Author: Angelo Fernando

Arugam Bay Blogger

/ Angelo Fernando / 1 Comment

There is a very interesting site at www.arugambay.com. It was once a site promoting the area (called the official site of the abay association -a sort of a take off on the ebay name) that had the most beautiful beaches in Sri Lanka. Now, there is someone blogging on the site. If you want to see how the international effort is shaping up on  the east coast, check it out. Here is an excerpt:

07. 30 am : Good news !! French soldiers landed with several helicopters at Arugam Bay. They already build a medical center, teaching local army what to do and so on. Most people in the missing list without description are alive !!! I try to send all names from missing people for exact informations. Please be passioned. Several generators for electricity and all needed is working already. Food, drinking water and medical suplies is no problem at all anymore.

Please be sorry for my broken english. No experience in the last few years in writing. !!! More informations soon !!!\

——–

Sean McKay (on Dec 31st) wanted to contact someone on route to Sri Lanka. Contact him at this email address.

            ———-

Disregard Esther B’s request below:
She has contacted someone in Colombo

Can someone help these relief worker?
Esther Burley (on Jan 1st) wrote today about her uncle visiting Arugam Bay for relief work:

My uncle Richard will be travelling to Colombo then on to Arugam within the next few days (from England). Richard has lived and worked in the Eastern Provinces for the past 15 years mainly in the Pottuvil/ Arugam Bay area. He has considerable experience in dealing in situations like these (for theUN in Timor in 2000) and has great local knowlege. He already has water purification tablets, face masks, rubber gloves and is desperate to find out what else is needed and if anything can be obtained from Aid Agencies in or near Colombo. He would also like to know what is the best way to get Arugam from Colombo.

Contact her at eburley@btinternet.com

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What Hoi Polloi has turned into

/ Angelo Fernando / 1 Comment

I began this blog, Hoi Polloi, as a MarCom and PR exercise nearly 8 months ago. I write for 2 magazines here in the U.S. and have been writing for LMD for the past 10 years, so it was a useful way to connect with my readers.

The tsunami of December 26th changed all that. It suddenly became not so important to cover topics such as Wi-Fi, and viral marketing, when tens of thousands of people in some eleven countries are dead, injured, orphaned and have lost everything they had, with no hope for the future. Their needs are fresh water, medicines, and a comforting hand of a loved one –not the latest mega-pixel camera, or that 40-gig iPod.

I very quickly realized that I had to turn this web site into something more useful –perhaps a fund-raising tool and information post. A radio station called, wanting to know if I could get an interview with someone on the ground. My wife, Tanu, being a Montessori teacher, spread the word to a few friends that she would like donations of children’s items to be sent over to Sri Lanka. This small gesture snowballed into a huge affair, with people descending on our home and dropping off so many bags of clothes, infant formula, feeding bottles, and canned food, we had to park our cars outside the garage. The FOAF –friend of a friend– network was suddenly in motion

I am in touch with people from several companies in Sri Lanka doing relief work, working almost like NGOs! These people have begun writing back with stories that I have started posting as well. Blogging for Sri Lanka has suddenly made an online experiment one of the most rewarding communication projects I have ever got myself into. Maybe it is rewarding, too, because it makes up for the sense of helplessness we feel. Those of us who live several time zones away –that’s 23-hours flying time for me– from Sri Lanka, will understand this better than others. Cell phones, text messaging, and IM bring home the immediacy of the nightmare out there. A blog takes each of our personal experiences of hope and pain and wraps us into a community.

HoiPolloi, has now taken on a new meaning. It is the voice of ordinary people, doing extraordinary things. If you’ve read this far, please try to make a difference, not just for Sri Lanka, but for someone out there. We all have day jobs. We all have other things we rather be doing. But it would be irresponsible to go on as if December 26th didn’t happen.

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A bit of good news

/ Angelo Fernando / Leave a comment

You’d think there is no silver lining, watching Nightline and the ABC special. Viran Constantine writes this from Colombo:

A village which was not accessible until last evening and over 3000 people feared dead was reached this morning to find that all had survived. This is good for the moral of the rescue workers.

Definitely good for everyone. Here too in Arizona, with so many people dropping off things at our doorstep. People we hardly know. Colleagues, neighbours, friends are pledging money and food items, clothes and one family even says they can give us their truck to transport goods to California, to the port.

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Ogilvy O&M relief efforts

/ Angelo Fernando / 3 Comments

STILL IN SHORT SUPPLY   (Dec 3oth 2004)

Shirani Saunders informs us that Water purification tablets are in short supply. See below: I spoke with the team that did go…………..consisted of 5 lorries & 17 double cabs taking tonnes of supplies. 6 doctors went along & will set up camp there. They had about 5 lakhs worth of medicines but the direst need is water purification tablets. Cos its impracticle to carry clean water all that distance & its never going to be enough. If there is any issue at customs bringing in the water purification tablets pl. give us a call & we can clear it without any duty etc. (it should be allowed but just in case) If there is excess cash the next items are pillows/rubber slippers which can be purchased from here. If there r any other big items that people want to send they can container it & we will clear it without any cost from this end as even warehousing has been arranged free of charge. ok. If you need to speak to her call her on hr mobile, at 94 773 088 705

Refugee situation in Hendala

Shirani Saunders, not a reporter by any means files this story from Tewatte on Dec29th. By day she is a ‘business development manager’ at Phoenix Ogilvy & Mather advertising. As we hear every day, people have literally left their offices, to go out and do whatever needs to be done. This is just one person operating almost like an NGO.

Hi Angelo,

Yesterday evening i was able to go to Tewatte where there are about 10,000
people – displaced/evacuees from the Negombo/Hendala area.I spoke to a
mother who was trying in vain to discover the whereabouts of her husband.
Just that morning she had manged to locate her 2 children who had been at
another centre but the last she saw of her husband(who is a fisherman) was
him watching his boat shatter on the shore.

We took bed sheets/plastic sheeting & medicines like Piriton/Paracetomol &
bandages etc. There was some sense of organising as many volunteers from
the church were seen distributing stuff. The church is full with refugees
and the surrounding rubber plantaion is also packed with families camp
style with basic plastic sheeting roofs – its really heartbreaking to see
little children put to sleep on plastic sheets out on the grass – theres a
shortage of mats here. Food seems to be available as once again there are
people bringing in boxes of cooked food to be distributed. Its amazing how
much the average ‘ not very well off ‘person is contributing to this
effort. Because really no big money has reached any of these places (yet)
its the average citizen  who is rallying round for the moment.

Our next effort is directed towards collecting medicines/dry rations to be
taken to Pottuvil – a private group is organising a little convoy to go to
the Lahugala nature reserve where evacuees from the arugam bay/Pottuvil
area are being sheltered. At least 10 of us from office will be joining. I
‘ not sure if you’ve been to Arugam Bay? We have holidayed there ever so
often & apparantly none of the guest houses/the fishing
village/roads/bridges are standing – its like a wasteland of mud & debris.
The four wheel club was there yesterday & one of the guys called in with
this infor – they ‘ve been helping with the evacuvation of people marooned
in the jungles of Panama – extreme tip –  south-east of the island.

Shirani Saunders

Continue reading →

Ogilvy O&M relief efforts

/ Angelo Fernando / Leave a comment

STILL IN SHORT SUPPLY   (Dec 3oth 2004)

Shirani Saunders informs us that Water purification tablets are in short supply. See below: I spoke with the team that did go…………..consisted of 5 lorries & 17 double cabs taking tonnes of supplies. 6 doctors went along & will set up camp there. They had about 5 lakhs worth of medicines but the direst need is water purification tablets. Cos its impracticle to carry clean water all that distance & its never going to be enough. If there is any issue at customs bringing in the water purification tablets pl. give us a call & we can clear it without any duty etc. (it should be allowed but just in case) If there is excess cash the next items are pillows/rubber slippers which can be purchased from here. If there r any other big items that people want to send they can container it & we will clear it without any cost from this end as even warehousing has been arranged free of charge. ok. If you need to speak to her call her on hr mobile, at 94 773 088 705

Refugee situation in Hendala

Shirani Saunders, not a reporter by any means files this story from Tewatte on Dec29th. By day she is a ‘business development manager’ at Phoenix Ogilvy & Mather advertising. As we hear every day, people have literally left their offices, to go out and do whatever needs to be done. This is just one person operating almost like an NGO.

Hi Angelo,

Yesterday evening i was able to go to Tewatte where there are about 10,000
people – displaced/evacuees from the Negombo/Hendala area.I spoke to a
mother who was trying in vain to discover the whereabouts of her husband.
Just that morning she had manged to locate her 2 children who had been at
another centre but the last she saw of her husband(who is a fisherman) was
him watching his boat shatter on the shore.

We took bed sheets/plastic sheeting & medicines like Piriton/Paracetomol &
bandages etc. There was some sense of organising as many volunteers from
the church were seen distributing stuff. The church is full with refugees
and the surrounding rubber plantaion is also packed with families camp
style with basic plastic sheeting roofs – its really heartbreaking to see
little children put to sleep on plastic sheets out on the grass – theres a
shortage of mats here. Food seems to be available as once again there are
people bringing in boxes of cooked food to be distributed. Its amazing how
much the average ‘ not very well off ‘person is contributing to this
effort. Because really no big money has reached any of these places (yet)
its the average citizen  who is rallying round for the moment.

Our next effort is directed towards collecting medicines/dry rations to be
taken to Pottuvil – a private group is organising a little convoy to go to
the Lahugala nature reserve where evacuees from the arugam bay/Pottuvil
area are being sheltered. At least 10 of us from office will be joining. I
‘ not sure if you’ve been to Arugam Bay? We have holidayed there ever so
often & apparantly none of the guest houses/the fishing
village/roads/bridges are standing – its like a wasteland of mud & debris.
The four wheel club was there yesterday & one of the guys called in with
this infor – they ‘ve been helping with the evacuvation of people marooned
in the jungles of Panama – extreme tip –  south-east of the island.

Shirani Saunders

Continue reading →

Ogilvy O&M relief efforts

/ Angelo Fernando / Leave a comment

STILL IN SHORT SUPPLY   (Dec 3oth 2004)

Shirani Saunders informs us that Water purification tablets are in short supply. See below: I spoke with the team that did go…………..consisted of 5 lorries & 17 double cabs taking tonnes of supplies. 6 doctors went along & will set up camp there. They had about 5 lakhs worth of medicines but the direst need is water purification tablets. Cos its impracticle to carry clean water all that distance & its never going to be enough. If there is any issue at customs bringing in the water purification tablets pl. give us a call & we can clear it without any duty etc. (it should be allowed but just in case) If there is excess cash the next items are pillows/rubber slippers which can be purchased from here. If there r any other big items that people want to send they can container it & we will clear it without any cost from this end as even warehousing has been arranged free of charge. ok. If you need to speak to her call her on hr mobile, at 94 773 088 705

Refugee situation in Hendala

Shirani Saunders, not a reporter by any means files this story from Tewatte on Dec29th. By day she is a ‘business development manager’ at Phoenix Ogilvy & Mather advertising. As we hear every day, people have literally left their offices, to go out and do whatever needs to be done. This is just one person operating almost like an NGO.

Hi Angelo,

Yesterday evening i was able to go to Tewatte where there are about 10,000
people – displaced/evacuees from the Negombo/Hendala area.I spoke to a
mother who was trying in vain to discover the whereabouts of her husband.
Just that morning she had manged to locate her 2 children who had been at
another centre but the last she saw of her husband(who is a fisherman) was
him watching his boat shatter on the shore.

We took bed sheets/plastic sheeting & medicines like Piriton/Paracetomol &
bandages etc. There was some sense of organising as many volunteers from
the church were seen distributing stuff. The church is full with refugees
and the surrounding rubber plantaion is also packed with families camp
style with basic plastic sheeting roofs – its really heartbreaking to see
little children put to sleep on plastic sheets out on the grass – theres a
shortage of mats here. Food seems to be available as once again there are
people bringing in boxes of cooked food to be distributed. Its amazing how
much the average ‘ not very well off ‘person is contributing to this
effort. Because really no big money has reached any of these places (yet)
its the average citizen  who is rallying round for the moment.

Our next effort is directed towards collecting medicines/dry rations to be
taken to Pottuvil – a private group is organising a little convoy to go to
the Lahugala nature reserve where evacuees from the arugam bay/Pottuvil
area are being sheltered. At least 10 of us from office will be joining. I
‘ not sure if you’ve been to Arugam Bay? We have holidayed there ever so
often & apparantly none of the guest houses/the fishing
village/roads/bridges are standing – its like a wasteland of mud & debris.
The four wheel club was there yesterday & one of the guys called in with
this infor – they ‘ve been helping with the evacuvation of people marooned
in the jungles of Panama – extreme tip –  south-east of the island.

Shirani Saunders

Continue reading →

Urgently Needed Items –UPDATED Jan 5th, 2005

/ Angelo Fernando / Leave a comment
A good problem to have:
The Baltimore Sri Lankan relief effort organizer, below, writes that they are not accepting items listed below at this time.
We have received sufficient supplies for immediate humanitarian aid.  The shipping costs are heavy and there is very little free shipping available.  I am raising funds through the International Buddhist Center for shipping and rehabilitation efforts. 
Here in Mesa, AZ, my wife and I, too are now only directing donors to approved funding agencies and organizations. Personally our goal is to raise $10,000 for a project to build houses, and we will be visiting Sri Lanka in June this year. There is one organizations I recommend and am working with
                          The Sri Lanka Disaster Fund at Bank Of America
                         Account number 004681446128. 
                          A tax ID number is available on request. Call 480.850.7588

Anjalika De Silva writes that there are varied needs. From infants, several of them orphaned and lying in hospitals to soldiers who were on duty in the eastern parts of Sri Lanka and have also been badly injured:
The bigger list is: (also download a Download a PDF of a Flyer with contact info, here)
  1. Canned milk food for babies.  Apparently there are many children affected and there’s no milk food.  Baby bottles are also needed. THIS IS A PRIORITY.
  2. Many are injured with cuts and bruises and need anticeptic cream, band aid, bandages,  and minor first aid supplies.
  3. Drinking water is polluted and they need water purification tablets very quickly. A PRIORITY.  Please try to locate sources to get these items.
  4. Clothing for children and adults are immediate needs.
  5. Tylenol and tablets for digestive disorders.  People are already suffering infections with the wounds being exposed.
  6. Sheets, towels, blankets.
  7. Many have lost eyeglasses, a collection of old eye glasses will help for immediate distribution.
  8. Canned food – soups, vegetables, milk, canned fruit, are urgently needed.
  9. Powdered milk for adults.
  10. Various forms of crackers, toasted bread and items that can be kept.
  11. Rubber gloves, masks for rescue efforts

Continue reading →

Media Contacts — people on the ground

/ Angelo Fernando / 1 Comment

I have some names of people the media can talk to, for eye-witness stories, and to get a sense of the relief measures underway.

Two organizations doing a great job are Sirasa (the radio station) and Suntel the natonwide fixed-wireless Telecom provider.

PEOPLE TO CONTACT:

Shohan Chandiram:  Tel: 011-94-777-729949 (He is in Galle, a city with severe damage and loss of life)

Shirani Saunders : 011-94-112-699166 (In O&M Advertising, visiting churches and temples in Mutuwal and Modera) Email: shirani.saunders@ogilvy.com

Russell Miranda:   Tel: 011-94-777892-399 (McCann-Erickson advertising, working with Sri Lankan Airlines in massive relief effort)  Email: russell_miranda@yahoo.com

Viran Constantine: Tel: 011-94-777-721291 (Suntel relief operation) Email viran@suntel.lk

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Sri Lanka’s tragedy

/ Angelo Fernando / Leave a comment

Many have asked me what the status is in Sri Lanka, and have asked for ways to help. My parents and my wife’s parents are safe, but the devastation is severe.

I just got an update via text message that water levels are rising, and the fear of the ‘second wave’ has not materialized. Death toll is supposedly around 10,000 (one BBC report says 13,000) but I am hoping these estimates are not actual.

As the reports indicate, the hotel industry is crippled, with several beach resorts destroyed. This means a huge hit to the economy that has been recovering in the last few years, since the cessation of hostilities after nearly 20 years of terrorism.

For those who would like to help, I will be posting some links in the next 2 days, once I find the best mechanisms available. The people in Sri Lanka are really devastated by this right now, and appreciate your prayers and concerns. Money, appears to be the best way to help even though medical supplies, food, clothing etc are very immediate needs. The Lanka Academic Network, Lacnet, has good updates, including ways make a tax-free donation, and for someone to contact a loved one in Sri Lanka.

I write for a business magazine, LMD, in Sri Lanka, and will post some updates from the editors, when I get them, shortly.

Thanks for your concern.

Continue reading →

Amazon’s short film changes the rules

/ Angelo Fernando / 1 Comment

Fossil I keep discovering new variations on the subject of the New Advertising that I cover. Two classic examples are the Honda ad that is all about the people who buy the car, and not the car itself, and the Amazon.com short films now running on the ‘Amazon Theatre’ -er, the Amazon.com landing page. In case you haven’t heard, Amazon Theatre has been screening these films from November 9th for a 5 week stint.

First the neat trick about the Amazon films. They are billed as a ‘Fallon Worldwide production’ meaning they are produced by an ad agency. This has all the makings fo what  the Madison & Vine concept was all about –a marriage between hollywood and Mad Ave. One film, Be careful what you wish for’  is about a married couple, a confession, and an insect, with flashbacks to their youth. You bet it’s got wacky suspense.

Then there are the rolling credits, a great indicator of where things are headed in ad land. The CAST IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE has the wife listed at the top, ad the husband listed 5 credits below. Inbetween are –I am not maing this up- blankets and lamps.

Fallon throws in some star power by having Daryl Hannah play a tiny part. But it’s the storyline, and not the stars that matter, because you are always wondering what the catch is. No the products cannot be clicked on, and no there is no overt selling in the storyline. It is even –perhaps deliberately– slow moving story for a short film, but has a neat punchline/kicker.

The real deal turns out to be in the Credits. You can click any of the Credits and they turn out to be links to the the lamps and jewellery in the film. In another much more pacy film, ‘Agent Orange’ with a boy-meets-girl theme, credits for the Fossil watch, Diesel jeans, camera etc are also linked to items on sale on Amazon.

As a technique I can see where this is going. Amazon knows exactly who its shoppers are, and can nicely target the films at each demographic. A man buying CDs of Barry manilow, probably doesn’t need to be targeted with the Agent Orange film. The products listed could be someday worked in with more interactive features, rather than to pages where they are listed. Fallon is one of the few agencies following up with work that reflects the passing away of the dumb TV commercials.

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