Devastation Still Surrounds

In the absence of our writer, Hayley Maynard, I have posted some images showing the huge devastation which sadly, still remains almost four months later in many of the areas of Sri Lanka which were hit by the tsunami.
Most people I have met along the way have put on such brave faces, hanging on to anything and anybody they may have left after the tradgedy. They're strength and will to survive is unbelievable and has moved me and changed my outlook on life forever more.
Jess Brown

The Local Buddhist Temple

Talalla’s Buddhist temple is situated approximately 1km inland and stands ‘secretly’ in the midst of the village, surrounded by palms and foliage. The serene environment is intoxicated with a certain stillness and calm. Although not directly effected by the tsunami it is to here that the majority of panicked villagers fled. At the pinnacle of catastrophe they sourced their temple for protection. It is here, and not some government establishment, where they were fed, sheltered and cared for during the first few days before more adequately available aid reached them, the monks did the best that they could.





The temple serves as a community venue where meetings, ceremonies and Sunday school take place. Although charming and idyllic, in what they stand for, the grounds and resources are limited to serve the community and its requirements entirely.
There are three buildings and a small makeshift kitchen on the grounds. Buildings are used respectively for prayer, teaching and discussion amongst the groups that use them.



We recently visited the temple on a Sunday morning. Kindly, the teachers were happy for us to stay despite the bemused reactions of the children who were fascinated with our pale skin and camera. At 11am they have a ‘tea time’ break where drinks and snacks are prepared in the small kitchen area. Pots and cooking stoves are utilized in the open air or just within a palm leaf covering that the teachers have secured themselves. Observing the children in their innocent play and the calmness of their surroundings it seems the weight of the world and present circumstances are forgotten. Here they are happy, the ambience is pleasant and secure.





Seven hundred children from the area attend, from 5 – 16 years. They’ve grown here, learning the fundamentals to advanced levels of Buddhist teaching. Most children wear uniforms that they’d wear to school, or variations of this for those families who can afford. We were not asked for help, despite their obvious needs, but simply welcomed to enjoy and observe.





The buildings and resources are sparse. Children learn outside, when the weather permits or now, as the monsoon period has encroached, they’re huddled into a darkened room, not large enough to properly house them all or provide adequate reading light.







The villagers use the temple well; it’s their sanctuary. We realize with funding some small developments could serve them properly as a community. To improve this area would mean everything to them and the monks who wish to maintain a place of security and comfort for the people of Talalla.





Kitchen improvements would allow women to meet and cook together, fishermen, with an appropriate room, could hold livelihood meetings and the children, who rarely complain, would have more resources to add comfort to their Sunday morning lessons. Traditional ceremonies, so very well maintained in this culture, could be conducted in the glory that they are deserved. With improvements to the current buildings or even to build new and improved versions would allow Talalla and its people a harmonious area to hone their skills and learn new ones and to reinforce the close sense of community, which is already evident.

Three Months Later

The Buddhists’ traditional almsgiving takes place three months after a death, intending to commemorate the passing of the spirit, to guide the soul safely over to a fine new life and family. Before this time the soul is supposedly still lingering in the home to which it once belonged and the monks’ chanting is said to be asking the spirit to move away and forward to ‘its’ new life. The night of the 25th March leading into 26th marked three months since the tsunami crashed destructively into Talalla Bay, stealing with it so many lives. Consequently mostly everyone in the village was involved, in their respective groups, hosting ceremonies throughout the night and following day. Strategically the almsgiving ceremony, or ‘dhana den eva’ as is called in Singhalese, is broken into timetabled rituals including the giving of food, water, flowers, gifts of robes and ordaining the house decoratively with electrical lighting, to symbolise the elimination of darkness.





We were invited to take part with one group of locals, which was a wonderful honour as they insisted we had become as much a part of the tsunami and its aftermath as they had. The ceremony itself was inspiring, the spectacle wonderful and entirely new. Arriving at around 9 pm the usually barren house, accommodating the almsgiving, was illuminated with fairy lights throughout, cleaned, polished and decorated ready for the arrival of the monks who were to bless and chant until the following morning where they would take a specially prepared breakfast. On arrival we were taken to a room and enjoyed a wonderful meal, which I had observed being prepared busily by all the women involved throughout the day. The tradition is so important that the people, living more frugally in present circumstances, had pooled resources in order to create a delightful feast and make for comfortable surroundings. Many villagers lasted through the night, although some retired and returned later for the morning breakfast.







The following day saw further ceremonies taking place. One family, who had suffered considerable losses, six children and two mothers, had a large number of attendees to bless their dear spirits' passing. On the whole, on this day, we witnessed a surprisingly happy ambience. It was difficult to detect whether this meant people had moved on and were ‘forgetting’ or simply holding themselves bravely. Still, it manifested some wonderful images. To see the love and laughter being shared amongst families, to see how much they have their movements have developed to embrace their lives and livelihoods again, to see children playing happily amongst the still devastated houses, their bravery shining in the face of what was lost to them three months ago. Particularly warming was the sight of children playing in the water, at first with caution but then jocularly and fully clothed they submerged themselves – convinced that they should no longer fear what they fear of the sea. Families too came down to watch the then gentle waves lapping calmly over the shore in the blistering heat of the day.











So after three months feelings are mixed. Families are now starting to work and function in their new senses of normality. Yet still the burdened memories are lingering. People suffer mentally through their losses. Income causes a huge problem in the way of pride and inability to provide adequately for their families. The loss of houses too means people are forced to accept the generosity of relatives and friends and live under donated hospitality. Kome Edirisinghe noted “Because so many homes were washed away the families are suffering mentally, without their own place to live.” But they are facing their problems despite no help form the Government and a subsequent loss of faith in a structure that should be protecting them. Kome said, “Until now the people have no trust in the Government because they have received nothing. They look to the help from foreigners like you (The Talalla Bay and District Support Group) and it’s the only help they have seen.” Another known fisherman from the village, Kirthi Subasinghe said, “The Sri Lankan Government has not helped at all. We have received nothing and it makes me so angry.”







Ironically only two days after the three-month commemoration, when spirits were lifted, the recent tsunami threat resulted in a giant step backwards. Chaos ensued on the night of Monday 28th March as people were warned all over the coast to move 2 kms inland; they took the warning and ran. Villagers fled as far as they could towards safety, so frightened that once again the dreadful horror from the sea would come and take from them. The heightened ambience that we saw last Saturday is now shattered and has been replaced by caution, fear and anxiety as the slowly suppressing memory of the tsunami once again becomes tangible and threatening.





Photographs taken by a local man Ghit, at the time of the tsunami, show the water drawing back into the ocean before the second wave. In stark contrast, Jess stood at the same viewpoint three months later capturing, comparitively, the calm glassy ocean as it appeared last week.

Progress Reports

The Talalla bay and District Support Group, costs and spending to date:



Item / catagory Date cost (rps)

Clearing
Tractor 29/01/05 2,500
Workers (15) 29/03/05 6,000
Lunch 29/03/05 600

Total 10,565

Clearing
Tractor 30/01/05 2,500
Workers (30) 30/01/05 12,000
Lunch 30/01/05 1,550
Tea time 30/01/05 1,050
Chainsaw hire 30/01/05 1,500

Total 19,975

Clearing
Workers (33) 31/01/05 12,200
Tractor 2,400
Gloves (workers) 320
Lunch 1,650
Tea 1,000
Canvas Bags 1,000

Total 17,250

Clearing
Workers 02/02/05 400
Lunch 150
JCB hire 12,750
Tractor 2,500

Total 15,800

Clearing
Workers 03/02/05 11,200
Tractor 2,500
JCB hire 12,000
Lunch 1,550
Tea 1,057
Transport 50
Gloves 930

Total 29,287

Clearing
Workers (30) 04/02/05 9,000
JCB hire 11,060
Tractor 1 2,500
Tractor 2 2,000
Lunch 1,400
Tea 1,190
Gloves 250

Total 27,400

Clearing
Workers (30) 05/02/05 9,000
JCB hire 12,000
Tractor 1 2,500
Tractor 2 2,500
Tea 816
Lunch 1,520
Gloves 100

Total 28,436

Clearing
Workers (24) 07/02/05 7,200
JCB hire 7,500
Tractor 2,500
Lunch 1,520
Tea 955
Transport 80
Gloves 600
General expenses
Motorcycle hire (1 week) 7,000

Total 27,355

Clearing
Workers (24) 08/02/05 7,200
Tractor 2,500
Lunch 1,120
Tea 800
Bananas 120

Total 11,740

Clearing
Workers A/B 09/02/05 10,800
Workers C 3,600
JCB hire 6,190
Tractor 1 2,500
Tractor 2 1,250
Lunch 2,080
Tea 1,225
Livelihood
Deposit 20 coir machines 5,000
General
Paper / internet 1,505

Total 34,150

Clearing
Workers (41) 10/02/05 12,100
Lunch 1,800
Tea 940
Tractor A 2,500
Tractor B 2,500
JCB 1 12,000
JCB 2 3,000
Petrol 250
Sharpening tools 420
Brooms 279
Tools 1,175
Livelihood
Deposit on boats 30,000
Comfort of living
Mattresses (22) 21,285
Trucks for Mattresses 600

Total 88,849

Clearing
Workers (A/B/C – 42) 11/02/05 12,600
Supervisor A 450
Supervisor B 400
Tractor A 2,500
Tractor B 2,500
JCB A 12,000
JCB B 12,000
Lunch / Tea 2,990
Comfort of living
Mattresses X 29 61,726.50
General
Petrol 3,824.80

Total 110,991.30

Clearing
Workers A/B (41) 12/02/05 12,300
Supervisor 400
JCB A 7,500
JCB B 12,000
Tractor A 2,500
Tractor B 2,500
Lunch / Tea 3,750
Sharpening tools 350

Total 41,300

Clearing
Workers (10) 13/02/05 3,000
Supervisor 450
JCB 12,000
Tractor 2,500
Lunch 600
Tea 873

Total 16,273

Clearing
Workers (40) 14/02/05 12,000
Supervisor 400
JCB A 12,000
JCB B 12,000
Tractor A 940
Tractor B 2,500
Lunch 2000
Tea 950
General
Bike rental (1 week) 7,000
Petrol 1,025
Internet use 3,949

Total 54,746

Clearing
Workers A (20) ½ day 15/02/05 3,000
Workers B (20) 6,000
JCB A ½ day 7,500
JCB B 10,500
Tractor A 2,500
Tractor B 2,500
Supervisor 400
Lunch (A / B) 2000
Tea / biscuits 600

Total 35,000
Clearing
Workers (16) 16/02/05 4,800
JCB 9,750
Supervisor A 400
Supervisor B 450
Tractor A 2,500
Tractor B 2,500
Lunch 1,000
Tea 477
Petrol 3,930
Livelihood
Fishing Net 77,600

Total 103,407

Clearing
Workers (20) 17/02/05 6,000
JCB A 2,500
JCB B 2,500
Lunch 12,600
Tea 600

Total 23,700

Clearing
Workers (16) 18/02/05 4,800
JCB A 12,000
JCB B 10,800
Supervisor A 450
Supervisor B 400
Tractor A 2,500
Tractor B 2,500
Lunch / tea 1,491
Repair drainage cover 2,095
Workers for drainage cover 800

Total 37,836

Clearing
Workers (1/2 day) 19/02/05 300
JCB A 6,000
Tractor 1,250

Total 7,550

Clearing
JCB A 21/02/05 12,000
JCB B 10,500
Tractor 2,500
General
Motorcycle hire (1 week0 7,000

Total 32,000

Clearing
Workers 22/02/05 600
JCB 12,000
Tractor 2,500
Foreman 450
Foreman (advance) 450
Supervisor 400
Lunch 320
General
Petrol 1,150.85

Total 17,740.85

Clearing
JCB 23/02/05 12,000
Tractor 2,500
Supervisor 200
General
Phone credit (charity use) 1,000
Internet use 400

Total 16,100

Clearing
Workers 24/02/05 9,750
JCB 2000
Tractor 2000
Supervisor 400
Lunch / tea 220

Total 12,370

Clearing
JCB A 25/02/05 6,500
JCB B 9,880
Tractor 2,000
Supervisor 400
Lunch / tea 277
Livelihood
30 horse power engine 194,000
Deposit on nets 160,000

Total 373,557

Clearing
JCB A 26/02/05 9,750
JCB B 8,840
Tractor A 2,000
Tractor B 2,000
Supervisor 450
Lunches 160

Total 23,200

Clearing
JCB 27/02/05 9,750
Tractor A 2,000
Tractor B 2,000
Supervisor (1/2 day) 200
Lunches 200

Total 14,150

Clearing
JCB A 28/02/05 10,400
JCB B 8,710
Tractor A 2,000
Tractor B 2,000
Supervisor 450
Barbed wire (school) 2,400
Supervisor 450
Lunches 240
General
Motorcycle hire (1 week) 7,000
Photocopy names list 36
Petrol costs charity 3,298

Total 36,986

Clearing
JCB A 01/03/05 7,280
JCB B 9,100
Tractor A 2,000
Tractor 2,000
Workers 1,800
Brooms X 2 100
Lunches 280

Total 22,560

Clearing
JCB A 02/03/05 10,790
Tractor A 2,000
Tractor B 2,000
Workers (6) 1,800
Lunches 280
General
Petrol 3597

Total 20,467
Clearing
JCB A 03/03/05 10,400
JCB B 3,120
Tractor A 2,000
Tractor B 2,000
Supervisor (+ advance, 4 days) 2,000
Lunches 200
Livelihood
Further deposit 20 coir machines 10,000

Total 29,720

Clearing
JCB A 04/03/05 10,270
JCB B 6,670
Tractor A 2,000
Tractor b 2,000
Supervisor 400
Lunches 200
Community
BOQ + plans for community hall 24,000
Livelihood
9.9 horse power boat engine 150,250
Comfort
Gas cookers ( X 2) 7,201
School materials (57 families)
Socks, umbrellas 9,760
Uniforms 18,462
Stationery, exercise books 10,403.5
School shoes 46,081.80
School bags 22,335.90

Total 310,034.15

Clearing
JCB A 05/03/05 10,530
JCB B 6,890
Tractor A 2,000
Tractor B 2,000
Supervisor 400
Lunches 200
School materials (extra)
School shirts 6,200
Uniforms 4,009
Stationery 10,905
School shoes 37,033.4
General
Petrol 3059.84

Total 83,227.24

Clearing
JCB A 07/03/05 10,400
Tractor A 2,000
Tractor B 2,000
Supervisor 800
Lunches 200
Livelihood
Sewing machines X 2 22,610
Fishing nets (final payment) 374,990
General
Taxi 600
Delivery sewing machines 750
Motorbike Hire (1 week) 7,000

Total 421,350

Clearing
JCB A 10,270
Tractor A 2,000
Tractor B 2,000
Supervisor 450
Lunches 200
Hats 300
Livelihood
Engines (boats) 08/03/05 200,000
School materials (extra)
Maths boxes 1,097
Calculator 955
Clothing 750

Total 223,046.10

Clearing
JCB 5,720
Tractor A 2,000
Tractor B 2,000
Supervisor 400
Lunches 200

Total 8,320

Clearing
JCB 10/03/05 9,360
Tractor A 2,000
Tractor B 2,000
Supervisor 400
Lunches 200
Reconstruction
Deposit for toilets to be built X 5 75,000
General
Mattress delivery 800
Repair to borrowed car caused through accident 6,850

Total 96,410

Clearing
JCB 11/03/05 2,210
Supervisor 400
Livelihood
Final boat payment 184,000
General
Delivery charges boat 2,800
Petrol 3,000

Total 192,410

Clearing
JCB (to clear Talalla school) 12/03/05 6,760
Supervisor 400
Lunch 240
Comfort
Mattresses for rest of village 1 X 55 110,000

Total 117,400

Clearing
JCB 13/03/05 9,100
supervisor 400
Lunches 240
General
Motorbike hire (1 week) 7,000
Stationery 680
Taxi 220

Total 17,640

Livelihood
Chainsaw (for tree feller, lost previous) 15/03/05 71,000
General
Translator / supervisor A 400
Translator / supervisor B (advance 3 days) 1,350

Total 32,750

Livelihood
Replacement equipment for electrician 16/03/05 5,670
General
Translator / supervisor A ½ day 400
Translator / supervisor B (payment to date for March
excluding advance previous day) 400
Car hire replacement 500
Taxi 330
Phone cards (over 6 weeks to aid worker Tony Reaiche) 5,700
Sharpening tools (backdated) 9,000

Total 29,200

Livelihood
Replacement equipment electrician 17/03/05 104,250
Replacement equipment electrician 4,695
General
Supervisor / translator A ¾ day 300
Supervisor / translator B 450
Lunches (backdated for workers) 480

Total 109,935

Livelihood
Bicycles to fish-sellers X 3 18/03/05 18,000
Replacement equipment to welding family 76,820
Replacement tool builder 1,500
General
Supervisor / translator A ¾ day 300
Supervisor / translator B 450

Total 97,070

Livelihood
Replacement goods and equipment 19/03/05 20,000
General
Supervisor / translator A (+ overtime) 500
Supervisor / translator B 450

Total 20,950

Livelihood
Balance for 20 coir machines 22/03/05 55,000
Replacement goods to balance welding family 73,163
School kids
Volley balls + nets 4,710
General
Supervisor / translator A + overtime 500
Supervisor / translator B (for 3 days) 1,350
Petrol 2,700
Delivery coir machines 500

Total 135,196


Livelihood
Chainsaw tree feller 23/03/05 71,000
Sewing machines X 15 178,500
Comfort
Mattresses village two X 50 110,000
Gas cylinder 3,700
Gas 800
General
Supervisor / translator A 400
Supervisor / translator B 450

Total 364,900
Livelihood
Replacement tools carpenter 24/03/05 30,000
General
Supervisor / translator A 400
Supervisor / translator B 450
Transport 380

Total 31,280

General
Supervisor / translator B 25/03/05 450

Total 450

General
Delivery sewing machines 26/08/05 1,000

Total 1,000

General
Petrol 29/03/05 3,400

Total 3,400

Livelihood
Coir machine engine repair 30/03/05 20,000
Reconstruction
Further payment towards 5 toilets (balance to pay 96,000) 30,000

Total 50,000

General
Supervisor / translator A 01/04/05 450
Hire car costs 22,500

Total 22,950

School materials village 2 (63 families)
Stationery / books / pens etc. 02/04/05 9,844
School bags 6,500
Uniforms 34,111.20
Shoes, umbrellas, socks 105,157.7
General
Supervisor / translator A (4 days) 1,600

Total 157,157.7

General
Supervisor / translator A 03/04/05 400
Supervisor / translator B 450
Lunches 300

Total 1150

Livelihood
Ropes and nets (final) 04/04/05 79,960
Comfort
Extra clothing items child 665
Dentistry for young child 5,000
General
Supervisor / translator A (1 ½ days also for tomorrow) 600

86,225

Talalla South Public School

Talalla South Mahavidyalaya is from primary to senior level and caters for 635 students, grades 1 – 13, ages 5 – 18. The School is located about 30 metres away from Talalla Central village and serves many of the children from each area.



School begins at 8:30am and students form lines in their appropriate divisions, while music is filtered through speakers in the courtyard. Each day at this time the students start with a light established routine, serving as exercise and awakens their bodies and minds for the ensuing day.



Physical damage to the school includes a torn gate and harm to the buildings and classrooms, as well as equipment. Before the tsunami the school had spent a sum of money on library facilities such as shelving and books. Their shelves were subsequently well stocked and filled with literature - essential for the enriching of young minds. Now they stand bare and abandoned. Approximately 30 books were salvaged, and the library is currently disused.





We recently cleared the side entrance to the school, clearing a pathway and knocked down some minor buildings (old disused toilets) that were causing obstruction. Council approval was given for this. This is a major improvement and provides easier access for the children.



The principal has requested the possibility of a road, which they didn’t have before but would be a great asset, especially with the rainy season approaching. We also need to repair one gate and obtain another, completely damaged, for the front and side entrances. I am currently looking into costing for this and the above. There are some larger buildings that were damaged and in the future we hope to be able to help with reconstruction. At the moment, as with many established and damaged buildings, the school is still waiting for government decisions on reconstruction to be confirmed.





The library and it’s content were seriously damaged/destroyed. Most of the furniture and shelving can be repaired and repainted to avoid the costs of buying new. Books, dictionaries and learning materials were washed away. Prior to the tsunami money had been donated for the library’s refurbishment and a budget was allocated to books, hence the shelves were filled and the librarian said that children were taking great advantage of the system. There are no longer books available to use. The children loved the many books and stories in both Singhalese and English and the range was suitable for all levels from ladybird editions to advanced. Replacing these vital development tools would be greatly appreciated.



The library also lost a ceiling fan in the disaster, which they need replacing to cope with the stifling heat - unbearable throughout the day. The library walls are closed for security and as reading requires a concentrated mind the lack of breeze is highly disruptive. Further equipment that would always benefit the school includes uniforms, stationery and exercise books.





In the day to day running of the school children battle the elements, shifting and manoevering equipment chasing the shadows from the sun's probing rays.





The items above are essential. In order to heighten the moral, happiness and general mental well being of their students, teachers have suggested that musical instruments and costumes for dancing would be wonderful assets. Singhalese people are highly demonstrative and expression is a central way to alleviate grief and suffering and to lift spirits. I think supplying such items can also be considered vital necessities, to add life and light to their young troubled minds and form an interest and escapism from their barren homes.