LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE DEDICATED TO
LWR'S SOUTH ASIA RECOVERY INITIATIVE
Baltimore , February 25, 2005 -- The tsunami that struck across the rim of the Indian Ocean last December killed more than 150,000 people, devastated communities and left countless vulnerable. The sheer scope of the destruction and death is astonishing, and the rebuilding task formidable.
Lutheran World Relief (LWR) began its response immediately following the disaster, and since has been working at maximum capacity to mobilize resources, connect with partners in the affected areas, and get help quickly and efficiently to those communities hardest hit. We are also in the process of developing our long-term 10-year strategy for reconstruction, rehabilitation and risk management across the region.
As a part of our response LWR launched its WAVE OF GIVINGT campaign to fund rebuilding efforts in India , Sri Lanka and Indonesia which has received phenomenal response. This unprecedented disaster was followed by an equally unprecedented outpouring of compassion from LWR friends and supporters and many people who are new to LWR. Since its launch, the campaign has generated $11.4 million. But more than money, we have been astounded by the deep interest and concern of so many individuals and communities across the country, who have contributed to the campaign.
As Lutheran World Relief moves forward from the immediate relief phase into our longer term programming, we wanted a way those who helped us in the immediate response could remain connected to our efforts. So, today LWR launched www.waveofgiving.org , a website entirely dedicated to information about LWR's relief and rebuilding efforts in South Asia.
The road from relief to recovery will be a long one; attending to the spiritual and material needs of the hundreds of thousands of affected families and communities will not be easy. Through www.waveofgiving.org LWR friends and supporters will be with us for the long haul, through LWR and our network of local partners in India , Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
The website provides a unique opportunity for LWR and for our supporters. For the first time our supporters will be able to accompany LWR in real time over the next 10 years as we work with partners from the early stages of relief, then as we deepen our relationships and begin more substantial recovery efforts, and later as the partnerships strengthen and we help them with technical assistance, risk management training and other capacity building efforts - efforts to help prepare the communities to better withstand disasters in the future.
The website is a resource for up-to-date information about the situation on the ground and about our continuing efforts, as well as a way for supporters to see the valuable work their contribution has funded. Special features of the site include a travel journal featuring reports and photos issued directly "from the field" by LWR staff. The site will also keep visitors connected to LWR's ongoing work around the world with numerous links back to Lutheran World Relief's main website, www.lwr.org .
WHO IS LWR? Headquartered in Baltimore , Maryland , Lutheran World Relief (LWR) has been responding to emergencies and disasters since its founding in 1945. Working through partners and global relief and development networks, LWR works in 35 countries to provide not only relief but to combat the causes of poverty and restore the dignity it robs from people's lives. We advocate for fair trade that helps farming families earn a better income. We teach people to better care for themselves, their communities and the environment. We teach people how to be less vulnerable to natural disasters. We advocate with them for policy change that more fairly represents them. We counsel them after human and natural disasters, and help them recover with material aid and long-term programs. We do all of this exclusively with partners from the communities we serve.
Lutheran World Relief engages in international relief, development, advocacy, and social responsibility in collaborative ministry with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, and others.
WHO IS LWR? Lutheran World Relief, an international nonprofit organization, works to end poverty and injustice by empowering some of the world's most impoverished communities to help themselves. With partners in 35 countries, LWR seeks to promote sustainable development with justice and dignity by helping communities bring about change for healthy, safe and secure lives; engage in Fair Trade; promote peace and reconciliation; and respond to emergencies. LWR is headquartered in Baltimore, Md. and has worked in international development and relief since 1945.
Lutheran World Relief is a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), individuals and parish groups in international relief, development, advocacy and social responsibility.
For more information contact Emily Sollie at esollie@lwr.org or 410-230-2802.
