Asi@news

N° 7 – 25 July 2005

News Bulletin from the International General Council on the disaster in Asia

In order to give the Society the best possible information on what has been undertaken following the « Tsunami » at the end of December, the International General Council (ICG) has decided to publish, periodically, this little newsletter. It will attempt to gather together the most important news items which reach the ICG: on the spot reports, requests for assistance, work undertaken by the SSVP and by the Council. Any news you have will be of interest to your Vincentian Brothers and Sisters! You can send your news items by email on ssvp.tsunami@ozanet.org

7 months after the Tsunami tragedy in Asia, it is time to get a further update on the Society’s actions. The General Assembly held in Salamanca last month was the occasion to do so; this issue of Asi@news will remind you what has been done so far, at international level as well as in the affected countries, and will also give details of further relief projects.

INDONESIA

The main work of the Society in Indonesia is in Nias Island, struck by yet another earthquake 3 months after the tsunami.

Bro Michael Thio, visiting Nias temporary camp

The first phase of their emergency assistance project saw the National Council spending 12,800 euros including providing food and water to the victims (8,110 euros), as well as medicines (1,050 euros) and clothes (1,130 euros).

Temporary shelter for all the victims was also a concern for the Society and tents were bought (380 euros). Finally, the budget also includes transport costs of about 2,130 euros.

Having finished that first phase, the National Council now wishes to concentrate, on the one hand on providing medical assistance to victims, and on the other, on educational provision.

The Medical component of the project would involve giving medical care to 20 patients, over 6 months at a cost of 15,550 Euros.

The educational component of Indonesia’s request for assistance is as follows:

Education – Fees		Education – Living costs
Elementary sch for 1459 pupils	11,050	Elementary for 365 pupils	23,310
Sec sch for 1301 pupils	9,600	Sec. for 363 pupils	23,310
High sch for 962 pupils	8,720	High sch for 362 pupils	23,310
College for 10 pupils	2,080	Local supervision	1,990
University for 5 pupils	1,040
Medical students -5	4,150	TOTAL	Euro 124,110 Rps 1,493,824,500	The National President and the International Structure visiting a temporary school

Because of the excellent work that is being performed in Indonesia, the ICG has decided to pay for the whole project and to send 124,000 euros to the National Council. We will keep you informed of their progress.

INDIA

M. Thio and J. Pandian, National President with new boats for victim fishermen

As announced in previous issues of Asi@news, Phase 1 consists of 3 main areas :

Emergency Relief was of course the first action to be taken, in the first days after the disaster: 16,860 Euros were spent on food, utensils, clothes, water, medicines etc.

Enabling victims to go back to work was a fundamental activity: the Indian Society spent 120,830 euros on repairs to boats, supply of catamarans, nets etc. and 27,210 euros on supply of livestock, sewing machines, computers, etc.

Finally, renovation of destructed houses is the most ‘visible’ action : the SSVP in India repaired and restored about 800 houses (144,630 Euros).

At the end of June, 197,120 euros are still available to finish Phase 1 by August, 2005.

The total budget for phase 1 will then be 506,650 Euros.

This project is giving very good results overall, and the International Council is receiving a full account of all the work from National Council of India

House renovated in India

Further request for assistance from India, after revision, is as follows

	Yr 12005/06 Euro	Yr 2-5(4 yrs) 2006 / 2010 Euro
1. Education:
(a)800 school going pupils @ E38.29 per pupil per year (Sponsored by Netherlands)	30,633	122,532
(b) 350 higher education pupils @ E76.58 per pupil per yr.(Sponsored by E&W)	26,804	107,216
(c) 650 school going pupils @ E38.29 per pupil per year(Sponsored by E&W)	24,890	99,560
2. Additional projects(details to be provided)	67,777
3. Projects: Supply of utensils, repairs to shops, medicine, petty shops, furniture, rehabilitation of families, people etc	114,000
Total	264,104 Rs 14,525,000	329,308 Rs 18,111,940

The International Council is waiting for India to provide some details about their additional projects before taking any decision.

SRI LANKA

Some of the projects in Sri Lanka were reserved for students in Trincomalle, Batticaloa, Kalmunai and Jaffna Archdiocesan Council (3,840 euros) but the main part of the project was the construction of houses:

Constructed so far
Houses	Budget
10 in Batticaloa	19,230
10 in Trincomalle	19,230
10 in Kalmunai	19,230
TOTAL	Euro 61,530	“before and after” SSVP impressive work…

In the Second phase of the project, the Sri Lankan SSVP will continue its efforts in reconstruction: 50 more houses are planned to be built, for a total budget of 96,150 euros.

Self-Help projects involved the supply of carts, carpentry and masonry tools, huts etc. and this will amount to 13,800 euros

After a few more details are received, the International Council will remit a first tranche of 55,000 euros to Sri Lanka.

THAILAND

Phase 1 of the tsunami relief project in Thailand is similar to the Indian one. Its total budget is worth 65,900 euros.

First, it consisted in an emergency relief action, providing food, water, utensils and family welfare items. 25,533 euros were spent on this, thus helping many victim families.

Just as in all affected countries, repairs to houses were a major concern for the Society, and in Thailand, this represented 11,870 euros.

Anew house for a Thai family

A fisherman family with a new boat

23,210 euros were also spent on the supply of boats and fishing gear, allowing affected fishing families to go back to a “normal” life as soon as possible.

With the disappearance of parents and the massive destruction, a large number of children need help for education: this has been done for a budget of 5,287 euros.

After an efficient operation in this first phase, the National Council of Thailand is ready to start the second phase of its project: it mainly consists in continuing to provide boats and tools to fishermen and workers, in repairing or constructing houses and helping children with their education

A group of Muslim affected people helped by SSVP

Thailand has made a further request to International Council for assistance. The total budget is 121,382 euros (Bhat 6,068,900):

Ranong -	Bahts	Euros	Phuket	Bahts	Euros
6 Fishing boats	494,800	9,900	10 boats(refurbished)	400,000	8,000
Phang Nga			10 sets prawn nets	100,000	2,000
(a)5 boats, 200 sets tools for squid trappers	839,000	16,780	Education 280 pupils @ B6,000 pp/yr	1,680,000	33,600
(b)5 boats,2,000 sets tools for squid trappers	905,000	18,100	Surat Thani (in cooperation with Bishop Prathan)
(c)192 sets of tools(electric drills, saws, hammers etc.) for 24 families	150,100	3,002	10 houses	1,500,000	30,000

The International Council General has granted 91,400 euros for this phase. The balance of 30,000 euros refers to the 10 houses that have to be constructed; the ICG is waiting for more details about this project, and will, on receipt of this information, review and consider further remittance.

Let’s keep on helping them!

All the money raised and sent to the General Council will be forwarded to the countries involved as soon as possible. It is very important that these funds pass through the General Council to ensure good management and good use of these funds which are sometimes vital for precise and definite projects. You can send your funds to:

Société de St. Vincent de Paul

Conseil Général International

6, rue de Londres

75009 Paris, FRANCE

Or by T/T transfer:

Banque CIC- Paris Bac

2 Bd Raspail

75007 Paris, FRANCE

Account Nb. FR76 3006 6100 4100 0105 8120 129

Please specify “For the Asian Disaster fund”

Even though a great amount of money is needed, each contribution, no matter how modest, has the same symbolic value; it is a sign of fraternity and solidarity; a small amount sent by a country with little means involves a great effort, whose true worth will be appreciated.

Asi@news

N° 7 – 25 July 2005

News Bulletin from the International General Council on the disaster in Asia

EXTRA PAGE

ASIAN DISASTER FUND Recap at 7 July 2005
Funds received			Funds sent
Donateur		Amount (Euro)	Beneficiary	Amount (Euro)
Australia (inc. 10,000 twin. to Thai. & Indo.)	Superior Council (SC)	101,116	India	280,000
England & Wales (inc. 120,000 twining to India)	SC	170,000	Indonesia	134,000
Belgium	SC	10,000	Sri Lanka	57,300
Canada	SC	62,375	Thailand	151,400
Scotland	SC	100,000	India twinning E&W	120,000
Spain	SC	75,211	Sri Lanka twinning NZ	67,213
France	SC, Conferences, Vincentians, and companies	105,343	Thailand twinning Aus.	5,000
Hong-Kong	SC	36,846	Indonesia twin. Australia	5,000
Ireland	SC	100,000
Italy	SC	99,920
Monaco	SC	10,000
New-Zeland (twinnning Sri Lanka)	SC	67,213
Portugal	SC	42,543
Singapore	SC	39,867
South-Tyrol	SC	20,000
USA	SC, Trenton Diocesan Cs, SSVP N.Y	85,028[1]
Other Countries Cs : Germany, Argentina, Bangladesh, Belize, Burundi, Chile, Korea, Cuba, Dominica, . Dominican Rep, Eritrea, Guatemala, Indonesia, Kenya, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malta, Myanmar, Philippines, Slovakia, Turkey, Zambia…		23,531
Congregation of the Mission		2,100
TOTAL		1,151,093		819,223
TOTAL Excluding Twining		953,880		622,700
AVAILABLE FUNDS		331,180
Funds decided to be sent (see Asi@news 7)				270,510
Funds Available after sending		61,370

[1] This figure includes a 50.000 US dollars donation, which exact value in Euros is not yet available.