ELCA Gift Funds Five Lutheran World Relief Tsunami Recovery Projects in Sri Lanka
Baltimore, July 27, 2006 — The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has provided more than $700,000 to Lutheran World Relief in support of tsunami recovery projects in Sri Lanka, one of the nations hardest hit by the 2004 natural disaster. This grant is the first installment of a $2 million pledge for LWR’s tsunami response in Sri Lanka.
The gift of $706,557 from the ELCA will support five projects, covering the districts of Hambantota, Matara, Galle, Kalutara, Ampara and Batticaloa and assisting tsunami survivors with building sustainable livelihoods, furnishing newly built homes, establishing emergency warning systems, and increasing civic awareness and participation.
One project will assist women and youth in building livelihoods through micro-enterprises such as improved agriculture, livestock, and small business industries. Participants will learn skills such as writing business and marketing plans, and keeping financial records.
Another project will address the growing climate of distrust and fear among different ethnic communities by facilitating inter-religious dialogue among religious leaders, and increase civic awareness and participation by forming women’s groups and facilitating dialogue on women’s role in the peace process and public life. The project will also issue National Identification Cards to 12,000 tsunami survivors who lost their IDs in the disaster. The cards are required for a citizen to vote.
A project in the Eastern Province will work with marginalized families to establish income generating activities, provide educational resources for children, and create greater awareness about health issues.
More than 200 families moving into newly constructed homes in the Galle and Kalutara districts will receive household furnishings such as tables, chairs, beds, mattresses and kitchen items through another of the five ELCA-funded projects.
Finally, a project in Hambantota and Ampara will work to create community-based emergency warning centers to increase preparedness for future disasters. Two inland hubs will host communication with sub-offices in coastal regions to spread emergency messages quickly to the entire coastline. The project will also train community leaders and youth to use and maintain the warning systems, and reduce future risk by planting trees in places damaged or eroded by sea water to create a natural environmental barrier.
“We are so grateful for the generosity of the ELCA and its members,” said LWR President Kathryn Wolford. “The projects funded by this support are examples of the long-term work LWR is known for, addressing the underlying causes of chronic poverty and exclusion to create lasting change.”
“The members of the ELCA responded generously to the appeal to provide immediate relief to the survivors of the tsunami,” said The Rev. Dr. Rafael Malpica Padilla, Executive Director of the ELCA’s Division for Global Mission. “Now we are moving to the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase of this disaster, and are glad to use the expertise and competencies of LWR's local partners in Sri Lanka to deepen and extend the reach of the ELCA in the reconstruction of lives and communities.”
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.
