Comments on: Tsunami: Five Years On http://rufreeman.com/2009/12/tsunami-five-years-on/ Author & Activist Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:10:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Ru http://rufreeman.com/2009/12/tsunami-five-years-on/comment-page-1/#comment-395 Ru Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:37:12 +0000 http://rufreeman.com/?p=1350#comment-395 Craig - There were a lot of people who sent goods that could not be used, unfortunately, due to a variety of cultural and environmental factors, so I suppose people felt that what was lacking was not goodwill - plenty of that in Sri Lanka - but rather funds. The challenge was to make those funds less anonymous and the Sahana Project - and many other smaller scale projects - managed to make that happen. We took the Sahana site down after the project was completed though I wish it could have gone on, but I have always tried to emulate the Quaker organization, the American Friends Service Committee, which sees its work as finite; when the work is done, they leave. So many organizations perpetuate themselves rather than end the conditions they are supposed to ameliorate. If you ever head to Sri Lanka, let me know and I will make sure there is someone there to take you to Kalametiya and anywhere else. Craig - There were a lot of people who sent goods that could not be used, unfortunately, due to a variety of cultural and environmental factors, so I suppose people felt that what was lacking was not goodwill - plenty of that in Sri Lanka - but rather funds. The challenge was to make those funds less anonymous and the Sahana Project - and many other smaller scale projects - managed to make that happen. We took the Sahana site down after the project was completed though I wish it could have gone on, but I have always tried to emulate the Quaker organization, the American Friends Service Committee, which sees its work as finite; when the work is done, they leave. So many organizations perpetuate themselves rather than end the conditions they are supposed to ameliorate. If you ever head to Sri Lanka, let me know and I will make sure there is someone there to take you to Kalametiya and anywhere else.

]]> By: Craig Zabransky http://rufreeman.com/2009/12/tsunami-five-years-on/comment-page-1/#comment-394 Craig Zabransky Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:45:39 +0000 http://rufreeman.com/?p=1350#comment-394 I can remember those days myself. I just returned from my first leg of my travel sabbatical to celebrate the holidays with my family. After hearing about the tsunami, I thought I should head to Sri Lanka (or the region) to volunteer. At the time, they didn't want people they just asked for $, sadly I was low on funds - on leave from work. However, I did volunteer for some time gathering medical supplies to be shipped. I hope my small effort helped some. Thanks for writing the post and telling your story. Also, do let us know how we can help today. stay adventurous, Craig I can remember those days myself. I just returned from my first leg of my travel sabbatical to celebrate the holidays with my family. After hearing about the tsunami, I thought I should head to Sri Lanka (or the region) to volunteer. At the time, they didn’t want people they just asked for $, sadly I was low on funds - on leave from work.

However, I did volunteer for some time gathering medical supplies to be shipped. I hope my small effort helped some.

Thanks for writing the post and telling your story. Also, do let us know how we can help today.

stay adventurous,
Craig

]]> By: Maili Bailey http://rufreeman.com/2009/12/tsunami-five-years-on/comment-page-1/#comment-393 Maili Bailey Tue, 29 Dec 2009 03:42:31 +0000 http://rufreeman.com/?p=1350#comment-393 Ru, Thanks for your notes about your home country. It is good to see the new homes. I hope it continues to be good. It is good to be reminded. Best wishes for the New Year! Maili Ru,
Thanks for your notes about your home country. It is good to see the new homes. I hope it continues to be good. It is good to be reminded.
Best wishes for the New Year!
Maili

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