Relief Efforts in India and Sri Lanka Underway 

Tens of thousands of South Asia's children have become the helpless victims of the devastating tsunami which hit the region on December 26, 2004. Orphaned, injured, hungry and dehydrated, they are part of the human toll taken in what has been termed a disaster of unprecedented proportion in nature.

SOS Children's Villages (SOS) has launched emergency relief efforts from existing SOS Villages and social centres throughout the region. "The reports we are receiving recount a toll of devastation and human suffering that is almost unimaginable", said SOS Children's Villages Canada National Director, Boyd McBride. "Our organization has an already well-established infrastructure on the ground in these areas, so we have been able to quickly mobilize our relief efforts," he continued.

Mr. McBride explained that while SOS staff would be joining in relief work in all affected countries where SOS Children's Villages facilities operate, the main focus is currently on two of the hardest hit areas served by SOS Children's Villages -- India and Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka

With the Southern provinces almost completely cut off from the city of Colombo damage reports are slowly filtering in. Cedric P. de Silva, National Director of SOS Children's Villages Sri Lanka reports that relief efforts have been mounted to the almost inaccessible areas in the country's east, while families in Galle and Piliyandala in the southern province are also receiving what they need the most. The only SOS Village in the vicinity is at Galle, where loss of life has been considerable. Besides providing urgently needed drinking water, supplies, equipment and medicine, SOS Children's Villages is planning long-term initiatives to help affected families rebuild their lives.

As a preliminary effort to assist the most vulnerable affected by this disaster, SOS Children's Villages Sri Lanka is providing shelter, food and water to disaster victims at the SOS Social Centre at Morakkatanchenai on the east coast. On Tuesday, December 28, Diwakar Ratnadurai, Project Director, SOS Children's Village Nuwara Eliya left for Batticaloa, traveling in a truck carrying dry ration packets, clothes, candles, matches, and milk food items for small children. The situation in Batticaloa is critical. Some remote villages in the area are completely wiped out while others are severely damaged.

More than 500 families have found refuge in the main temple compound of Piliyandala, site of the first SOS Children's Village in Sri Lanka, near the capital city of Colombo. SOS staff there, in co-operation with the temple authorities, is organizing medical care and food distribution. SOS Children's Villages Sri Lanka is working closely with government authorities and other NGOs to implement further relief activities.

India

Thousands of children and homeless families are finding refuge in SOS emergency camps on the southeast coast of India. Victor Painadath, Head of Operations SOS Children's Villages in India estimates that more than 30,000 children in the region around the town of Nagappattinam are in urgent need of help. He describes the situation in the town.

"There is debris of broken walls, boats, shoes and other debris. The place has the pungent smell of dead bodies. The main activity here is cleaning up the whole place. Shops are closed and life is at a stand still. We saw a hundred people running, shouting that the waters are coming again. I saw women crying out in panic, trembling children running to their mothers. There was nothing there, except for someone having watched high waves hitting on the shores. I explain this to you to show you that people here are living in terrible fear."

SOS emergency camps are being set up in three of the worst affected districts of Tamilnadu and Pondichery. Sixteen Child Relief Centres are being set up: eight centres in Nagapattinam, four in Cuddalore and four in Kanykumari. More than 3,000 to 4,000 children will receive aid and refuge. In addition to receiving food, clothes and medical care children will receive psychological counseling to help them to process the traumatic experiences of loss, terror, and destruction. The coming weeks will tell how many children have been orphaned and will need long-term care in SOS Children's Village facilities. SOS will also identify families who will need support for years to come in order to meet the needs of their children.

Indonesia

Indonesia's death toll has climbed to close to 80,000. The northwest coast of the island of Sumatra is a scene of complete devastation. Gregor Nitihardjo, National Director of SOS Children's Villages Indonesia is working with relief groups who are being flown to the affected areas to offer any help which SOS is able to give. Due to inaccessibility of Aceh, damage reports are few and sporadic and relief efforts to this remote area are moving slowly.

A Long Road To Recovery

As SOS Children's Villages continues to initiate and support emergency relief efforts amidst the calamitous devastation, the organization is also committing extensive resources to protect and support the huge numbers of families and children who will require long-term help to rebuild their lives. "This has always been the focus of SOS Children's Villages," explained Mr. McBride. " Our mission has always been to be there for the children and their families over the long haul. This monumental natural disaster now makes our work that much more urgent and essential."

Your Help Is Urgently Needed

Recent United Nations estimates place the death toll in South Asia at more than 115,000. The agency warns that this number could double over the following weeks unless adequate measures are taken to stem the tide of disease and destruction. Your donation NOW will go directly to SOS Children's Villages relief work in India and Sri Lanka.