We must start by thanking all of you who have continued to support our efforts. We have received approximately £85,000 in funds and have pledges for £30,000 more. We need to raise a further £30,000 to carry out the projects listed below. We have so far spent or released £20,000 in Pottuvil in the East and £3,500 in and around Galle in the South.

It is worth mentioning that we were the subject of an article in a local newspaper that unfortunately specializes in sensationalism. Though the article is clearly meant to place us in a negative light, it has also reported most of what we have said about the nature of our efforts. As far as we can ascertain the journalist in question has based her assumptions entirely on the information presented to her on our web site. The main thrust of the article is to cast aspersions on the fact we have chosen to use corporate and personal bank accounts for LankaRealAid.

For the sake of clarity, the reason LankaRealAid does not have its own bank account is that it is difficult – if not impossible – to set up a bank account under a name other than your own or that of an established company or organization in Sri Lanka. Since we do not intend to stay actively involved in the relief effort for the long term, and wanted to be able to act immediately after the disaster struck, we made the deliberate decision to avoid the distracting effort and time required to set up a specific organization for LankaRealAid.

OUR PROJECTS IN THE EAST

The past four weeks since our last circular has seen our efforts shifting in emphasis from providing immediate relief to medium and long-term help. We have decided to give our help outright, without asking for any form of loan repayment or financial participation from the recipients. We are simply replacing what was lost.

We have been working on four projects we wish to complete by June 30th, 2005 in Arugam Bay/Pottuvil. Two of them are housing projects, while the other two are livelihood projects.

For housing, we have designed three models: one that is 180 sq. ft. in extent consisting of one bedroom, a kitchen and an open living room/hall, a second that is 400 sq.ft. with two bedrooms and a third that is 540 sq.ft. with three bedrooms. In terms of sizes, families consisting of between 1 to 3 individuals will be given the small version, families of 4 to 7 will get the standard size and families of more than 8 will be given the larger size. It is worth noting that the average size of a lost home was approximately 110 sq.ft.

We have deliberately chosen to use traditional materials as much as possible. The roof will be made of cadjan and the walls made of cement and brick to a height of three feet, with wooden planks used the rest of the four-foot height to the roof level. A tiled roof, though commonly considered a ‘better’ option, makes a house uncomfortably hot during daytime in the absence of electricity to power fans (which the village does not have). A house built with a cadjan roof, on the other hand, is comfortable at all times of the day. However we have designed the house in such a way that conversion to fully cemented walls and a tiled roof will be relatively easy.

Our approach to our livelihood projects is to choose to help dynamic individuals who are proven entrepreneurs and businessmen. Our belief being that such individuals will work hard to improve their lot further, using the help we are giving them, instead of lapsing into laziness or acquiring a hand-out culture.

The details of each project are as follows.

1. Build 42 homes with an outhouse toilet each, two wells and a community centre for villagers in Kaillapattu, just outside Pottuvil.

All the villagers, who are Tamil, had homes in Kotugal, Pottuvil, on property adjacent to one we own. The village, which comprised of 244 families, was situated between sea and lagoon and was completely washed away, with eight villagers losing their lives.

We have chosen this village to rebuild because we have a first-hand familiarity with them and know the extent of their loss. Most of the affected families have alternate homes or family members with whom they could set up new homes. The 42 chosen do not.

The site chosen is inland and therefore not subject to the government’s still-undefined coastal set-back.

Since it is private, uninhabited land being donated by the permit deed holders for the project, we can largely avoid government bureaucracy.

However the minimal authorization required (to secure the local government agent’s confirmation that the owners who have donated the land are in fact the owners) has cost us a three week delay. We nevertheless hope to start clearing the land during the course of the week of February 14th, 2005, and in the meantime are in the process of acquiring all the materials required for the building work.

2. Build 57 homes with an outhouse toilet each, two wells and a community centre for villagers in Aaittamunai, on the far side of the lagoon in Arugam Bay.

These villagers, all of whom are Muslim, originally lived on the land on which the houses are to be built, having owned property through permit deeds issued in the ‘70’s. However, with the outbreak of hostilities between Tamils and Muslims in the early 90’s, the Muslims fled to Arugam Bay proper. The 57 families all had homes that were washed away and have now returned to their original lands. Again, due to the land being privately owned, we will be able to avoid most of the bureaucratic entanglements that are usually necessary.

We have already begun constructing toilets and intend to finish all the toilets before moving on to building homes. In the meantime we are attempting to line up all the materials required for the building work.

3. We have budgeted US$20,000 to buy or repair boats and Mahaoruwas (these are big out-rigger canoes that typically provide employment to 50 people each) for fishermen who made a business out of fishing, defined for the purpose as those who owned a small fleet of boats and employed others.

We have identified the following five individuals to help:

* N.P.M.A. Najeem, who employed 65 people and owned three Mahaoruwas before the tsunami. Two were completely destroyed and the third damaged. We are giving him the funds (app. $3,000) to repair the damaged boat and replaced lost nets.

* A.L.M Thaseem, who lost his wife and both children to the tsunami, also lost both Mahaoruwas he operated prior to the tsunami. He provided employment to 50 people. We have decided to purchase a second-hand Mahaoruwa, along with all associated nets and equipment, from M.B.M. Ismail. Ismail, who lost his house and other business interests in Kalmunai (further north of Pottuvil) as well as the second Mahaoruwa he used to operate, will use the money from the sale of his boat to rebuild his interests in Kalmunai.

The cost of the transaction will be $6,050.

* To repair the Mahaoruwa owned by S.L. Adambawa, who died in the tsunami, so that his wife can continue to operate his fishing operation.

Her business employs 46 people and the repair and net replacement is estimated to cost $2,500.

* To buy a motorized fishing boat and a set of nets for Ismail Lebbe, who owned and operated four boats and an ice facility before the tsunami. He lost all four boats and his ice operation. He provided employment for 20 people.

The cost to purchase a boat, engine and set of nets and equipment is estimated at $3,500.

* To buy a motorized fishing boat and a set of nets for S. Kalandar, who owned and operated two boats and lost both. He provided employment for 10 people.

The cost to purchase a boat, engine and set of nets and equipment is estimated at $3,500.

The first two individuals above have been financed through a specific donation from Amenti Relief.

4. We have allotted US$7,500 to purchase and replace lost tools and equipment. We have identified six individuals thus far.

* 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.

* 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.

* M.P. Ariffdeen, a carpenter who lost some of his tools. He employs 4 people and we spent $270 on him.

* A.H.Hakeem, a carpenter who lost all his tools. We will replace $905 worth of tools for him.

* M.C. Cassim Faleel, who lost some of his tools. We will spend $200 to replace the lost items. He employs three.

* A.C.M. Razak, owned a carpentry workshop employing 8 people. He needs $2,500 to rebuild and re-equip his workshop.

Funds allowing, we will look to expand the livelihood projects and add a 10-house project in the village of Panama.

The Accomplishments of the past four weeks

Almost all our efforts have been concentrated on organizing the logistics involved in executing the four projects above. Since we are operating in an environment that is still quite chaotic and very fluid, getting things done is proving to be a rather arduous process. We are also finding that costs are very difficult to pin down, as they seem to escalate on an almost daily basis in response to the increased rebuilding activity going on presently.

We have managed to commence our trauma counseling efforts and have trained three people to help provide their services where needed. We hope to increase the number of counselors to 6 by the end of this month.

In addition, we have sent 1,000 exercise books, 200 pre-school kits and 400 pairs of school shoes to schools in Pottuvil, and provided mosquito nets and thermos flasks to a camp in Arugam Bay.

Both teams of Gurkhas have now returned home, having done a useful job of work in the time they were in Pottuvil. We now wish to focus on using as much local labour as possible.

OUR PROJECTS IN THE SOUTH

Whilst we in the East have had the relative freedom to be able to devote almost all our time and energy into relief work, our colleagues in the South have had to combine this with getting back to their daily jobs. Ivan Robinson and Miguel Cunat have been doing an admirable job, firstly by donating their time during the initial stages to helping another aid relief programme, Project Galle 2005, and latterly by using some of the LRA funds to implement specific projects of their own.

The 2 teams of ex Indian army soldiers have extended their stay in the south and are continuing to help our friends there with distribution of supplies and clearing land.

The details of their projects are as follows:

1. Purchasing cloth and having it tailored to provide school uniforms for 225 children from Mahinda College and The Sacred Heart Convent. This project is now completed

2. Funding and setting up a scholarship programme for the Tsunami affected children of Mahinda College - Completed.

3. Funding and setting up a scholarship programme for the Tsunami affected children of The Sacred Heart Convent - Still to be completed.

4. Part funding the setting up of a community centre in Unawatuna - Completed.

5. Coordinating and distributing 150 family packs consisting of mosquito nets, mats, cooking utensils, and basic homeware items.

6. Channeling funds to Project Galle - www.projectgalle2005.com - Rs150,000 handed over so far with more pledged.

7. Enterprise Initiatives completed this month:

* Funded the construction of fish merchants stalls in Galle to enable them to return to their livelihood of selling fish.

* Funded the repair of a small guest house in Dickwella

* Funded tools and equipment for Wasantha, who owned a small arts and crafts shop.

* Provided a token of income support to several staff members of guest houses in Unawatuna that have been unemployed since the Tsunami.

* Funded the purchase of a door and some equipment for Malwenna, the merchant mentioned in the last update who recovered some 50 bodies and saved the life of a young girl.

* Funded the rebuilding of the roof of a property in Hikkaduwa.

A big thank you to everyone both directly and indirectly involved with bringing aid to those affected by the Tsunami. Until next month when we hope to bring you pictures of some of our completed homes built in the East.

THE EAST

Clearing land for temporary camp to house families that will go to homes we will be building in Kaillapattu. (Project 1.)

Temporary camp built on site. (Project 1.)

Site for 42 homes. (Project 1.)

One of two homes already under construction. The base and first 3 feet are built with brick and will be rendered in an ochre coloured cement. The upper walls will be in polished planks and the roof in woven palm fronds. (Project 1.)

Transporting and handing out non-food items to villagers in camp for whom we will be building 56 homes in Aaittamunai. (Project 2.)

Meeting to discuss boats for fishermen.(Project 3.)

Training trauma councellors.

Handing out supplies to camps, and shoes and school bags to school children.

One of our 2 Ghurka teams at base camp.

Our 4 teams of carpenters and masons at base camp, whom we hired from inland to start the rebuilding of homes.

THE SOUTH

Handing over school uniforms to The Sacred Heart Convent.

Scholarship award to 20 affected pupils at Mahinda College. Each student now has an account that can be accessed by 3 separate signatures: the students, the headmaster, and a guardian.

The coordinater and one of the merchants who received funding at the fish market in Galle.

The remains of Wasantha's Arts and Crafts shop in Unawatuna.

Malwenna's Shop front.