Tsunami Recovery in Four Fishing Villages, India

Dear Bernie and Claudine, Loving greetings from India to MMPMCharity and the good people of Global Giving! We are really appreciating your dedicated services to the deserving fishermen families and children you help. Let me give you the present status of Joseph Enok- baby with the heart problem born 9 months after the tsunami. I have discussed about procedure of treatment with Joseph Enok's father in the tsunami affected fishing village near Chellanam in Kerala. The doctors of Amrita Institute of medical sciences in Cochin finalized the date of the life saving operation - 25th August 2006. By this month he will complete his first birthday and even the doctors advised to do the operation at the earliest possible date. Joseph Enok is admitted in the hospital for necessary checkup today. Since this is major surgery – Intra Cardiac Repair Surgery--, they have asked to deposit INRs.150,000/ (one lac fifty thousand, i.e. US$3,350), before the surgery and give further account statements later. I have visited also the homes under reconstruction in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Project is progressing well. Three houses have just been completed as planned. I met Ms Backiamary, so dedicated to help the 25 tsunami affected girl students in Santhome, Chennai. The donation received from Global Giving helped buy tables and benches for the study room and the girls do not need to sit on the cement floor anymore. She wrote a letter saying: "The children are studying seriously and end of August [school year there is from June to March] they will have their first mid term test. We are so grateful for your current and future support and will always remember you all in our prayers". Tables and benches cost US$900 and the boarding House needs now US$3,000 to cover expenses till end school year. I went also to Pondicherry and met social workers including project volunteer Bibin Thomas. He explained me the real situation in the coastal villages of Ambedkar Nagar, Kappankulam and Pethenkuppam. The real picture today is that fishermen do not need anymore new fishing boats, because they got enough equipment including boats from many other big funding agencies competing among themselves. This part of project is therefore completed. The stitching training centre in Cuddalore seems to be closed. We will deliver sewing machines (US$100 each) to young village women on a case by case basis only according to real need. Many children still need help and families are still without electricity and clean water. Once again we are very glad and thankful for your dedicated and noble service. May God bless you all. With warm regards, Mathew Sebastian, Post-Tsunami field operations supervisor, Kochi, India