In Sri Lanka alone more than 30,000 died. Several thousands more are unaccounted for. Over one million people have been displaced. The sad thing is over one third of the victims are children.

No one among the Lasallian family was lost, but several relatives of Brothers, Lasallian partners and students were displaced and many of them lost their household goods, school materials etc.

Here is an account of the Tsunami damage to those known and close to us.

1. Houses of sisters of 3 Brothers went under water. One house was completely destroyed. Household goods were damaged or lost.
2. Four Lasallian helpers and their families have been displaced. Their houses went under water. Household goods damaged and lost.
3. Approximately 300 families living in poor houses in the Lasallian neighbourhood have been displaced. Among them are 200 or more students attending our pre-schools and schools.

Many government, non-government and voluntary organizations are engaged in relief work. Already, a number of our institutions have been engaged in various relief efforts such as running a camp for displaced families, providing food parcels to displaced people, cleaning up water wells in affected areas, cleaning up a church, a convent and a school that were severely affected.

The Lasallian family in Sri Lanka will focus on the following short term and long-term relief services.

1. Providing assistance to repair houses and to recover essential household items for those victims connected to the Lasallian families. In some cases assistance to find alternative accommodation.

2. Cleaning up school buildings, churches, religious houses and water-wells in affected areas, particularly in Kaluthara and Matara Districts.

3. Distribute school materials and uniforms to children of Lasallian schools and other children in the neighbourhood who were affected .

4. Educating students (up to 50) whose families were displaced, parents have died
or lost their family income. This is a specific project for our Boys Town.

Many of you have expressed your willingness to contribute by way of sending funds.

You may do so in one of the following methods.

1. Through the
SECOLI Office in Rome:
Contact Brother Stephen Tuohy: stuohy@lasalle.org
or international website www.lasalle 2.org.

2. Relief Efforts in Sri Lanka,
C/o, Julie Hosford,
De La Salle Institute
P.O.Box. 3720
Napa
CA 94558.
U.S.A.

3. Directly to our account in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Name: Provincial Visitor – De La Salle Brothers.
A/C No: 00 – 02 – 3004627 – 02
Bank: Standard Chartered
York Street
Colombo –01.

Please mention “Tsunami Relief Efforts” in your correspondence when you send any help.

Thank you again for your support and concern. We shall keep you in our prayers.

Brother Henry Dissanayake
Visitor
Colombo, Sri Lanka

If you have news notes that you would like us to consider publishing, please email us:lasallew@lasalle.org