For the two chapters fundraising for Tsunami relief (as well as everyone else), you must be wondering what impact the global giving has had in some of the affected countries, and what is being done beyond emergency relief. Well, here's a field report from
Room to Read, one of the organizations we are recommending to you as a funding recipient.
Dear Room to Read Family and Friends -
I have just returned from an emotional trip to the eastern coast of Sri Lanka. The Ampara District is a remote area on the southern half of the east coast. It took us over 9 hours by car on a badly paved two lane road through the central mountain region to get there -- a road shared by trucks, buses, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, tractors and cows!
When we reached, we met up with Shiva Charity, who is our partner for rebuilding preschools damaged or destroyed by the tsunami. They have two construction teams working full time to build the 20+ schools funded by Room to Read.
But before visiting the school projects, which are built away from the sea given the new buffer zone regulations, we toured the tsunami impacted areas. It is hard to describe how devasted these areas are. As we walked through the piles of rubble just feet from the sea, I tried to imagine what it must have been like on the quiet Sunday morning when the big waves came. It is estimated 12,000 people died in Amapara District, making it one of the hardest hit in Sri Lanka. In some areas there is nothing left standing at all. In others, one brick wall is left to denote where a home used to be.
Story after story you hear from the locals about how this house was home to 2 parents and 5 kids and now there is only one child left...or how a father lost all 6 of his children and wife. Everybody lost someone near and dear to them that quiet Sunday morning. There are refugee camps everywhere and temporary tents line the streets. People have tents, clean water and food in ample supply thankfully. But people complain that nothing else has happened. They have heard much was given but they have received little to rebuild their lives.
The people are attempting to clear the rubble by hand - one piece at a time of their former homes, their former lives. Mostly the women seem to be doing the work. The men point out to sea and say there should be hundreds of boats given how much money has been donated, but they have only received a few dozen.
A bit of humor on the trip: in a Muslim community in this district (Muslims are some of the most underserved in Sri Lanka) we are rebuilding two schools. We visited one of the construction sites and I was telling the community members our name - Room to Read. The main English speaker of the community said -- "Ahh, Room to Breed, yes with the preschools we have more room to breed." After much laughter, I tried to explain we were trying to promote reading, not breeding and lets hope my message got through! Anyway, this email is too long already so I will just say this country has found a special place in my heart quickly and I feel so blessed to be part of the solution.
All the best to you all, Erin
More Field Reports
