Plan rushes to help children

Donations urgently needed for relief and reconstruction. Plan has launched an international appeal to assist Plan communities in Asia affected the devastating tsunami. Plan is already in receipt of pledges to the value of almost US$500,000 and is hoping to raise another million. Funds raised will be used to support both short and long-term emergency relief and rehabilitation, including much needed food, clothing, housing and fresh water.

Plan is part of a major disaster-response program in Sri Lanka in the wake of the destructive earthquake and tsunami in Southern Asia. In Sri Lanka, the worst affected country, thousands of people are dead - many of them children. More than one million people have also been left homeless.

The western, southern and south western coastal districts were the hardest hit in the disaster and Plan's south-east program area covers the south eastern region of Sri Lanka where almost 1200 Plan Australia sponsored children live. Some of these live in the hard-hit coastal district of Hambantota.

Richard Sandison, Plan's Director of Child Centred Community Development emphasises that the elderly and children are usually the worst affected in such disasters because of their vulnerability. The urgent need is to get clean water, emergency shelter, medicines and food to affected communities and work with government/other agencies in a coordinated manner.

Lucy Perera, Plan Australia staff member, was in southern Sri Lanka when the tsunami hit. According to Ms Perera, her family and other village members were very thankful of any financial assistance to the aid effort that could be provided by Australians.

Plan Sri Lanka is a permanent member of the National Disaster Coordinating Committee, and also of the local emergency committee in Hambantota. Plan Australia has also offered to send staff to Sri Lanka to assist in Plan's emergency efforts.

In India, Indonesia, Thailand and Bangladesh, the communities where Plan operates were not damaged. However, Plan has joined with other agencies and governments to assess relief needs, and will support the disaster response where required.

Make an online donation today to Plan's Rebuilding Asia Appeal.