Contrary to what we see in the media that there is plenty of aid money flowing in, there is work to be done in Sri Lanka. Predictably the media now begins looking for the wierd stories. But unseen work goes on, to solve ‘problems’ that don’t make for sensational stories.

Addressing mental health, water sanitation, infant hygiene, school supplies continue to be addressed. UNICEF released its weekly assessment today. It includes these issues:

–         schools continue to be occupied by displaced families

–          incomplete construction of temporary schools

–       parents are frightened of being separated from their children due to rumors of recurring tsunamis and the possibility of recruitment

–       furniture in schools vacated by IDPs has been used as fuel or has been destroyed

–       water and sanitation facilities are damaged and parents are worried that schools are unhygienic for children to return

–       transport to temporary schools is causing problems

–       children are not attending temporary schools that are intended for different social groups (e.g. non-Moslem children will not attend Moslem schools)

–       schools used as camps are partially operating for teaching but parents don’t think that regular or effective instruction is taking place

–       there is a stigma attached to sending children to school without uniform, even though parents know that regulations have been relaxed

–       living conditions in camps are not conducive to support learning

–      many pre-schools are affected and some school-age children who have lost a parent are looking after siblings

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Tthe magazine in Sri Lanka I write for, LMD, has a good page of statistics, in this special issue (Feb 05).

People are not statistics, but when you look at a list, you realize the scale of the tragedy, and how some towns in Sri Lanka were more affected and lost more lives that the media coverage tends to show.

The town of Ampara, for instance had over 10,000 deaths, while Galle had 4,214. On the other hand, Galle lost 1,536 hotel rooms, while Kalutara lost less than half that.

See the full list here.

My article, a piece on how ‘connected’ the world really is, is here.

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There can be many angles with with we can approach the post-tsunami Sri Lanka. There’s tourism, housing, environment, infrastructure for the fishing industry, and then there are the orphanages and the impact on the children.

Children. Read this by a reporter Stan Grant, and see if you can ignore them.

Grant was writing in early January about seeing the bodies of three small children recovered from the beach.

From where I stood, I could see that they were children. No more than babies really, aged maybe between 1 to 3. From a distance, it just really didn’t look real. They looked almost like mannequins or dolls.

But as we got closer, I saw their arms were locked around each other. They were hanging on to each other.

Their bodies had been tossed in the torrent … as it came through. Somehow these three little kids had hung together and died together.

He stoppped being a reporter, and realized that he was a father, first:

I remember standing there, looking, and I couldn’t help thinking about my own children. I have three little boys of my own. And I know I look in on them sometimes before they are about to go to bed, and they are often lying there and they have their arms around each other.

Looking at these three little children, with their arms around each other, reminded me so much of my own kids. And I started thinking about the little things that matter.

This kind of reporting stopped us in its tracks. Sure this is a CNN reporter, but this is much more than a ‘news story.’

Another angle.

Here’s another writer with another great story about how religious and ethnic differences suddenly disappear. Jeff Greenwald writes for Ethical Traveller:

While we relax, Dilan (who is from Kandy) tells us that the monk we hope to see — Thibbotuwawe Sri Sumangala — did something rather extraordinary, given the events of 1998. Four days after the tsunami, he and his monks loaded 26 trucks full of food, medicine, and supplies. They drove the trucks due east, and delivered the supplies directly into the hands of the Tamils near Trincomalee.

"It was a way of saying that religion doesn’t matter," explains Dilan. "For the past 20 years, Sinhalese and Tamils can’t find a chance to talk to each other. With this disaster, there is an opening to communicate — so we give help to them, from the bottom of our hearts."

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This video circulating, captures how millions of us Sri Lankans feel about the commitment to rebuild a nation.

‘A thousand Inspiring Stories’ indeed!

http://astream.net/links/asia/song1.asx

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In response to a post here –based on a request from a relief worker in Trincomalee– about the need to suply shoes and socks to children returning to schools in affected areas in an East coast city of Sri Lanka, here’s a follow up.

The board of the New Era Children’s Fund, a Arizona-based organization has transfered  $2,000 toward the cause. Also, CEO of NECF, has agreed to privately fund the balance for ths socks. Thank you for such speedy action.

The supplies are being purchased through Ceylon Leather Products, in Colombo 10.

Side note: Other organizations are helping with back-to-school projects. See this BBC article. But let’s not forget these other little projects –especially those in the areas that the media don’t always visit.

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Sarvodaya, a grassroots ‘reawakening’ movement in Sri Lanka has been around for a long time –47 years! This blog has been directing many people who asked about donating to a very tangible cause. 

If you haven’t checked th site recently it is worth a visit. They have a team of bloggers updating news. They also have a good plan for Active Engagement to assist villages, here.

through an Income Support scheme combined with upgraded skills for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of affected areas.

Also, to

create other avenues of employment through private traders and government projects, which will be encouraged to employ affected community members.

Its goals of tapping the private sector for marketing of products produced by these communities is just one of the many areas worth looking into.

Here is the link to the National Reawakening Plan.

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Two sites worth a visit:

1. The Center for National Operations (cnosrilanka.org) in Sri Lanka is a powerful database-driven site maintained created by a private group of individuals, and now run by the Presidential Secretariat.

It covers many aspects of disaster operations in the country such as Water and Sanitation, Childcare, Logistics. Even an UN desk, and useful links. See this map of affected areas.

2. MapAction (http://www.mapaction.org) a UK-based international charity that assists in mapping of disaster areas. It uses satellite imagery, GIS and GPS. Want to see affected areas in Hambantota, or Galle? Check here.

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Should it take a calamity to make us empty our pockets and mobilize us into action? ‘Honky Tonk Woman,’ writing for the Sunday Leader newspaper in Sri Lanka says something most of us feel, but haven’t put it into words.

After such a tremendous disaster, you begin to realize the triviality of your problems. I’m very sorry to say it has become a kind of a contest with some folks, who like to make sure everyone knows how and what their contributions were to the relief effort. Let’s hope everyone will keep up the the level of enthusiasm over a longer period of time, for this effort has to be continued for a while in order to be successful. The real heroes/ heroines are those who work steadily and silently, they don’t even talk about it. They don’t feel the need for the whole world to know. I called up one of my oldest friends and told her I was proud to know her, she’s one such person. I know she doesn’t wait for tsunamis but always helps people and DOES NOT TALK about it.

I spoke to several people over the last few days who have amazing sories out of Sri Lanka, of Sri Lankans helping Sri Lankans all over the country. These private individuals who load their cars and double-cabs and make sorties into affected areas on work days and weekends. They don’t receive –and don’t care for- media attention. We can’t thank them enough

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Just to give you an idea of the force of the tsunami in Hambantota, here’s a telecom tower –or what’s left of it.

Andrew Samuel sent these pics and a comment:

These pics are of the city of Hambantota which is now fully bulldozed.
You will notice there are more vehicles to be cabled out of the mud and
water. This is a really sad site. The telecom tower has just crumbled down to
ball of metal.

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At Triton Hotel in Beruwala, several employees living in the area had their homes destroyed. These pictures, sent via Amanthi Dias Abeysinghe (whose dad is the General Manager of the hotel) tell their story. We visited Triton, a beautiful, sprawling beach resort, in June 2003, so I know exactly where these stories come from.

This picture shows you the hotel in the background.

And this one, how high the water has reached in the home.

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