Island wide Sarvodaya Relief Teams are presently engaged in flood relief work in several flood affected districts under the coordination of Sarvodaya Emergency Response Unit. The operations and relief work so far include establishment of Sarvodaya Emergency Response Centre at Sarvodaya Headquarters, media partnership with Voice of Asia Media Network, distribution of water (200 5-Liter bottels) in Pahathgama in Hanwella, in Colombo district, distribution of cooked food parcels (750 packs) in Pahathgama in Hanwella, in Colombo district, mobilising 3 boats in rescue and relief distribution in collaboration with Fisheries Society of Western Province, sanitary relief item distribution in Aranayaka, Mawanella in Kegalle, street tour in Moratuwa to collect Dry Food Rations in collaboration with Sri Lanka Youth (on-going), procurement and preparation of Dry Food Ration Packs (100 packs on Friday worth of Rs. 1,300 per pack / 10$ per pack – on-going), distribution of at least 500 cooked food parcels in Colombo (distribution by boats today), mobilising 1 more boat in relief item distribution in collaboration with Summit Finance Ltd. and collection of items at Sarvodaya District Centers.
So far LIRNEasia, Sarvodaya-USA, Voice of Asia, and Tea Board of Sri Lanka have been partnered with Sarvodaya in relief efforts in addition to local and international individuals who have been good enough to financially contribute through the Sarvodaya Payment Gateway. The local cash donations received so far exceeds 165,000 LKR.
Sarvodaya has concentrated its efforts towards the affected populations in Colombo, Gampaha, Kegalle and Puttalum districts with special focus on inaccessible areas and communities. Presently the relief teams are in the process of preparing (and accept) Dry Food Ration Packs or items separately (or receiving the cost of packs) at Sarvodaya Headquarters and Sarvodaya Nagarodaya Center in Baseline Road, in Boralla (In front of the Magazine Prison). The Nagarodaya Centre also accepts cooked food (and also water bottles), and are expected before 10am for lunch, and 5pm for dinner until such need is announced invalid.
A Dry Food Ration Pack consists of 2kg of Rice, 1kg of sugar, 1kg of flour, 500grms of Dahl, 500grms of onion, 400grms of milk powder, 150grms of dried-fish, 100grms of tea leaves, 2 pieces of laundry and toilet soap cakes, 1 tube of toothpaste and 2 toothbrushes. Each parcel costs approximately 1,300/= LKR (10 USD).
For immediate responses the following can be contacted over the mobiles; Ravi @ 0714201566 / Yamuna @ 0777324063 / Manoj @ 077879318 / Wimala @ 0777800105 / Bandula @ 0773609616; or the Sarvodaya Emergency Response Unit can be contacted through the General Numbers: +94 112 655255, +94 112 655125, +94 114 365114 (Dialog short code for Sarvodaya internal use is 611). The [email protected] email is dedicated for the relief related communications.
The cash donations can be sent to the following account;
Account Name: Lanka Jathika Sarvodaya Shramadana Sangamaya (Inc.)
Account No: Acct. No 1590011920
Account: Currency Rupees
Bank: Commercial Bank of Ceylon Ltd.
Branch: Moratuwa
Address: No.116, Galle Road, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
Those who are interested in supporting Sarvodaya relief efforts can contribute by any means which fits in to above.
In the intermediate and long term Sarvodaya expects to support ‘children back to school’ in partnership with Dialog Axiata, and rehabilitation activities including;
– Possible supply of Hygiene Packs and medical supplies
– Cleaning drinking water wells
– Cleaning and rehabilitation of infrastructure and so on.
The immediate relief updates will be posted in Sarvodaya Facebook account. https://www.facebook.com/SarvodayaSriLanka/.