Disaster Network Proposal

Summary: Below, we provide information on the relief, recovery and risk management work that we are coordinating with background information on the hosting organizations, on the Disaster Services Centre and Network, and it’s completed, ongoing and proposed projects, its staff and advisory bodies.  The financial information on what’s so far expended, and our guiding principles and arrangements for accepting your contributions are also described.   

Foundation for Environment, Climate and Technology (FECT) and Tropical Climate Centre (TC)
The Foundation for Environment, Climate and Technology (FECT) - and the Tropical Climate (TC) - are located in Digana and Akurana. We were directly affected and witness to the mob violence and failures of state organizations from March 5-7th 2018. In its aftermath, we have been talking to the affected, helping cope with the aftermath supporting in relief, and engaging in understanding what went on through systematic data collection and analysis. 

Our organizations FECT (www.climate.lk) and TC (www.tropicalclimate.org) have expertise in the physical and social sciences and environmental fields. We have experts in Administration, IT, mapping, databases, social sciences and legal fields through our staff of 16. We are well networked internationally with researchers and diaspora individuals and groups. Over the last 15 years, we have obtained support from over 20 international organizations including FAO, WHO, UNESCO, UNDP, development and environment donors, bilateral donors and foundations. We are well equipped to handle such projects. We have also been working on the topic of Disasters for 15 years (e.g. we published a case study on Sri Lanka in the World Bank). However, we have not so far got any funds for humanitarian relief. This is why we need to expand our range, partners and expertise after March 8th. To this end, we established the Disaster Services Centre and the Disaster Services Network for the long-terms. Our intention is to start with this disaster but expand to other human induced disasters.  

Disaster Service Centre (DSC) 
Office: We set up a new office in Kengalla about 2 km from Digana on the Kandy road - it is an old house by the main Kandy - Digana main road. We refurbished so as to make it suitable for an office. It has meeting space and consultation spaces. 

Advisory Council: We established an Advisory Council that brings in Local Officials – Samurdhi (development) Bank President, Local Government Officials, and key active individuals from the Digana- Kengalla area. 

Staff: We brought in staff members knowledgeable about the local area

  • Hafil Moulavi Shamsudeen Fazal ( - who lost a brother in the violence - he has studied in Sinhala medium and is a Hafiz, Menikhinna mosque and a Black Belt in Karate.)  
  • Shyama Nishathi (LLB) (awaiting oath-taking - studied at Teldeniya National School and University of Peradeniya) 
  • Mohamed Lareef - recent graduate of St. Sylvesters whose brother in law is coping with burns of both legs. 
  • Jeya Pavithra - who has media training from Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation and is reading for a part time degree in Business Management at SLIIT. She studied in Mowbray College and Kandy Convent. 
  • Tuan Hadgie is in charge of the office institutionally
  • In addition, Shifna Rameez (LL.M - Japan) and Zahra Thaha (LLB - Peradeniya) are helping with documentation and Janan Vishvanathan is helping with the IT. 

Disaster Services Network (DSN) 
To help with all this work and liase with other groups, we have an eminent advisory board (see flyer). The Disaster Support Network (DSN) brings together experts who support disaster risk management and recovery. Our network serves as an advisory body supporting the Disaster Service Centre (DSC) in Kengalla, Digana.

Projects
Initially, we undertook   
 - Repairing the CCTV system of Kengalla Taqiya (small mosque) that was burnt
 - Helping fix the Ziyaram in Kengalla constructed in 1837 that was vandalized
 - Repairing a house damaged by the mobs  - providing an ear to the affected

Ongoing Projects
 The tasks we are taking on now
  - helping affected people with their documentation needs 
  - helping to document the impacts on the affected 
  - monitoring and documenting the recovery of the affected
  - helping steer funds to those most in need 
  - building databases of concerned individuals
  - documenting the legal, social and media landscape before during and after the mob violence 
  - providing career guidance services for affected youth
  - providing counseling, books and support for students who are traumatized
  - Mapping and Time Stamping what took place using modern techniques and making these available online. 
  - Develop "Build Back More Resilient" programs with an engineering panel focusing on fire protection and security. 

Financial Investments of FECT / TC
So far, we have been working only with institutional funds of Rs.5-8 lakhs for setting up the office, renovating and setting up furniture, paint, water, utilities. In this, we proceeded rapidly as there were urgent needs.  We are also using about 1 million worth of equipment from our institutions.  We shall need 1.5-2 lakhs a month to maintain the staff and the office and provide the above services. 

If there is further funding, we can expand these efforts and recruit more of the affected people. We believe that providing jobs locally for the affected people is much more self-empowering and socially helpful than providing funds alone. Many of those affected are not used to accepting help but are self-reliant folks who manage somehow. 

Contributions
We shall be glad to accept any contributions in this regards as main of the affected, our local and national advisors, staff have strongly endorsed the approach.  Believe and all advice that this is a neglected area that needs attention and with our competencies, network and staff we can do further work.  

We have a separate set of project proposals that we shall forward.  We can also develop further proposals for specific projects as suggested by donors and monitor those with our staff. 

Financial Arrangements for donations

  • Tropical Climate is a registered Non-Profit Company which is forbidden to rewards its directors. As Tropical Climate, we have allocated the Bank of Ceylon Accounts specifically for the Social Service
  • These funds shall be scrupulously accounted for, reviewed by a board of advisors and independently audited by a certified auditor. Any donor shall be able to get details of expenditure.   
  • None of the funds shall be used for other activities. Other FECT and TC staff shall continue to voluntarily contribute.    
  • We shall receive funds for specific work in Akurana and Poojapitiya DSD areas through the Foundation for Environment, Climate and Technology as it is registered there as a non-profit charity for this divisions. Essentially in the same way as above for TC.  For this we have a Peoples Bank Account for the charity. We report on the charitable work to the Ministry of Social Services via the Divisional Secretary.
  • We can accept funds through wire transfers through a SWIFT code or in any other way. The responsible officer is Ms. Rimza Zacky.  (rimza_zacky@hotmail.com) +94-81-4922992.
    • Bank of Ceylon, Digana Village, Rajawella, KY 20180, Account No. 857971 (Name: Tropical Climate (Guarantee).Ltd), Routing Number:   SWIFT code.  
    • Peoples Bank, Akurana, KY 20850, Account Name: Foundation for Environment, Climate and Technology, Account Number:  Routing Number:    SWIFT code:

 

Lareef Zubair, Ph.D (Yale) 
Principal Scientist, Tropical Climate
Address: 57/5, Kandy Road, Kengalla, KY 20186, Sri Lanka
Phone _ +1-646-309-0403,
Email: socialservice@tropicalclimate.org And lareefzubair@gmail.com
Web: http://www.tropicalclimate.org/socialservice