Join Hands with Smile Foundation
- for tsunami victims

We all are now witness to the disaster and human miseries caused by Tsunami on 26th Of December,2004 and it’s aftermath, devastating coastal belt of South Asia including parts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and the island of Andaman Nicobar- engulfing on it’s way many villages and leaving thousands dead and untraceable.

SMILE Foundation, India, a development support agency, working to promote education and holistic development of children from poor and disadvantaged section of society, therefore joined in help and relief operations in areas in and around Chennai. Constrained but undeterred by the fact that the Foundation does not have physical presence in the southern States of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, Smile initiated it’s relief measures with help from a local volunteer.

As a strategy, a site visit was made to make a first hand feel (qualitative/observational) of the tragedy and need of the hour. Subsequently items of immediate need to the victims living in shelter homes (temporarily converted or erected) in and around Chennai city was distributed which included vessels/utensils, ready-to-eat food items. Also, simultaneously, Smile’s representatives made a dash to Chennai and held discussions with other agencies involved in relief operations. Also the team met various NGO representatives and talked to them exploring the possibilities of working with them in relief, rehabilitation efforts. A detailed site visit to affected coastal villages near Chennai and far Alpakulam Village sprawling up to the close vicinity of Pondichery was made to further appraise the devastation caused.

Now that the rescue and immediate relief phases of work in the Tsumani hit areas are drawing to a close and the need for rehabilitation is getting paramount, Smile Foundation, in consultation with the various local agencies it met, has decided to lend further support towards rehabilitation of the suffering children. Smile proposes to work on the following components:

As a result of the tragedy, education of many school going children has got disrupted, - either because of situation they have been thrown into or school building as such having been damaged/swept away or else children having lost their study material. Consequently the children have been rendered (school drop out) though it would not have been the case in normal circumstances. These children must be brought back on rail and made to join their school as soon as possible. Least they loose all hopes and interest.

Further children having put in considerable number of years and presently studying at senior secondary/ college level also need to be supported, least they are forced to discontinue and thus all their study efforts so far goes waste.

Besides, affected youths are proposed to be provided with training for a maximum of one year in various marketable trades/ skills ensuring a reasonable income to the beneficiaries subsequently.

With regard to disability, Smile proposes to provide Aids and Appliances to those physically challenged and who lost these aids in Tsunami catastrophe, after identifying the beneficiaries & ascertaining

the type of appliances required by them.

Smile foundation therefore has identified the following activities for which support from outside agencies / corporate houses are solicited. Smile proposes to work with local NGO’s with physical presence, identified for the purpose.

• Reconstruction of school buildings
  As per estimates made available by Government, the reconstruction cost are:

- Rs. 14.25 lacs for High School
- Rs. 7.50 lacs for Middle School

• Renovation costs :

  - Rs. 20,000 for Primary School
  - Rs. 30,000 for Middle School
  - Rs.50,000 for High School

• Sponsor a child back to school (5000 children)

  - Rs. 600 per child (this is a one time cost and includes 2 set of uniforms, study material, footwear, school bag etc)

• Higher education (Class XI and above) (1000 students)

  - Rs. 1500 per child (class XI & XII)
  - Rs. 2500 per student.

• Support to vulnerable children (500 children)
  (having lost either parents/father)

  - Rs. 500 per month for 1st year.

• Vocational training for youth.
  
  - Rs. 10000/- per month

These are unit cost estimates as mentioned. The precise quantum of work, their locations and total budget required etc. shall be provided subsequently on request.

Smile Foundation, therefore, appeals to it’s friends and well wishers- individuals or institutions-to lend their support and make contribution generously towards the cause of humanity and human welfare. As a matter of principle of transparency maintained by Smile Foundation, in general, a proper accounting of fund shall be maintained and progress report pertaining to activities as well as expenditures supported by appropriate documents shall be forwarded to the contributing agencies periodically by Smile.

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