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| | Report on Tsunami Survey and Relief by SACCER
Based on extensive travel and dialogue with the affected people and the community leaders in the coastal villages of Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu, the SACCER Trust has decided to carry out the following set of ctivities for tsunami relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
[1] The SACCER Trust will establish "SACCER Vocational Centre for Women" in the following five coastal villages: Koottapuli, Keezha Manakudi, Mela Manakudi, Pallam, and Singaravelan Colony (Colachel). The Trust would supply two sewing machines, two machine covers, two stools, two sets of sewing tools and one cutting table. A qualified sewing teacher from the village itself would be employed to teach interested women who do not have to pay any fee. The teacher salary would be paid by the Trust for the first six months and the situation would be reviewed after that. Depending on the availability of funds, the Trust might select a few more villages for setting up these Vocational Centres. [2] Our extensive research in the coastal villages reveals that they lack basic information about disasters and disaster management. In many villages, women were asking us if there was going to be another tsunami on January 26, 2005 and other such helpless questions. Tsunami is just one incident; and if we want to help the people on a long-term basis with regards to disasters, we need to educate them about the various possible disasters that can strike in their area, how to be prepared for those disasters and what all they should and could do to protect themselves and their families and properties. Being an educational and research institution, the SACCER Trust has decided to publish a training manual on "Disaster Education" both in English and Tamil and train some 15 to 20 young men and women in each coastal village who, in turn, will train their compatriots. The Trust would also help them set up "Self Protection Groups" in each coastal village to educate themselves and others in their villages on a long- term basis and protect themselves. [3] The SACCER Trust has been working closely with the Tsunami orphanage in Nagercoil by offering essential help to the children and to the staff. While continuing such cooperation with the orphanage, the Trust would also look at the possibilities of setting up an old- age home depending on the availability of funds and assurance of long- term commitments from friends in India and abroad. [4] We at the SACCER Trust would like to convey our heartfelt gratitude to all our donors and friends who are making these projects possible. Thank you! The SACCER Trust has set up a new bank account to receive foreign contribution directly thanks to a special order of the Government of India. Anyone interested can send money to SACCER Trust Tsunami Relief Account (Account No. 9199) Indian Bank (Meenakshipuram Branch N-076) SWIFT BIC CODE: idibinbbmas Thanks again! best regards S.P. Udayakumar
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