to
even the most basic necessities. Although exact numbers are not
available yet, women and children are bearing the brunt of the disaster.

The Eastern, Northeastern and Southern side of the island were the most
affected, especially the populated area around the city of Jaffna. Many
areas on the Eastern Coast are very remote and inaccessible and
information is scarce. The cities of Matara, Hambantota and Galle on the
Western side were very heavily affected as well. Coastal roads and train
lines have been destroyed and it is currently virtually impossible to
physically reach the most affected areas. The road to Galle has been
closed some 80km south of Colombo.

THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS

Getting to the affected areas is still the biggest challenge. Getting
dead bodies and cremating or burying them is crucial to avoid further
health problems.

SARVODAYA'S RESPONSE:

Sarvodaya's reputation makes them the prime partner for foreign aid and
donor agencies to disperse relief funds and makes Sarvodaya an important
partner in the current disaster response efforts.

As soon as the news of the disaster reached the Sarvodaya headquarters
on Sunday December 26 around 11:30 a.m. the special disaster management
unit began to receive reports from the Sarvodaya district offices in the
affected areas.

For many years Sarvodaya has experience responding to natural disasters
like floods, droughts and landslides. Sarvodaya is has the
infrastructure to deal with disasters of this nature although nothing of
this magnitude has been seen in Sri Lanka before. With its unique
structure of 35 district coordinators and 360 divisional coordinators it
is very well connected to the grass roots. Sarvodaya's reputation in the
community makes them a trusted partner in its outreach activities.

In addition Sarvodaya can draw on and mobilize over 100,000 volunteers
from Shanti Shena, the "peace brigade".  Shanti Shena has trained young
people between 18 to 30 years of age to deliver first aid to villages
and organize the "village to village heart to heart" peace dialogue.

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE SO FAR

Dr. Ariyaratne and other officials met in the afternoon of December 26
and decided to establish two disaster relief centres in the Colombo
area.  One is at the Sarvodaya Nagarodaya Centre and the other is in
Moratuwa at Sarvodaya headquarters.

Sarvodaya field offices provide vital feedback about the scope of the
disaster and the immediate needs in their community. Relief and first
response efforts are coordinated here around the clock, having started
around 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 26.

      A team of senior Sarvodaya staff and volunteers have been sent
to affected districts, such as Matara, Galle, Hambantota, Batticloa
immediately. Their role is to provide assistance to the district
coordinators as they respond to their communities' most basic needs. The
necessary instructions have been given to make sure the district offices
are empowered to do what is needed.

      District Linking Plan: An immediate, concrete action plan based
on each communities particular needs has been implemented, including the
removing of dead bodies or assisting in health posts and hospitals.

      Collecting donations: Sarvodaya is collecting clothes, food, and
other goods. Community support keeps coming in at all times from the
larger Colombo urban area. Medical supplies are collected and sent to
places where they are most needed.

      The business community and professional associations, like the
medical community, are also stepping up to the challenge and have
offered direct help through the Sarvodaya network structure.

      Larger national and international relief organizations are in
the process of finalizing their arrangements for support through
Sarvodaya.

      Medical emergency help: Immediate response teams have been sent
to the affected districts by car where it is safe to drive.

      Medical students and first aid volunteers are providing
immediate relief at emergency shelters in the Moratuwa area.

      50 medical doctors have joined the effort organized from here.

      In Moratuwa alone there are some 3000 people reported to be
displaced and have sought shelter in temples and churches. They have
been provided with immediate food, relief and water as much as possible.


      There are hundreds of Sarvodaya villages in each district
directly affected by the tsunami. They expect some form of direct, fast
and immediate assistance from Sarvodaya in the time of need. Sarvodaya
villages not directly affected want to help those in other Sarvodaya
villages as well as neighbouring communities not a part of Sarvodaya.

IMMEDIATE NEEDS AT SARVODYA COLLECTION CENTRES:

1)      Food, dried goods, especially powdered milk
2)      Clean drinking water
3)      First aid supplies and people to administer it at refugee
shelters
4)      Medical supplies (see list attached)
5)      Getting accurate information to people to avoid rumours, making
sure that facts not guesswork guide the relief efforts
6)      Helping people to locate their missing loved ones

Financial Assistance

For donors from Sri Lanka
Account Name    Lanka Jathika Sarvodaya Shramadana Sangamaya (Inc.)
Account No              Acct. No 1590011920
Account Currency        Rupees
Bank                    Commercial Bank of Ceylon Ltd.
Branch          Moratuwa
Address         No.116, Galle Road, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

For Foreign remittance 
Account Name    Lanka Jathika Sarvodaya Shramadana Sangamaya (Inc.)
Account No              Acct. No 159000 8015
Account Currency        US Dollars
Bank                    Commercial Bank of Ceylon Ltd.
Branch          Moratuwa
Address         No.116, Galle Road, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
SWIFT           CCEY.LK.LX             

Contact Us
Sarvodaya HQ
No98, Rawatawatta Road ,
Moratuwa , Sri Lanka
Phone +9411 2655 255 
           +9411 2655 110
Fax     +9411 2656 512


may there be peace on earth
If we do not change our direction, we are likely to end up where we are 
headed."