Tsunami in Sri Lanka
After effects and re-construction

Sri Lanka is the second worst affected country in this horrific disaster with over 70% of the coastline devastated and a staggering death toll over 41,000. Over a million have been left homeless and have lost everything including their belongings, livelihood and loved ones and many are still grieving for the loss of their children, immediate family members, friends and relatives.

Many have enquired about helping those affected and made homeless. New Era Children’s Fund has launched a fundraiser for the re-construction of schools, homes and medical centers. As we begin the processes of this mammoth undertaking, it is prudent that we make plans that we can carry out and with maximizing the money’s worth. One thing we are very cautious about is to avoid duplication of effort thus saving money and energy. At New Era Children’s Fund our frame of mind revolves around the following.

• Rehabilitation of lives of children and reconstruction of schools
• To provide children with school uniforms, shoes/socks, books and supplies
• Repair medical centers, provide basic sanitary services.

Our efforts are founded upon the need to address both the immediate and long-term needs of these affected children. New Era Children’s Fund is committed to provide displaced children with basic requirements for their well-being and education.

We’ve got to move ahead even at a faster pace from ‘what can we do to help out’ to ‘how can we sustain the momentum’. This is not a unique idea by any means but it is our goal.

We need teamwork!
The reason for this need is to get us thinking of specific steps for the long-term plan. To put it another way, we are moving from relief work to rebuilding of lives, from rapid response teams to small-scale project work. New Era Children’s Fund is interested in combining our strengths, experience and ideas. We have started tapping the experiences and abilities of the folks around us and trying to set up groups who can think things through. We need the “ideas” people, and doers, the connectors, and those who can move mountains, and those who can donate funds, who can raise funds and those who can carry out plans with long-term commitments. In our organization everyone has a place and a role to play. We are team-builders. Locally here in the USA, you, the reader of this note or someone whom you know well, can come forward to organize a variety of activities that can generate much-needed funds for the re-construction of livelihood of those affected. Not for a moment one must belittle the force of small-scale activities that anyone and everyone can help. It has proven time and time again that many small contributions (coupled with prayer and supplication to the Divine) can make a big difference in the “bigger picture”.

Since December 2004, we have achieved much progress with a very limited budget. We have repaired over 20 homes, made several temporary ones, repaired a medical center and provided it with all necessary drugs. Subsequently we delivered a identification card to every man, woman and child in that city (Hikkaduwa, in Southern Sri Lanka) and allowed them to receive medical help 24 hours a day. We also paid for the medical staff. More equipment have been ordered and a final cost will be known soon.

During our travels we found a baby girl who was very seriously ill. The parents had lost everything to Tsunami. When taken to the hospital we found out that she had but a few days to live as she had a hole in her tender heart. We approached the best hospital in the country and got her an urgent open heart surgery performed and now that child has many more years to live. We contributed $2000.00 for that project.

We also located a school for mentally handicapped children. This particular school is located in the middle of a jungle and there is no road to drive. One has to walk from the nearest town. It houses over 50 children with a very dedicated three member staff comprised of the villagers. We adopted that school for development as they had absolutely no hope and totally desperate. My team made a complete survey of its needs. We removed all the old wooden (very heavy and unusable) chairs, and bought ones made of (lighter) plastic. We also painted the exterior, provided kitchen utensils and dry foods (the food is delivered each month) for one year. The school has only one very old toilet for everyone. Its door is about to fall off. We now have begun to build a set of bath/sink with eight lavatories. We will also provide running water and electricity. Our next undertaking will be to build a drivable road access. Right now if a child falls ill, they have to carry him or her on the shoulders to the doctor. We have estimated this project to cost about US Dollars 15,000.00.

Recently we have received a request from a college Professor for financial help to test the eye sight of many children and provide them with eye care and glasses. It will need further $3,000.00.

In the mean time please keep raising funds or making regular contributions to our on-going projects. You have our solemn promise to be the trustees of your kind and financial contributions.

Please accept my deepest gratitude for all that you have done so far to advance our work in Sri Lanka. Several hundred have thus far donated to help facilitate this unprecedented amount of long-term work. Please do not hesitate to call upon us if we can answer any further question you may have.

We are grateful.

Lal Fernando
Chairman/CEO
NEW ERA CHILDREN’S FUND

Commissioner
Phoenix Youth & Education Commission

Recipient: 2005 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Living the Dream Award”

Recipient: 2004 “Community Advocate of the Year Award” presented by the North Phoenix Chamber of Commerce

Recipient: 2004 Community Advocate of the Year Award presented by the Greater Phoenix Black Chamber of Commerce

Recipient: 2003 Outstanding Service Award presented by the Baha’is of Phoenix

Recipient: 2002 Community & Justice Award presented by the National Conference for Community & Justice

Nominee: 2001 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Living the Dream Award”

Bank information:

M&I Bank: Account number: 0033597058
“Sri Lanka Relief Fund”

12614 N. 28 Street, Phoenix, AZ 85032 Tel: (602) 740-6100 lal@newerachildrensfund.org

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