Catholic Relief Services tsunami aid update

[AngryOldDem]

Today in the mail I received a report about what CRS is doing in the countries affected by the tsunami. I thought it might be of interest to you.

CRS, remember, has given $25 million for emergency and long-term relief, one of the earliest and largest financial commitments made.

CRS is working around the clock, conducting assessments and working with local partners in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Indonesia. The biggest obstacles right now are determining the most effective and appropriate ways to get aid to the people, since travel is very bad and there is a lack of fuel in many areas.

Here is a breakdown of what CRS is doing in each country:

India -- CRS is working with Caritas to provide food, medicine, and shelter to three hardest-hit districts and two islands. It is working with 10 diocesan partners to organize and manage 93 relief camps that are sheltering more than 125,000 people along the Tamil Nadu and and Andhra Pradesh coasts. CRS is providing displaced persons with three cooked meals a day, clothing, clean water, and medical assistance (as required). With its partners, CRS is working to distribute dry food rations, medicine, oral rehydration solutions, and water purification tablets in remote areas.

Sri Lanka -- CRS is providing cooked food and dry rations, non-food items, mobile medical assistance, purchasing and distributing soap, water cans, kitchen sheets, bedwraps and sarongs to displaced persons, and providing technical support for local partners.

Indonesia -- CRS is working with other agencies to provide "survival kits" (kitchen utensils, hygiene items, blankets, sleeping mats, water storage cans, and plastic sheeting). It is helping approximately 755 families in Aceh.

Thailand -- Helping poor fishing communities in six southern provinces.

Right now most of the aid is going to these four countries, but as the scope of this tragedy becomes clearer CRS may extend its aid to Burma, Somalia, and Madagascar. It may also increase its financial commitment as further assessments dictate.


My note: We may not think that our individual contributions make much of a difference -- but that definitely is not the case. Let us continue keep these workers and those they are helping in our thoughts and prayers.