(Please
forward widely)
Nearly a month has passed since the tsunami hit
the coasts of Asia, claiming over a hundred thousand
lives and devastating communities. The attention
of the world has moved on; the news is full of
other things, but the needs of the people in affected
areas still remains. Unless something can be done
to help the people of South Asia regain lost livelihoods
and independence, social and economic progress
will be undone and unemployment and poverty become
endemic. The collapse of coastal economies and
industries will lead to mass migration to cities
of a new, cheap labor force, easily exploited,
destroying efforts to organize workers and undermining
community and family life. Now, when the immediate
crisis is past and the mass donations have slowed,
is the time when aid is most needed.
Prithivi Prithiviraj works with the Care Trust
in South India, which has undertaken responsibility
for the rehabilitation of five coastal villages.
Their goal is to empower local communities by
restoring their means of livelihood—fishing boats
and nets, as well as providing immediate relief.
Prithivi is a personal friend, a graduate of our
Earth Activist Training course, a man with a deep
commitment to his community and to the goals of
empowering, sustainable development. For only
$92, his group is able to meet the immediate needs
of a family left homeless by the disaster, providing
food, basic clothing and cooking vessels. $44
would provide school supplies and uniforms for
two children in a family. $88 would clothe a family
of four.
The catamarans that the local fishermen depend
on can be repaired for around $125. A new catamaran
can be provided for $270 and a larger, motorized
vallam for just under $2500. Thousands of these
boats were lost or damaged.
Prithivi writes: “Since tsunami is no longer in
the headlines we struggle now to mobilize funds
to reach out to the poor victims. Initial response
is over Although we want to close our immediate
relief work still we are getting requests from
Inland fisher people and women fish head load
carriers, fish cutters in market and coastal fishermen
who lost just the instruments of livelihood. State
and major reliefworkers concentrate on the families
of the dead and villages where most people lost
their lives. We do take care of villages like
that but as an activists we currently give focus
on those who have not received any help at all.”
The Care Trust is able to reach those that other
relief efforts have not touched.
If you can help, there’s now an easy way to donate
money. Adopt-an-Activist, a group that raises
money to support global justice and peace activists,
has ‘adopted’ Prithivi. There are two ways to
contribute:
1)
Send a check to Adopt-An-Activist, earmarked ‘Prithivi’,
and send it to the address below. If you need
your donation to be tax deductible, make the check
out to Agape Foundation, with “Adopt-An-Activist/Prithivi”
in the memo field. Send checks to:
Adopt-an-Activist
PO Box 9363
Santa Rosa CA 95405
2)
You can also make donations via credit card by
going to:
www.adoptanactivist.org/donate.html
and typing in "tsunami" in the "payment
for" box.
www.AdoptanActivist.org
707-523-4304
Together We Are Stronger Than Greed or Fear
Thanks so much for helping at this crucial time!
-- Starhawk
NOTE: we also have just posted
a lengthy
update from Privthi which explains the specific
impact of the tsunami and includes the details
of the relief effort in his area, for your information.