Guest guest Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Dear Devotees of Amma, this article about Amma's tsunami relief project is now on the front page of the BBC NEWS web site. All Glory to our Divine Mother, sarama _______________ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4145695.stm Last Updated: Tuesday, 4 January, 2005, 16:01 GMT Guru pledges $23m tsunami relief Indian guru Mata Amritanandamayi, or Amma, in Cochin, India Amma - moved by the tragedy One of India's most famous women gurus has pledged a billion rupees ($23m) to help survivors of the Asian tsunami. Mata Amritanandamayi, also known as Amma or Mother, says the money will be used to rebuild homes destroyed in the disaster. Her charitable trust says each new house will consist of two rooms, a kitchen, a small veranda and a toilet. The news came as India's government said the disaster had left at least 9,571 dead and 5,914 missing. Temporary shelters "Amma is moved and anguished by the colossal tragedy," a spokeswoman for her trust told the Associated Press news agency. The trust's website says that as thousands of people in southern India have been made homeless, work has already begun on building temporary shelters to house some of them until the new homes are completed. It says that it is allocating $23 (1,000 rupees) to each family in the Amritapuri area who had a home that was destroyed. Children have been hard hit in the disaster. Correspondents say that the money pledged is higher than the amount promised by many international aid groups and business leaders. It has also announced that free education and counselling will be provided to those children who have lost both parents in the tragedy. Mata Amritanandamayi is best known for hugging people as a form of blessing and therapy. She is estimated to have to have hugged at least 21 million people in the past 30 years. Her trust - which provides homes, schools and medical care - operates in 15 countries including Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. The international community has so far pledged more than two billion dollars in disaster aid, but the UN has warned that some nations and donors may not honour their promises. "At the end of the day we will not receive all of it," UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Monday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 > > It says that it is allocating $23 (1,000 rupees) to > each family in the > Amritapuri area who had a home that was destroyed. > I know this amount would go a lot further in India than in the developed world, but if you lost your home in the tsunami, would you settle for 23 bucks? After last year's hurricanes in Florida, Gee Dubya didn't waste any time appropriating close to a billion dollars in relief aid. Do you think it might have something to do with a certain Florida Secretary of State being responsible for his 2000 "election", and the state being vital for his re-election chances in 2004, not to mention his brother Jeb the Governor, who just might be the GOP presidential candidate in '08. Nahhh.. I'm just being cynical! Keval Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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