Background
sri lanka on Feb 1st 2009
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE SITUATION IN SRI LANKA:
In 2004 a massive Indian Ocean earthquake triggered a tsunami which devastated the coastal communities of India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
hanbantota fish market where over 1,000 people were killed on 12/26/04
On the island-nation of Sri Lanka, with a total population of only 20 million, 30 thousand people were killed, 15 thousand injured, 6 thousand reported missing, 78 thousand homes were destroyed, 396 thousand people displaced, and 900 children orphaned. While the immediate emergency and relief needs of the victims have been addressed, there are countless individuals and families still in need. Additionally, the ongoing civil war has displaced thousands of innocent civilians–a humanitarian crisis of immense proportion. MICROAID is creating programs to help. We are currently raising $52,000 to rebuild houses, support tsunami orphans in their education, replace tools of livelihood, and create community centers, which will serve as disaster evacuation locations and centers for disaster preparedness training. Our projects are focused in the south and east coasts of the island (the areas that were hit hardest by the tsunami), and primarily in the towns of Hikkaduwa (southwest), Hambantota (southeast), and Batticaloa (centraleast).
We are also evaluating ways in which we can help innocent victims of the civil war in the northeast. 100% of donations will go toward these program activities.
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