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1. Relief work in progress in the field
2. Report on Medical Work from Shanmuga of Kovempu Trust
3. Planning for further relief & rehabilitation work
4. A note of Thanks as the first phase ends
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RELIEF WORK IN PROGRESS

1. In most of the Tsunami affected areas, finally the relief efforts moved to the next phase where institutions are talking about creating temporary shelters and people moving back to their villages

2.In the past few days, NGOs have started to manage community kitchen along with the government agencies (the government provides rice and all other needs are managed by the NGOs)

3. In a meeting at the Nagapattinam Collectorate on the 4th Jan 2005, the NGO coordination council was activated and various issues related to the involvement of the NGOs in the re-building activity were discussed

4. At Sirgazhi, the relief efforts supported by TTRI are in full stead at Pudukuppam village, survey has also been done for Vanagiri and Keezhamoovarkarai

5. The Pudukuppam efforts reached a milestone when one of the families belonging to the village moved back to the village and resumed their kitchen on the 4th Jan

6. At Pudukuppam, motivated and co-opted by our volunteer team (particularly Sri. Bhuvan Pathak) many youth from the village currently in the relief camp have come back to the village for the past 2 days to clean the village and also play cricket in the village with the volunteers in the evening

7. A set of IIT-M volunteers who worked for 3 days in Pudukuppam village along with Smt. Subha and the teams from Raipur and Gujarat have since been replaced by new set of volunteers with the IIT team promising to come back

8. Sri. Annamalai from Gandhi Study Centre went along with the truck of provisions to Tiruvarur on the 2nd late night, he spent 3rd and 4th in spot assessment of the relief efforts in the various centres in Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and also Sirgazhi

9. Sri. Rangarajan of RIM is also visiting Tiruvarur and making an assessment of the partnering NGOs from the point of view of TTRI so that further joint re-construction activity can be planned on TTRI behalf

10. Sri. Rangarajan also accompanied Dr. Sudarshan of VGKK to the relief camps to make an assessment of the health and hygiene status in them on the 3rd Jan

11. A truck load of provisions for the community kitchen and for the volunteer kitchen left from Chennai on the 3rd to Sirgazhi

12. Dr.B.K.Sharma, Gwalior Childrens Hospital Charity, U.K. has offered to sponsor one truck charges from Chennai to the field relief area

13. Consultations are on between various institutions in Chennai that have participated in the TTRI initiative as to the formalising of aids and tie-up with the local partners for the next phase of the relief and rehabilitation effort

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MEDICAL RELIEF WORK: REPORT BY SHANMUGA OF KUVEMPU TRUST

1. A team of four have arrived from Madanapalle as part of our Medical Aid effort. Ravi organisation Akshara), Chakravarti ( organisation MORE), Thiru (organisation MORE) and Rudramuni ( Kuvempu Trust) with a vehicle and donations collected from Madanapalle, including utensils, clothes, and medicines.

2. The Medical Aid Team will collect medicines from within the city tomorrow (Jan 5th). If public and relief volunteers have collected medical aid, please contact us at 94441 83955 with address details and we will pick it up from your place.

3. The Medical Aid Team will be leaving to the field locations, with sufficient medical supplies tomorrow evening (Jan 5th). We will visiting Poompuhar, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Sirkazhi in the next 2 to 3 days. We would like to distribute the medical supplies directly to doctors in the health camps as well as to local NGOs working with local resources. We have a few contacts of our own. We can also give supplies to more such doctors and groups. Please contact 94441 83955 with details of what you need.

REQUEST: We are receiving requests for Milk Powder for Babies from Cuddalore area. Sources of milkpowder can be redirected to us. We are open to receiving donations for the same as well.

4. Goodbooks Trust is putting together a program for children in the Tsunami affected areas of Tamilnadu. The program involves storytellers, theater persons, singers and artists and would help in the relief efforts for children, especially emotional aspects. This may be very effective to help the children by taking out the obsessive focus on the crisis around as well as to make sense of the changes. Good Books can be trusted to choose stories and themes appropriate to the situation. Relief workers and Local NGOs can organise this in the relief camps or in affected villages.
Contact Rangashree at 044-24986618, 24986619 if you would like to get more details and get this program organised.

5. Acknowledgement of receipt of medicines with thanks. collected by N.Mani of Virugambakkam - 2000 paracetamol tablets, 2 boxes of ORS salts,etc.,etc. collected by Priety and Rekha

6. First medical aid from outside of Chennai arrives from Locost, Baroda.

7. Free Psychological Counselling as well as capsule training for relief workers and those interested in giving counselling to the survivors and also relatives of those who died is available at Aasha Institute of Living, Chennai. The information below was given the Chairman of the Institute:
Symptoms of nervous breakdown, exhibiting inability to cope with the crisis, excessive weeping spells, despondency and despair may indicate need for psychological counselling. The victims need to talk about their woes. It needs patient listening, reassurance and guidance and helping the victims see the situation objectively. Capsule training for relief workers and lay counsellors can also be arranged. A minimum of 4 hours of training is necessary and is adjustable according to specific needs and constraints.

8. Lay counsellors can be anyone with empathy, good communication skills, motivation and interest.

Please contact Aasha Institute of Living, Plot.1747, 13th Main Road, Anna Nagar, Chennai 40
(near Anna Nagar West Bus Terminus, near UCMas building)
Timings: 10am to 6pm, Mondays are holidays
Chief and Chairman: Dr.N.Golpalakrishnan
Counsellors : Mr.Shanmugavadivu
Ph: 044-2618 5514 (give Chairman's name as reference)

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PLANNING FOR FURTHER RELIEF & REHABILITATION WORK
A meeting has been to discuss further relief and rehabilitation efforts between various groups that promoted the resource mobilisation drive of TTRI; this meeting would finalise and formalise the structure and process for pursuing further work

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A NOTE OF THANKS AS THE FIRST PHASE ENDS

TTRI wishes to thank many friends and well-wishers who have contributed towards this initiative in the first 10 days of the relief efforts. During this crucial phase many have provided support on our say so and without a moments hesitation. It is such a response from individuals and groups that restores the faith in humanity and its ability to solve its problems by recognising inter-dependence, trust and co-operation.
Thank you all and as we enter the new phase of relief and rehabilitation work, we hope your support will continue.
- TTRI Team

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Tamilnadu Tsunami Relief Initiative
Samanvaya:Knowledge Services for the Development Sector - www.samanvaya.com
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