Thu, 27 Jan 2005

$4m for World Vision - where the money goes

World Vision has raised $4 million so far from private and corporate donations. And with some countries facing years of rebuilding after the disaster, the money will be put to good use, says World Vision's CEO Helen Green.

"After the initial six to eight weeks of emergency response, World Vision will be moving into community recovery and helping rebuild small businesses with the help of micro-enterprise loans, training and grants. There'll be ongoing work for the next four years," she says.

Immediate relief in the hardest-hit countries:

India: World Vision has distributed relief supplies for 45,000 families in south-eastern India, and is installing 45 water purification systems in affected villages in Cuddalore and Nagapattinam. New Zealander Judy Moore is helping with logistics and operations in Chennai. In the badly affected Andaman Islands, where thousands have fled from the neighbouring low-lying Nicobar Islands, basic supplies have been flown in for distributing to 21 camps for displaced people around Port Blair.

New Zealander Alex Snary is supervising the relief operations there, a 90-day programme of relief and rehabilitation. "We've also been distributing food to fishing communities, as the fish can't be eaten because of contamination from dead bodies in the water," he says.

"Many paddy fields are under water at high tide and the saline has made the fields unusable," he adds.

Basic supplies remain short on the Andamans and World Vision hopes to airlift more from Delhi in the next few days.

Sri Lanka: WV has just signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Sri Lanka to build houses for homeless families; initially 104 in Hambantota, plus an additional 300, and 2600 temporary shelters in Galle for homeless families. WV has distributed water, dry ration food and other non-food items to 8,744 families taking refuge in 24 camps within the Trincomalee district so far, with plans to distribute further immediate and medium-term relief aid to displaced people in the district in coming weeks. Child-friendly spaces are being established in these camps.

Indonesia: 125 tonnes of relief supplies have been flown into Aceh, including food, medicines, generators, water-containers and water purification equipment. Child-friendly spaces and counselling for traumatised children have been provided in relief camps. World Vision is building the first of a number of transition centres, temporary homes for 30,000 displaced people. WV is also giving six ambulances to Banda Aceh's RS Zainal Abidin Hospital, and setting up health teams in the relief camps. World Vision is still accepting donations on 0800 80 2000 or www.worldvision.org.nz

ENDS

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