Finnish NGOs collect over EUR 27 million for Asian tsunami relief

Shovels donated to Indonesia for digging buildings out of mud

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Finns have so far donated over EUR 27 million to the Asian catastrophe relief effort through various NGO collections.
      The Finnish Red Cross alone has collected over EUR 20 million, whereas FinnChurchAid (FCA) and Unicef Finland have both reached the EUR 2.5 million mark.
      In addition, many other religious organisations have each collected hundreds of thousands of euros.
      "We have already collected an amount of money equal to a normal year's entire budget for global catastrophe aid", says information officer Outi Pärnänen of Red Cross Finland.
     
Though enough money has now been collected for the immediate relief, a lot more is still needed in order to restart normal life in the devastated village communities in southeast Asia.
      The International Red Cross is making provisions to continue helping the area at least until the year 2010.
      Donations have helped to avoid large-scale epidemics in the affected areas. Those who have become homeless have been provided with food, water, and medical attention.
      "Temporary accommodation has also been supplied for them", confirms secretary-general Kristiina Kumpula of the Finnish Red Cross.
     
The immediate relief stage is still far from being over. The Red Cross delivers 24,000 litres of water every day in Indonesia's Banda Aceh province alone.
      The catastrophe left 200,000 people homeless in Sri Lanka, and over half a million in Indonesia. These people now live in public buildings and other people's homes.
      Those Indonesian families who are providing shelter to those rendered homeless have been included in the scope of the relief.
      Tens of thousands of people also need mental counselling.
     
In Sri Lanka and Indonesia the homeless are now moving into temporary huts and back to their home villages. Plenty of tools are being supplied for them for the clearing up and rebuilding work in their communities.
      In large areas of coastal Indonesia buildings surrounded by mud have remained intact.
      With donations from Finland, the Red Cross has bought shovels and building materials for those returning to their home villages, for use in digging their homes out of the mud.
      "Donations are now clearly easing off. The money we have received is planned to last for two years", explains information officer Riitta Saarinen of FinnChurchAid.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finland sharply increases aid to areas affected by tsunami (10.1.2005)
  Asian earthquake relief donations climb past EUR 11 million (4.1.2005)
  Finns open hearts and wallets to tidal wave victims (30.12.2004)

Links:
  Red Cross Finland
  FinnChurchAid

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