30thapril2005

Summary of LankaRealAid Activities
in the six weeks from June 16th to July15th, 2005

We continue to make satisfactory progress with our main active projects - building houses in Arugam Bay and Pottuvil and funding livelihood rebuilding requests.

We have received approximately £202,000 in funds and have pledges for £33,000 more. We have spent or released £195,000 thus far.

Since both Giles and Viren will be away for most of the next two months, our next update will not be until the end of September, which is when we hope to have all our projects completed. However, judging from the pace of building we saw when we visited the East Coast last week, we think this is a little optimistic for our house projects but will hold on to this deadline for now.

Our Projects

1. Housing project to build 47 homes with 28 outhouse toilets as required for villagers in Kalliapattu and Eatham, just outside the town of Pottuvil.

The shortage of roof timber and wood planks dogged our project for most of the month of June. Hence building work has fallen behind schedule. We managed to secure about half the necessary timber during the course of the last fortnight, allowing us to carry on work more continuously. Though all 47 houses are in various stages of construction, it is probably fair to say that we are only at the half-way mark in terms of our building. Therefore we have had to push back our target completion date to the middle of September.

2. Housing project to build 113 homes with an outhouse toilet each, 5 public wells and a community centre for villagers in Aaittimunai (Sarvodayapuram), on the far side of the lagoon in Arugam Bay.

As could be expected, the wood shortage has impacted this project as well. So far work has commenced on 103 houses and on 88 toilets. As in the case of the project above, we estimate that we are roughly half way through this project. We have extended our deadline for completing it to the end of October.

3. Livelihood project to help fishermen repair or buy new boats and nets.

Since our last update, an additional eight mechanized boats, engines and accessories have been distributed, bringing the total to 14. We expect an additional 20 to be ready for distribution by the 20th of this month. We are on target to complete this project by the middle of next month.

4. Livelihood project to help tradesmen and other self-employed individuals.

Since the time of our last circular, we received applications from an additional 14 individuals, to bring our total to 61. We have now disbursed a total of $32,375 to 45 livelihood applicants.

We have now distributed a total of 200 bicycles and have placed an order for a further – and final – 100 bicycles.

We have received all 26 sewing machines we ordered and are now in the process of distributing them.

The complete list of those we have either already helped (in gray) or hope to help are as follows:

1. A. Jaham, an aluminium fitter who employed 6 people and lost all his equipment to the tsunami. We have spent $350 to replace his equipment. Funds have been disbursed, tools bought, and Jaham is back in business.
2. M.L.M. Farook, a carpenter who lost his house as well as his equipment. He employed 8 people – we spent $650 to replace his tools. Funds have been disbursed, tools bought, and Farook is now working on our site building houses in Aaitthimunai.
3. M.P. Ariffdeen, a carpenter who lost some of his tools. He employs 4 people and we spent $270 on him. Funds have been disbursed, tools bought, and Ariffdeen is now working on our site building houses in Aaitthimunai.
4. A.H.Hakeem, a carpenter who lost all his tools. Though he was on our list in our second circular, he has since been helped by another relief organization and will therefore not be needing our assistance. .
5. M.C. Cassim Faleel, who lost some of his tools. We will spend $200 to replace the lost items. He employs three. Funds have been disbursed.
6. A.C.M. Razak, owned a carpentry workshop employing eight people. He needs $2,500 to rebuild and re-equip his workshop. Disbursed $1,500, which was deemed to be sufficient to get the workshop going again.
7. M.H.M. Kaleefa, owned a carpentry workshop employing six people in Kotugal, Pottuvil. He needs $935. Funds were disbursed.
8. M.D. Ufardeen, owned a carpentry workshop employing three people in Kotugal, Pottuvil. He needs $830. Funds were disbursed.
9. M.D. Hameethulebbe, owned a carpentry workshop employing seven people in Kotugal, Pottuvil. He needs $2,075. Disbursed $1,000, which was deemed to be sufficient to get the workshop going again.
10. Kanapathi Pillai, a mason from Eatham, Pottuvil, employing 5 people needs $430 to buy a brick-making machine. He will be supplying our housing project in Kaillapatthu. Funds were disbursed.
11. Hair salon owner who lives in Kundumadhu, Pottuvil but had his salon in Arugam Bay. He needs $200 to replace the equipment he lost.
12. M.I. Sharifdeen, is a poultry farmer in Pakkiawatta, Pottuvil who needed $1,500 to restart his poultry business. He has four families working for him raising his chicks. Funds were disbursed and he is back in operation and is supplying our relief base with chicken.
13. I.L. Salfiyar, a shop owner in Arugam Bay who lost his shop, house, wife and child to the tsunami. He has re-started his shop again using loan funds from a local bank. He has applied for $1,500 to buy stock.
14. M.I.M. Hanifa, owned a carpentry workshop employing three people in Jalaldeen Square, Pottuvil. He needs $790. Funds disbursed.
15. M.A.M. Subair, owned a carpentry workshop employing four people in Jalaldeen Square, Pottuvil. He needs $850. Funds disbursed.
16. A.K. Ismail Lebbe, owned an ice hut on Arugam Bay beach. He employed six people and needs $905 to re-start his business. Funds have not been disbursed as there are still discussions on-going as to where he will be permitted to rebuild by the authorities.
17. S.H. Asirthumma, was self-employed and made straw mats together with her four grown daughters in Kotugal, Pottuvil. She needs $400 to buy raw materials and basic equipment. Funds disbursed.
18. S.T.H. Muburaka, was self-employed and ran a small tea boutique in Kotugal, Pottuvil. She needs $1,000 to re-start her boutique. Funds disbursed.
19. A.L. Mohamaduthambi, was self-employed and ran a small grocery and snack shop in Kotugal, Pottuvil. He needs $1,200. Funds disbursed.
20. The Women’s Society in Kotugal has asked for ten sewing machines to give to tsunami-affected members who have been trained to sew as a means of generating an income for themselves. The total required to fund the machines is estimated at $1,300. The sewing machines have all been received and are in the process of being distributed.
21. Other – purchase bicycles for those who lost theirs in the tsunami and who need them to either go to work or for their work. We have asked for applications and expect to cap the first lot at 100 people. The total cost is expected to come to between $7,000 and $9,000. All 100 bicycles were purchased for $6,800 and are expected to be distributed by April 30th. We have distributed the second lot of 100 bicycles have ordered a third lot.
22. Jerry Gray, worked as a manager in a small guest house that was washed away in the tsunami (the guest house will not be rebuilt by the owner). He has secured land in the Lahugala National Park to build a guest house/campsite consisting of three cabanas costing $1,500. We contributed $750 through the Ulle Relief Trust, who is overseeing this project, and who will contribute the balance funds. Funds disbursed.
23. S.L. Zacharya, is a carpenter from Pottuvil employing 2 people. He needs $1,000 to purchase lost tools. Funds disbursed.
24. M.B. Nagoorthamby, is a carpenter from Pottuvil employing 2 people. He needs $1,000 to purchase lost tools. Funds disbursed.
25. D.W. Weerasiri lives in Panadura and had his home destroyed in the tsunami. He required $2,550 in working capital to restart his grocery and daily needs shop. Funds disbursed.
26. Ulle Relief Trust – we released $3,000 to fund the purchase of a hand tractor, a three wheeler (tuk tuk) and a bicycle for three individuals the Ulle Relief Trust had identified as being worthy of support to get their livelihoods back on track. Funds disbursed.
27. Haja Mohideen from Arugam Bay ran a rice mill employing 2 people. He needs $630 to buy a new engine and belt for his mill.
28. M.I. Samsudeen from Jalaldeen Square, Pottuvil, runs a dry fish business employing 2. He needs $600 to rebuild his facilities.
29. M.I. Aroos from Jalaldeen Square, Pottuvil, is a fish seller who needs $400 in working capital to restart his business .
30. M.L. Nasurdeen is a sweets seller who needs $600 for working capital to restart his business.
31. M.S. Hanifa (actual recipient is M.A.M. Hussain; Hanifa is his employee who made the initial request) is a carpenter from Jalaldeen Square, Pottuvil, employing 5 people who needs $870 to purchase lost tools.
32. M.M. Majeed (actual recipient is M.L. Nazeer; Majeed is his employee who made the initial request) is a carpenter from Pottuvil employing 3 people. He needs $730 to replace lost tools.
33. Y.L. Nakeem is a carpenter from Pottuvil employing 3 people. He needs $560 to replace lost tools. Nakeem received help from elsewhere and will not be needing ours.
34. S. Ismail is a carpenter from Pottuvil employing 3 people. He needs $560 to replace lost tools.
35. S.T.M. Ismail carried on a business selling fish in Pottuvil and employed two people. He needs $150 for working capital.
36. M.A. Gafoor carried on a business selling fish in Pottuvil but did not employ anyone. He needs $300 for working capital.
37. A. Kalandar from Pottuvil operated a transportation service using his bullock cart and employing one helper. He lost his two bulls and needs $720 to buy new ones.
38. M.A. Aboobaker is a mason from Pottuvil employing 3 people needs $300 to purchase new tools.
39. P. Sunderalingam from Pottuvil owns and runs a small grocery shopemploying two family members and needs $500 for working capital.
40. A.J.A. Kamish from Pottuvil is a hair salon owner employing 2 who needs $200 to commence his business again.
41. M.I.A. Husain operated an Ayurveda medicine shop employing 2 people and needs $[400] for working capital to re-start his business.
42. A.B. Mansoor from Pottuvil is a carpenter employing [2] people who needs $400 for tools.
43. A.B. Awwaumma from Pottuvil is a pottery maker employing two family members who needs $300 for working capital to start business again.
44. A.B. Saburaumma from Pottuvil is also a pottery maker employing two family members who needs $300 for working capital to start business again.
45. U.L. Thangamarikkar is a fish seller with no employees who needs $350 for working capital.
46. M.C. Subaideen from Pottuvil is a tri-shaw driver with no employees who needs $500 to repair his tri-shaw.
47. Y.B.M. Hanifa is a mason from Pottuvil employing 2 people who needs $300 to buy tools.
48. M.M.A. Jabbar is a mason from Pottuvil employing 3 people who needs $400 to buy tools.
49. A.W.A. Siddique is a mason from Pottuvil employing 3 people who needs $400 to buy tools.
50. I.L. Pichaithambi from Pottuvil owns a tea and snack shop employing one family member and needs $800 to out-fit and stock his shop.
51. M.B. Ishaq from Pottuvil is a carpenter employing 2 people who needs $300 to buy tools.
52. Subramanium Poobalapullai from Pottuvil is a goldsmith employing one person who needs $710 to re-start his business.
53. S.B. Seneviratne from Panama is a fish seller employing one person who needs $370 to repair his motorcycle.
54. Jayantha Piyatissa from Panama is a fisherman employing two people who needs $500 to purchase a set of nets.
55. S.T. Sukoor from Pottuvil is a fish seller who needs $400 to restart his business.
56. M.C. Jaufersadique from Pottuvil is a fisherman who needs $250 to buy fishing equipment.
57. A.L. Sukoordeen from Pottuvil is a carpenter employing two who needs $500 for tools.
58. A.L.M. Caseem from Pottuvil is a carpenter employing four who needs $720 for tools
59. K. Faisal from Pottuvil runs a poultry farm and needs $500 to restart his business.
60. M.B. Junaideen from Pottuvil is a fish seller who needs $300 to restart his business.
61. A. Mohammedlebbe from Pottuvil runs a grocery store and needs $400 to restart his business.
62. S.M. Fahir from Pottuvil is a mason who employs four who needs $400 to buy tools.
63. M.A.C. Rameeza is from Pottuvil and runs a poultry business and needs $580 to buy a freezer.
64. A. Ravindran from Pottuvil is a poultry farmer and needs [$500] to restart his business.
65. $250 is to be spent on the purchase of five fertilizer sprayers for distribution to farmers who lost theirs.

We will carry on with this project until we utilize the remaining funds available (approximately $10,000). At the rate that requests are coming in, we expect this to be the middle of August.

Counselling work

Nuria and Susanna are sadly having to leave Pottuvil. Since February, they have helped build up a team of 9 local helpers, and, with their help, have been visiting over 10 different schools and camps a week. They have made a tremendous difference to the moral within the camps by conducting workshops in drama and art and playing with the children. As people move out of the camps we will be slowly unwinding this project. However we hope to find continuous employment for the local helpers that have been trained in the basics of trauma counselling within permanent community centres that have been built by other aid organisations. We would like to thank Nuria and Susanna for the tremendous work they have done, under difficult circumstances, over the last 5 months.

Conclusion

Once again, we would like to say a very big THANK YOU! to all those of you who have contributed funds and made all our relief efforts possible.

July 15th, 2005