Plan for Tsunami Relief in India as Communicated January 10, 2005
by Br. John Fernando, President, and Br. Mark Murphy, Delegate, of the Delegation of India

The report as well as pictures of the devastation and experience of helping with relief can be viewed at:
http://www.delasalle.org/050125_tsunami_india_report.shtml

1. Introduction :
   We, the Brothers of the Indian Delegation, are deeply moved by the way in which “the children and youth who are abandoned, left to themselves and in great need” have been devastated by the recent tsunami that hit South India. As a practical response to our prayerful consideration of this tragic situation, we discerned in faith what God wanted us to do in this present moment of our history in India.
   
   We are convinced that we should respond to the cries of our fellow Indians with open minds and hearts. We sent four Pilot Teams (PT) to the devastated areas of Nagai, Kaniakumari, Tuticorin, Nellai Districts in Tamilnadu and Krishna District in Andra Pradesh. The teams were commissioned to visit the spot and assess the situation, engaging voluntary services to attend to disaster management in the area of cleaning, medical needs, supply of relief material etc. Our goal is to identify their immediate living needs and identify a long term commitment to rehabilitate them. Our Community at Tuticorin headed one, our Community in Keesara in Andra Pradesh headed the second and SJDT and Boys’ Town headed the final two. They reported to Bro. President on January 05, 2005 and finalized the proposal at our meeting held on the same day at 21.30PM. 

2. Basic Principle :
   2.1.     “Provide conducive learning atmosphere for the children and youth who are abandoned, left to themselves and in great need  by the devastation caused by the recent tsunami; concentrate on the age group of 5 to 17; assist them to continue their education for at least five years”.
   
   2.2.     “Attend to the needs of people who are closely associated with us, particularly the families of the Brothers, Partners, Aspirants, Juniors and students”.

3. Specific Action for Long term rehabilitation :
   We have decided to adopt 3 – 6 Catholic Schools to help rehabilitate and thereby to help the children and youth to continue their studies which has been at great risk by the devastation caused by the Tsunami.
   
   3.1.Areas to assist in the Schools adopted :
          • Construction - replacing the damaged School building;
          • Providing furniture facilities (where there is a loss or need);
          • Providing School fees;
          • Providing Notebooks, reading and writing materials;
          • Providing School uniforms;
          • Providing Nutritious Meals;
          • Payment of the unaided Teaching faculty.
   
   3.2 Villages where the schools will be adopted:

   4. Specific Action for immediate rehabilitation :

4.1. La Salle Tsunami Volunteer Services :
We also decided to attend to the immediate needs of the people by engaging our Young Lasallians in the crisis management needs such as cleaning, faith animation programme, crisis counseling to relieve the traumatic experience, and distribution of emergency materials which the Young Lasallians of our Institutions contribute and collect.

4.2. Size of the Volunteers Team :
Not to exceed more than 15 in a group

4.3 Composition of the Team :
Each team will consists of respective Pilot Team members :02
Students’ participation                                                :12
Partner from participating School / Institution                  :01

4.4. Duration of assignment of the Volunteers Team for immediate relief work :
5 – 7 days (beginning from January 07, 2005);
Different groups continue as per the need of the  respective relief areas;       

4.5 Places Chosen :

4.6. Volunteers Teams are from :
St. La Salle, Tuticorin          : 15 + 15
St. James, Suranam            : 15
Boys’ Town, Madurai           : 15
Postulancy                        : 10 (8+2)
Aspirancy                          : 32 + 2

5. Specific Action for the needs of those who are closely associated with Brothers :
We have decided to assist the needs of those who are closely associated with the Brothers. We have identified that the families of Bros. Freddy and Heldon, Junior novice Benny Bosco and Johnson, the student of Boys’ Town. We express our solidarity with them in this tragic situation of history and will provide materials to help them again begin their livelihood.

6. Fund Raising Team (FRT):
The Brothers of the Central Team of the Delegation of India will act as a Fund Raising Team to support the rehabilitation services for both immediate relief work and for long term planning to assist the children and youth who are abandoned, left to themselves and in great need by the devastation caused by the recent tsunami that hit South India.

The Brothers will coordinate directly with the liaison persons in other Regions of the Institute and with the Centre of the Institute, Rome, through Brother Stephen Tuohy, Co-Director SECOLI.