Tsunami CB India Update Easter 2005

Dear Friends of India,

Greetings and thank you for contributing so generously from your loving bounty.
 
We apologize for not having sent you the much-awaited photographs which show to what extent our efforts towards rehabilitation have been rewarded.

The reason for the delay was a logistical one. Nothing was forthcoming from that end due to a hold-up of the actual rehabilitation operation. What follows will explain why this is so.

FRUSTRATION!

- It is a learning experience for us Christian Brothers. We thought it would be as simple as getting monies and distributing directly to the survivors. There are, however complexities within complexities! No shortage of money with the government and the big agencies like Caritas, Care and others, but the policies of the government for housing the landless fishermen and their families and the real housing needs of the landless fishermen, as they perceive them, are in direct conflict. The fishermen want to re-build their houses where they were originally located, by the sea, and the government want to move them back 1-10 kilometres back from the seacoast. This is unacceptable to the fishermen who need to be near the sea.

Terror or trauma or both reign and so, the whole livelihood rehabilitation has been put on the back burner because many fishermen are afraid to go out to sea. We have this information from a very reliable source – Fr. Freddy D’Souza, the Director of the Social Justice Office in New Delhi, who is networking with other Catholic agencies in tsunami-hit areas. Most NGOs are waiting to see how and when best to use the money. Between the government jigs and the trauma-gripped tsunami survivor reels, the 1st stage of rehabilitation is trundling at tortoise speed.
 
We understand the expectations of the donors who with generous hearts have sent what they could and await photographs and stories. We can guarantee our donors transparency at all stages of their money disbursement which will be for the most needy when we identify them. All of this must sound very confusing to you. It did to us but now we are beginning to understand the complexities of long-term rehabilitation in a developing nation like ours. It is an orchestrated effort of different instruments and players and agencies and the conductor is the government and believe me they wield the baton!
 

Breaking News!

- Thank God signs of movement have come through the Sisters of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. They are working with the children of the tsunami survivors in the Kanyakumari District.
 
We have decided to assist them with their needs on a priority basis. These are:
(1) the educational rehabilitation of children in the primary schools
(2) the assisting of youth to find employment.

The information gathered as a result of a survey of the students from the coastal villages affected by the recent tsunami disaster at Kottar Diocese is high. Limiting our aid to the institutions run by the Catholic Church , we have singled out students from Colechal, Manakkudi, Pillaithope, Kottilpadu and Alickal – this numbers 1500 students.
 
The cost for this entire project is $US 100,000. Of the $US 70,000 that has been donated currently by you and our schools in India, we propose to send them $US 40,000 for the educational needs of the children, reserving $US 30,000 for a second project that involves housing and fishing nets.
 
Thanking you for your generosity and patience,
 
Brothers Cyril, Placid and Gerard

 

A transcript of a letter expressing gratitude for money sent for the rebuilding and renovating of a house that was destroyed.

St. Anne's Convent,
147, B.B.Ganguly Street,
Boitakhana,
Kolkata - 700 012
15.03.2005
Dear Bro. Cyril,
I pen these few lines to express my sincere gratitude for your timely help to our family.
My family has been terribly affected in Kanya Kumari District by the recent tidal waves of Tsunami. We had a decent house built just a few years ago. You can see on the C.D as how everything has been pulled down in our area. This place is called Kodi Munai, near Colachel. No, my family members are living temporarily in the camp house given by the Government.

I have sent your gift to my sister to repair the doors and windows so that they can go back to our house until a permanent settlement is made by the Government. I cannot bear to see my family members living like refugees in our own land. We have helped a number of suffering people earlier and I never dreamt that my family would become orphans like this. Our Congregation has also helped them with some money and dresses. They have lost everything including their clothes, furniture etc.
The Lord has given and the Lord has taken. I only hope that my family members will not lose their faith in this critical moment Keep us in your prayer.

I take this opportunity to thank you once again for your generous help that I had received through
Sr.Inigo.
 
God bless,
Yours in J.C.,
(Sr.Eulalia. ssa)
 

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Pictures the children washed away by the Tsunami and mass graves of victims.	The village that will house the school for some of the surviving primary school-going children.
Some of the Franciscan Sisters to whom your donations are being given for the rehabilitation of children surviving the tsunami event.	An old man who was spared to tell the story.
A woman who will help out in the proposed permanent Primary School. With one of the Sisters.	Temporary School that will be replaced by a permanent structure thanks to you.

Temporary School that will be replaced by a permanent structure thanks to you.

 

The collapsed school and children wearing the only set of clothes

they possess. School continues under these conditions.

Province Leadership Team - India
New Delhi