Mercy Corps received 1 Mill. US$ from the Oprah Winfrey Show, to be spent on “Changing Lives” in Arugam Bay.
The idealistic and well motivated Ms. Lyn Robinson implemented various “lively hood programs”, until her departure last autumn.
AbHa and Arugam.info has always been cold shouldered by Mercy Corps, and there has been an uneasy relationship, which resulted in a a lack of information flow and some misunderstandings.
However, Arugam.info is happy to admit that M/c was perhaps the best of any NGO ‘active’ in the Bay.
However, can we now ask “How wise was the 1 Mill.$ actually invested?”
1.) Concrete Block factory: No longer in operation
2.) Bicycle rentals: Never worked,all bikes sold for cash
3.) Kali Motorbike rentals: All 5 motorbikes sold for cash - at a fraction of the value
4.) Garment factory: Bankrupt - No orders!
5.) Garbage Tractor: Parked up, never goes out, no money for Diesel
6.) Chicken Farm: No Chickens
7.) Donated Fridges: Compressors burned out due to mains power fluctuation’s
8.) 100,000 ‘Las Vegas’ lights of Hope: All broke, see above, + rain
9.) Street Trees: OK, growing. But many will be uprooted when the road is done
10.) Street lights: Never on. House owners can’t pay the electricity bills anymore
11.) Boats, nets, engines: All sold for minimal cash
12.) Small side Roads: Substandard, unprofessional. All will be redone by UNOPS
12.) Small restaurants: All closed. No business, too much competition all round
13.) Internet: No more Internet in the entire Bay. Cut off by SLT (bill arrears)
AbHa advised Ms. Lyn that the American Dream might simply not work in Sri Lanka.
Here not everyone is cut out to be a successful business man.
It hurts to see that this seems to be the sad result of the best funded, most involved and most successful organization the Bay has had the pleasure of welcoming after Dec/2004.
As mentioned, Mercy Corps ignores us, our advice and this web site - so maybe there are many more successful investments we don’t know about.
The Bay’s own Tsunami warning system will also be switched off as soon as the Inmarsat prepaid credit is run out - Mercy Corpse had no funds available for this Community project, run by proven survivors, in every way.
Could someone tell the lady at Hello Madam that Arugam Bay is 95% Muslim and that breastfeeding in public is not our practice.We are hoping that she does not have triplets in the future too.Mohammed.
Welcome to this site, Mohammed!
It is not often that local people visit this web site; but as you are: that’s GREAT!
Because we actually made it for YOU guys in the Bay- you will like the chances of the Internet gives us all.
The complaint/comment you make will be studied by Mrs Liz, and I am sure she will explain the way she thinks and why. I know her well, and she certainly didn’t mean to upset you.
(I am old enough to recall similar problems in England when native Asians, many from Ceylon, came to Britain.
Then it was OUR own public which was outraged to see the natural process of breast feeding in public… - here at Arugam Bay we have the situation in reverse….)
Isn’t it great that Arugam Bay has such a nice mixtures of cultures without a hint of the troubles from outside influences?
We simply have a fairly small culture conflict here.
It is great if we can discuss this little matter here. Maybe we can even eventually agree what is acceptable and what is not.
The Internet is ideal:
Everyone can take part, everyone can say what they wish - without being shouted down by the crowd. Shy people can have a voice!
Your last line also fits in well with our way of thinking!
You show a great sense of humor - even when things don’t go right for you.
If we try to air our differences in such friendly matter we will go further that the rest of the world seems to go these days:
If we are tolerant and respect each other’s cultures & religions everything will get better.
Keep it up!
Haven’t Sri Lankan natives bigger problems these days than being worried about the beautiful mother-to child bond?
Hi Fred! Long time no chat! How goes it? If you recall, I was the Peace Corps Volunteer that had the ‘luxury’ of bein affiliated with Mercy Corps. Most notable, I championed the effort put forth for a legitimate garbage pick-up campaign. Reading your newsletter left me sadly, not surprised, that the tractor is now sitting. I imagined that would happen once the season ended (which seemed like it never begun), and with the spat of violence (in September?), I can’t imagine anyone would want to drive the tractor 5km into the jungle to the dumpsite. The good thing? Well, the tractor is there, and hopefully when the season begins again, and the threat of violence subdues, perhaps pick-up will resume. Who knows, it’s all god’s will. Hope everything is great. Please tell your missus hello, hi to sammy, kali, and all the folks!!
Much love,
Aaron.
Aaron?
You done good work here. We in the Bay will always remember you and your great, open, friendly attitude. Wish there would be more like you.
But many guys now think you picked the wrong partners.
Others could have ensured your ideas and projects to work.
But that’s history.
Thanks anyhow
Rifai -AbaY
ArugamTaxi@gmail.com
Oh I forgot to mention that one M/C project actually works well:
The donated tractor is very busy, not at all parked up.
There seems to be enough money for Diesel.
Each day the unit might be earning 2-4,000 Rs./ carting sand from the beach.
So we are proven wrong:
You did pick the right local partner!
As long as the profits are given back to the Community that is.
Rifai
ArugamTaxi@gmail.com
OK, I am with you.
Being a rather busy translator for many locals (from all sides), I tend to know what goes on.
Also the Western Union Branch gives rare chance of local insight.
But most is confidential and I also don’t get involved in local politics!
A lot of US guys done good work here.
The fact that they could have done much better if they would have considered certain advice is history - a good chance to be well informed was sadly missed!
My main regret is that we, as a Community would have done much better by now if we could have worked together.
Instead we wasted precious chances and also suffered a certain loss of reputation.
Hopefully we can all work together soon.
Natalie,No problem with that but when we go to buy coffee with our kids in her coffee shop do we really need a full frontal?She is,after all running a public business that does not need public breastfeeding involved.m a
Mohammedabashi’s comments lead us to an interesting discussion. It deserves its own post as it has little to do with Mercy Corps.
OK, we now have to accept that feeding a crying kid in ones own home/business causes an offense to some locals. Who happen to chose to have coffee there at that time.
Many visitors, also like me from Colombo got used to the pleasant sigths of guys lifting their skirts and uninate in full view of passers by and tourists on the road.
Openly shitting on the beach is obviously also an acceptable part of your society.
But what about the perverts who have no shame to masturbate openly whilst staring at a lady?
Is that deemed to be a compliment in your society or what?
Is this offensive behaviour part of your native society?
Whatever it is it certainly has nothing whatsoever to do with religion - it’s just a cultuture and civilisation issue.
We are confused; please clarify!
Chris Cross
Colombo
get a grip. its natural.
Andrew Carruthers
What??!
Is natural, Andrew Carruthers?
Get a grip on what?
You mean the sarong shitters, the stand-up urinators, the Sri Wankans or even disgusting mother’s breasts, feeding the baby?
Or do you bring us back to the original topic: Mercy Corps and all their wise investments?
Natalie
Mr.X,Our religion does not encourage women to be immodest.I am surprised you need that clarified but given your smoking habbit you probably need a great many things clarified,M.A.
What happened to your web site?
Has someone been upset about this breast feeding - because someone has blocked access to this page.
Well we’ve just come back from a week away without internet access so appologies for not commenting earlier. Having read through all replies there are some very valid points that have been made. Not wishing to enter into a tit (oh excuse me no pun intended) for tat battle here about who is worse than whoever. I can say that NO-ONE ever complained either to me or Ramesh about feeding Jay, NO-ONE from Arugam Bay suggested that this was not an acceptable practice. I’m not entirely sure what this gentleman means by a public business and I certainly don’t recall him popping by for a cuppa with his children. Nobody is forcing him to come to our land and drink coffee either.
Interesting that he has chosen now to complain about this, when we have been absent from Arugam Bay for 3 months, Jay is to be 1 year old in 2 weeks time, why if this was causing so much offence did he not come forward sooner - in person???
Also interesting that he has children, I wonder how his wife managed to feed them all? There were months through the summer that Jay was feeding every hour, I’m sure he was not the only baby in the world with a healthy appetite, I suppose the gentleman would have expected me to stay in my room for upto 18 hours a day.
Anyway enough for now, Ramesh would very much like to talk this through with Mohammedashabi on our return to Arugam Bay.
Thanks once again Fred for providing this forum so that people may air their views freely.
Liz and Ramesh
Hi Crew - Phil here from Christian Surfers Uk
Really keen to catch up with Liz & Ramesh, as well as Johnson and Dulip ( Is he still in Uk ? )
I hear things are not so good in A bay.
A big high to Fred & Somlak, and the Boys and of course Minna at Surf & Sun ( Dont forget Uncle )
Great memories and pictures from my 4 post Tsunami visits to A bay.
Would love to come back
Fred - Can I send a load of photos for the site ?
Take care
Phil
We are on an exchange in Nantes,France for a year so will not be bach to chat for a while.Would rather speak to the lady about the matter as Ramesh does not do the breastfeeding,as far as I know,Mohammed.
I thought this subject in this forum is about Mercy Corps.
Many posts are about breastfeeding. How about we make a new one?
Breastfeeding subject and ask Liz to send a photo when she feed Jay to the webmaster to publish so all can see and decide who has problem with it(Ha Ha)
Do you think that is good Mr. mohammedabashi ?
#Hi Laura!
Good to see you here.
I think that’s a good idea.
The AbaY Home Page grows quite well - but the subjects are not sorted out properly.
Webmaster:
Why not include special threads for topics such as this breast feeding issue?
Or the behavior of locals - specially when drunk.
As girl visitors to Arugam this is what spoiled our otherwise pleasant experience.
How come that specially the Muslims seem to get sooo drunk - I thought it is not part of their religion. See how little we know.
It seems to be important to discuss such cultural issues.
Nat
Well Laura I will not bother again to read this site and Nathalie,yes,sadly,we do see how little you know.M.A.