Progress Report - 5th April 2005
RBSL Livelihoods Support
Supplying Boats, Boat Repair and Service of Engines
Many fishermen either lost their boats or had them damaged by the tsunami. The Trust has been involved in supporting the re-establishment of livelihoods for fishermen by supplying boats and boat engines, organising a boat repair crew and organising the servicing of damaged boat engines.
Supply of new boats & boats engines:
RBSL has worked with the local community, fisheries agent and military in order to ascertain what is needed and then coordinated with donors and sponsors to supply boats and boat engines to fishermen. The fishermen are working on a roster basis and sharing the boats in Ulle, Komari and Sangamankanda so as to provide an equitable solution until boats can be provided to all the fishermen who had boats pre-tsunami.
15 horse power Yamaha boat engine donated by the Rebuild Sri Lanka Trust which is to be used in Ulle.
9 horse power Suzuki boat engine donated by the Jinesena Tsunami Rehabilitation Trust which is to be used in Ulle.
Two 9 horse power Suzuki boat engines donated by the Rotary Club of Colombo and The Rotary Club of Colombo Regency. These are to be used in Komari and Sangamankanda.
RBSL is also helping to organise servicing of boat engines. The supply of new engines is hindered by the fact that the need far outstrips the supply. There is currently a long lead time for the supply of new boat engines.
Repair of Boats:
The Rebuild Sri Lanka Trust organised the repair of 20 damaged boats, 2 Maha Oruwas and 2 sea-going Oruwas in Ulle and Kudakaliya in January 2005.
RBSL is now looking to fund further boat repair programmes in Ampara, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Matara and Hambantota. Again by working with the local community, fisheries agent and the military we are identifying and verifying boat owners who require these services. RBSL then hires a boat repair crew to visit the identified areas and assist in the repair of as many boats as possible. Each boat repair programme lasting up to 4 days costs on average Rs. 100,000 which includes raw material costs, labour charges, transportation and other related expenses.
If you would like to sponsor a boat repair crew and require further details please contact us.
New Nets for Fishermen
Many sea-going and lagoon fishermen require new nets. RBSL is looking to fund 3 Maha Dhel and 50 prawn nets for fishermen in Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee. Traditional Maha Oruwa (sea-going catamaran) style fishing employees about 30-40 fishermen therefore re-establishing these teams provides employment to a greater number of people in the community. In contract prawn fishing nets are used by individual fishermen in lagoons. It is currently the fishing season in the East of Sri Lanka.
Each prawn net costs approximately Rs. 1,200 and each Maha Dhel costs approximately Rs. 75,000
If you would like to sponsor new nets and require further details please contact us.
Mobile Entertainment Units for IDP centres
RBSL has initiated a programme to provide a mobile cinema or musical group to IDP camps in several districts. Initially the Trust hired a multi-media system including a screen, projector, vcd/dvd player and speakers to show cartoons to children in IDP camps in Ulle, Kudakaliya, Pasaracheni, Komari and Sangamankanda over a period of ten days in January 2005. This proved to be a success because the people in the camps so desperately need some escape and entertainment. We also realised that the programme promotes better relations amongst camp residents by bringing them together through film and music.
RBSL then proceeded to hire such units and a multi-cultural band (Muslim, Sinhalese, and Tamil band members who perform in both Sinhala and Tamil) to perform in IDP camps in Ampara from Arugambay to Akkaraipattu. In March RBSL hired a similar mobile cinema unit in Galle for ten days to be utilized in IDP centres in Habaraduwa.
Given the cost of hiring such equipment on a daily basis and the period of time that this programme can be carried out for we have determined that it is more economical to purchase the equipment. Therefore RSBL has now purchased and supplied three mobile cinema units to be used in IDP camps in Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee districts. The cinema units are on a timetable so that every camp will have equal access to this programme. We have prioritised allocation according to where there is the greatest number of people in IDP centres in a district.
The Trust is looking to institute this programme in every affected district of Sri Lanka because we feel that this entertainment offers a form of trauma relief for those affected by the tsunami.
If you would like to sponsor an entertainment unit and require further details please contact us.
RBSL Emergency Food Relief
RBSL has continued to supply food to those affected but has changed its strategy from providing full sustenance for a family to only supplementing what is supplied by the government and covering any inadequacies. RBSL has only been able to continue this programme thanks to the financial support of The Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (and its donors), The Jinasena Tsunami Rehabilitation Fund, The Rotary Club of Colombo and The Rotary Club of Colombo Regency. RBSL was also supported in this effort through funds raised in the United States by friends and members of the Trust.
Thirukkovil , Ampara District
Tensions in the east have heightened over the last couple of weeks as clashes continue between the LTTE and the Karuna faction. In the week commencing 28th March there was unrest and disturbances in Thirrukovil that left several water tanks supplied by NGOs damaged and burnt.
RBSL has supplied two new water tanks to replace some of those damaged. RBSL is currently looking to supply a tractor and trailer to Thirukkovil in order to provide transport for people and goods, the provision of water and assist in the logistics of sanitation.
If you would like to sponsor the tractor and trailer and require further details please contact us.
Sinhala Tamil New Year Celebrations – Helping IDPs to Celebrate with Dignity
We are fast approaching the Sinhala Tamil New Year which is the most important holiday for many people in the island. RBSL feels that it is crucial to help the affected during this holiday as three months on the situation faced by those affected by the tsunami has not improved greatly. The people living in IDP centres should have the opportunity to celebrate with dignity and it is important to bring back some sense of normalcy to their lives.