ECLOF tsunami response

Following last December's tsunami that hit the east coast of Sri Lanka with such devastating force, ECLOF Sri Lanka has geared up its operations to help those affected by the disaster.

ECLOF Sri Lanka is now examining the possibility of making loans available for reconstruction-related activities, as well as for working capital to allow people who lost premises and tools to restart their businesses or begin new ones.

Following a visit to Sri Lanka after the tsunami for discussions with the ECLOF Sri Lanka board, ECLOF International director Muhungi Kanyoro announced that ECLOF Sri Lanka would be expanding its operations in order to help those in need. "We will be targeting people and activities related to reconstruction", said Mr Kanyoro. He added, "We also plan to provide microcredit to enable people to get back to work. Many, such as Shanthi Siriyalatha (see col. X) , whom I met, have lost their means of livelihood and need new working capital to replace destroyed workshops and tools."

For other people, their traditional way of earning a living has disappeared. Some, for example, have had to move away from the coast and have lost their land. ECLOF plans to introduce to this group of people new employment opportunities, such as brick making for the new homes that are now required after the tsunami.

"Some of the people involved will be existing ECLOF clients; others will be new contacts", Muhungi Kanyoro explained. He added that for clients like Shanthi Siriyalatha, ECLOF Sri Lanka would review each case and, where appropriate, agree to a delay in repayments as well as the granting of a new loan. "People must have the means to start again", said Mr Kanyoro.

The ECLOF International director also explained that with the psychological damage that people had suffered, it might take them a little time to settle down and be emotionally able to return to work. "It is important to realise this", the director explained, "because ECLOF will remain a lending organization and not one that gives grants. Therefore, ECLOF Sri Lanka will have to evaluate a person's capacity to begin work again before making a new loan."

During his visit to the island, Muhungi Kanyoro, accompanied by the chairperson of ECLOF Sri Lanka, Ms. Shanika de Mel, also held talks with Rev. Dr Jayasiri.T. Peiris, who is the general secretary of the National Christian Council of Sri Lanka. Dr Peiris explained the council's co-ordination role among the churches. He added that he felt ECLOF had an important role to play in post-tsunami reconstruction efforts, and also offered to link ECLOF clients to the trauma counselling work of the churches in order to aid people's return to normal life. He said it was important to avoid creating dependence among those affected by the tsunami.

Shanthi Siriyalatha shows Muhungi Kanyoro, director of ECLOF International, (centre) and ECLOF Sri Lanka programme manager Gamini Samarasinghe, her ruined sawing machine, the only thing left of her workshop and its contents after the tsunami.

 

 

ECLOF Brazil visitor

Bishop Adriel de Souza Maia, the President of ECLOF Brazil (CEADe) and Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church in Brazil, held talks with ECLOF International director Muhungi Kanyoro and his executive colleague, George Petty, during an April visit to Geneva.

Bishop Souza mentioned his interest in issues regarding access to clean water and explained that he is part of a group that has written a policy paper on the right to unprivatised water.

Reflecting on the next assembly of the World Council of Churches, which will take place in Porto Alegre early next year, the bishop said he hoped that CEADe and other regional national ECLOF committees would play a prominent role in the life of the assembly.

Muhungi Kanyoro asked the bishop to pass on greetings from ECLOF International to the forthcoming CEADe general assembly. Muhungi and the bishop agreed that among its other aims of being ecumenical and serving the poorest in society, CEADe had to become a sustainable institution.

George Petty, Bishop Adriel de Souza Maia and Muhungi Kanyoro