Background to Sri Lanka Projects
TSUNAMI Surf Relief UK (now Surf Relief UK), the organisation that helped co-ordinate the UK surfing communities’ response to the Asian Tsunami of Boxing day 2004, has made real impact on the East coast of Sri Lanka, building houses, employing teachers and helping to build an orphanage and contribute towards enhancements to a pre-school building school.
Phil Williams one of the charity’s trustees visited Sri Lanka in May to monitor the progress of projects funded by Tsunami Surf Relief UK. He found that the funds that have been raised through the generosity of the surfing community have been well used.
The amount of money raised by Surf Relief UK, in partnership with organisations such as Christian Surfers UK, topped nearly £50,000 in 2005. This has been used for a number of projects, particularly in the Arugam Bay area of Sri Lanka.
Surf Relief UK is now a registered charity. Having experienced the generosity of the surfing community in response to the Boxing Day Tsunami organisers realised that there was potential to raise further funds for other projects acting as the UK’s surfing charity.
The projects include:
· Seven brick constructed houses built. In May Phil Williams (Trustee), met four of the seven families due to take possession of these properties and they expressed huge gratitude to all those from the UK who had contributed to the re-building of their homes. This provides permanent residency for these seven families affected by the Tsunami who have currently lost so much in terms of both material and human life.
· Sponsoring ten teachers who are currently teaching in six different denomination schools in the Arugam Bay/Pottuville Region. These teachers are replacing the paid staff lost in the Tsunami. Thanks to the generosity of the Charity their training is being funded and they will be paid during their first year in post. After this time the Government will take over responsibility for their on-going training and salaries.
· The construction of an orphanage for young girls orphaned by the Tsunami. Tsunami Surf Relief UK and Christian Surfers UK have funded the staff quarters of the orphanage. This will sleep up to three staff ensuring that the orphanage can use all its space for the orphans and enabling western-trained teachers to visit the orphanage.
· Working with Paddle4Relief (www.paddle4relief.co.uk), who refurbished and
extended the local pre-school in Arugam Bay as well as creating a
playground, Surf Relief UK provided funding for the roof of the extension.
A number of small donations to support local businesses providing valuable help to rebuild their lives and livelihoods.
source:
http://www.tsunamisurfrelief.co.uk/Projects.htm
0 Responses to “Surf Relief PR”