Amritanandamayi announces massive tsunami relief

[Guest guest]

http://news.newkerala.com/india-news/?action=fullnews&id=68934

 

Amritanandamayi announces massive tsunami relief:

 

[india News]: Chennai, Feb 6 : The Mata

Amritanandamayi Math has announced a $22 million

'livelihood rehabilitation programme' for tsunami

affected fishermen of Tamil Nadu, the Andaman and

Nicobar islands and Sri Lanka.

 

"Our work in Tamil Nadu has made the Sri Lankan

authorities invite us to assist in that country, which

was one of most devastated regions in the Dec 26

tsunami," said an official of the math.

 

"For the time being, the math has offered financial

assistance of (Rs.60 million) to Sri Lanka for

rebuilding destroyed houses," says Abhayamritananda

Swami, who is in charge of the math's relief and

rehabilitation programme.

 

The math had sent a proposal to the Tamil Nadu

government for rehabilitation work in Chennai,

Kanchipuram, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam and Kanyakumari

districts, besides Karaikal and Pondicherry, the

neighbouring union territory.

 

"The Tamil Nadu government responded rapidly to our

rehabilitation plans. It will take us about nine

months to one year to complete all the work,"

Abhayamirtananda told IANS.

 

The math has already spent about Rs.120 million in

immediate relief operations.

 

Entering the second phase, that of rehabilitation, its

programme has five components.

 

The 'Amrita Nidhi' scheme provides a monthly pension

of Rs.450 (about $10) to all the tsunami widows in all

the geographical areas the math is working in.

 

Already, 100 such widows have been identified. "The

math plans to employ women who have lost their

children as foster mothers to children who have lost

their parents," Abhayamritananda said.

 

The children's homes will be set up in the villages

from where the orphans come. The foster mothers will

also be locals. Women educated up to Class 10 will be

trained and provided employment as nursing assistants

under a third scheme.

 

In the first phase, about 300 girls have been selected

from the tsunami-hit districts to serve as nursing

assistants. The assistants will be employed at the

Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research

Centre at Kochi in Kerala.

 

The math has selected a second set of another 150

trainee nurses from Tamil Nadu. It will support

students, affected by the Dec 26 disaster, in various

schools and colleges.

 

Another 24 students have already been selected for the

aid. The institution is in the process of selecting

100 more for tuition fee relief. In what is seen as a

unique move, the math is promoting self-help groups

(SHGs) among men.

 

It will provide destitute fishermen with engine-fitted

fibre boats and fishing nets in all the villages

selected for permanent rehabilitation.

 

The women are to be trained in vocational skills like

embroidery, sewing, candle making and toy making,

again through SHGs, "which we have found a very

effective instrument for implementing rehabilitation

programmes", the math official said.

 

At Nagapattinam, the worst hit district in India, the

Tamil Nadu government has asked the math to rebuild

two villages: Pattinacherry and Samanthampettai.

 

"We also plan to take up another village,

Akkarapettai, jointly with the Tata relief committee,"

Abhayamritananda said. "As many as 1,300 houses are to

be constructed under our rehabilitation programme."

 

Each house will cost Rs.110,000. The 300 sq ft space

will have two rooms, a kitchen and a toilet along with

outdoor space.

 

The math will also take up rehabilitation work in

three villages of Kanyakumari district. One village in

Chennai and three villages at Pondicherry and Karaikal

will also be assisted.

 

The math will build 2,000 houses in Kerala's tsunami

hit areas. Three hundred houses will be constructed in

the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

 

 

Indo-Asian News Service

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Om Namah Shivaya:

 

Does anyone know if this report is true? I did not see this on the

Amritapuri site.

 

Does this mean Amma has committed an additional 22 million?

 

With Awe,

 

GeorgeSon

 

In Ammachi, Mike Brooker <patria1818> wrote:

> http://news.newkerala.com/india-news/?action=fullnews&id=68934

>

> Amritanandamayi announces massive tsunami relief:

>

> [india News]: Chennai, Feb 6 : The Mata

> Amritanandamayi Math has announced a $22 million

> 'livelihood rehabilitation programme' for tsunami

> affected fishermen of Tamil Nadu, the Andaman and

> Nicobar islands and Sri Lanka.

>

> "Our work in Tamil Nadu has made the Sri Lankan

> authorities invite us to assist in that country, which

> was one of most devastated regions in the Dec 26

> tsunami," said an official of the math.

>

> "For the time being, the math has offered financial

> assistance of (Rs.60 million) to Sri Lanka for

> rebuilding destroyed houses," says Abhayamritananda

> Swami, who is in charge of the math's relief and

> rehabilitation programme.

>

> The math had sent a proposal to the Tamil Nadu

> government for rehabilitation work in Chennai,

> Kanchipuram, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam and Kanyakumari

> districts, besides Karaikal and Pondicherry, the

> neighbouring union territory.

>

> "The Tamil Nadu government responded rapidly to our

> rehabilitation plans. It will take us about nine

> months to one year to complete all the work,"

> Abhayamirtananda told IANS.

>

> The math has already spent about Rs.120 million in

> immediate relief operations.

>

> Entering the second phase, that of rehabilitation, its

> programme has five components.

>

> The 'Amrita Nidhi' scheme provides a monthly pension

> of Rs.450 (about $10) to all the tsunami widows in all

> the geographical areas the math is working in.

>

> Already, 100 such widows have been identified. "The

> math plans to employ women who have lost their

> children as foster mothers to children who have lost

> their parents," Abhayamritananda said.

>

> The children's homes will be set up in the villages

> from where the orphans come. The foster mothers will

> also be locals. Women educated up to Class 10 will be

> trained and provided employment as nursing assistants

> under a third scheme.

>

> In the first phase, about 300 girls have been selected

> from the tsunami-hit districts to serve as nursing

> assistants. The assistants will be employed at the

> Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research

> Centre at Kochi in Kerala.

>

> The math has selected a second set of another 150

> trainee nurses from Tamil Nadu. It will support

> students, affected by the Dec 26 disaster, in various

> schools and colleges.

>

> Another 24 students have already been selected for the

> aid. The institution is in the process of selecting

> 100 more for tuition fee relief. In what is seen as a

> unique move, the math is promoting self-help groups

> (SHGs) among men.

>

> It will provide destitute fishermen with engine-fitted

> fibre boats and fishing nets in all the villages

> selected for permanent rehabilitation.

>

> The women are to be trained in vocational skills like

> embroidery, sewing, candle making and toy making,

> again through SHGs, "which we have found a very

> effective instrument for implementing rehabilitation

> programmes", the math official said.

>

> At Nagapattinam, the worst hit district in India, the

> Tamil Nadu government has asked the math to rebuild

> two villages: Pattinacherry and Samanthampettai.

>

> "We also plan to take up another village,

> Akkarapettai, jointly with the Tata relief committee,"

> Abhayamritananda said. "As many as 1,300 houses are to

> be constructed under our rehabilitation programme."

>

> Each house will cost Rs.110,000. The 300 sq ft space

> will have two rooms, a kitchen and a toilet along with

> outdoor space.

>

> The math will also take up rehabilitation work in

> three villages of Kanyakumari district. One village in

> Chennai and three villages at Pondicherry and Karaikal

> will also be assisted.

>

> The math will build 2,000 houses in Kerala's tsunami

> hit areas. Three hundred houses will be constructed in

> the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

>

>

> Indo-Asian News Service

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Mail - 250MB free storage. Do more. Manage less.

> http://info.mail./mail_250