[saymaListserv] viaYMaa>>Fw: RSWR Releases Tsunami Relief Funds

[Mary Calhoun]

Received at the SAYMA office.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Roland Kreager" rswr at earthlink.net 
Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2005 9:46 AM
Subject: RSWR Releases Tsunami Relief Funds

Right Sharing of World Resources (RSWR) releases
$38,300 for long-term redevelopment in 
tsunami-affected areas of south India

On February 17 the RSWR Board of Trustees approved a plan to disburse 
$38,300 in the districts of Nagapattinam (the area most severely 
affected by the tsunami), Thiruvallur and Kanyakumari in the state of 
Tamil Nadu, India. All funds are being disbursed to non-governmental 
organizations (NGOs) who are current or recent RSWR partners. 

The following three principles were the basis for the Board’s decisions:
  1. Projects must be implemented with the Dalit population in mind. Dalits are the lowest group in the social structure of India, underneath the caste system.
  2. Some funds can be used to improve the quality of life for persons living in temporary shelters, waiting for permanent housing to be constructed by the state government and large NGOs.
  3. Most of the funds must be used to support the implementation of micro-enterprise projects aimed at either establishing or reestablishing Dalit women in an income-generating activity.
These principles and the supported projects reflect RSWR’s expertise and 
ongoing work in support of income-generation via micro-enterprise.

RSWR welcomes additional contributions toward this effort. 100% of all 
funds raised are being sent directly to support our partner NGOs in 
Tamil Nadu. Funds received following the current disbursement will be 
used to extend additional support to these initiatives.

Four grants were approved:

$22,900 -- Madurai Institute of Peace Science and its director, Dr. R. 
Kannan (Dr. Kannan is RSWR’s representative in India), will provide 
revolving loan fund capital and training to 20 self-help groups and 
operate a child support center. The project will be implemented in the 
villages of Seruthur and Vellapallam, Nagapattinam District and the 
village of Allikan, Kanyakumari District. This project is a 
collaboration of ten grassroots organizations, 7 of which are current or 
past RSWR project partners.

$5,000 -- Gramodaya Rural Development Society (GRDS) will provide school 
supplies for Dalit children and revolving loan fund capital to their 
mothers so they can reestablish their fish vending businesses. The 
project will be implemented in Thiruvallur District (the northern-most 
district in the state of Tamil Nadu). GRDS is a current RSWR project 
partner.

$3,925 -- People’s Organisation for Rural Health, Education and Economic 
Development (PORHEED) will implement the micro-enterprise portion of 
relief work in the village of Simon Colony, Kanyakumari District. 
PORHEED collaborated with the Sabina Fund from the US to provide 
immediate assistance in this village. RSWR funds will allow PORHEED to 
establish income-generating opportunities in the village. PORHEED was a 
project partner in 2002.

$6,475 -- PACHE Trust will implement child support and income-generating 
activities in the village of Sinnoorpettai, Nagapattinam District. PACHE 
Trust will provide food supplements and pre-school for children 0-3, 
provide stress workshops in schools, form children’s clubs in schools 
where play therapy will be done, provide post-traumatic counseling, 
provide healthcare counseling, and provide training in finance 
management (persons who have lost family members are receiving a grant 
of $2,275 from the state and national government). Additionally, six 
self-help groups of 15 members each will receive a $230 to start a 
revolving loan program. PACHE Trust was a project partner in 1992-94 and 
1999-2001.

For more information contact Roland Kreager, Right Sharing of World 
Resources, 232 College Avenue, Richmond, IN 47374-5360, 765.983.1879, 
rswr at earthlink.net, or via the RSWR website www.rswr.org.
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