Seacology Establishes a Different Kind of Tsunami Relief Fund

Four Villages in Sri Lanka, The Maldives, Thailand and the Andaman Islands to be Targeted

In response to the devastating tsunami in Asia on December 26, Seacology established a tsunami relief fund to directly aid four communities in the region impacted by the natural disaster. One hundred percent of funds raised are going toward relief efforts in Kiralakele, Sri Lanka; Kendhoo Island, The Maldives; Trang Province, Thailand; and Kadachang Village, Andaman Islands where Seacology has the experience, expertise and highly regarded locally based volunteer coordinators.

Unlike other relief funds, Seacology chose to target four villages where their locally based volunteers live and work to ensure all money raised will go directly to assist victims of the tsunami. The Seacology tsunami relief fund will be aimed at rebuilding the local economies and infrastructures of these four villages. Duane Silverstein, executive director of Seacology said, "I remember visiting the Seacology Mangrove Center in Kiralakele, Sri Lanka and awarding certificates of achievement to scores of bright students. It broke my heart to hear that many of these children died in the tsunami."

Seacology believes it is very important to stand by and repair or replace the organization's projects that are damaged and destroyed by natural disasters. Out of Seacology's 100 projects in islands throughout the world, four were damaged by the recent tsunami. In addition to other relief efforts, Seacology will make sure these projects destroyed by the tsunami will be repaired or rebuilt.