WARNING... This is a LONG page! That said, it documents the incredible efforts of NATR against almost insurmontable odds, especially in the early days following the tragedy.

If you're interesting in reading how progress has been made over the last 3 months, read on...

Update 10 from North Andaman Tsunami Relief (NATR) 24th February, 2005
Update North Andaman Tsunami Relief February 9, 2005
Update 8 from the North Andaman Tsunami Relief 30th January 2005
Update 7 from North Andaman Tsunami Relief (NATR), Jan 23rd 2005
Update 6 from Golden Buddha Beach, Jan 16th 2005
Update 5 from Golden Buddha Beach, Jan 12th 2005

Update 10 from North Andaman Tsunami Relief (NATR) 24th February, 2005

Message from Bonnie on Behalf of Bodhi
I am honored that Bodhi has given me the opportunity to write update 10, especially in light of the fact that this is my 32nd and final day of service with NATR. The day is bittersweet, leaving me feeling as though I have just sped to the last page of my favorite book, read its final sentence, and now wish for just one more secret, hidden chapter. As I turn the book upside down and half-seriously search for it, still feeling like I've stepped out of a dream dimension, I come to be comfortable that this is the end of my story. The conclusion was perfect, and there are so many more stories to come. What's more, the assistance that my friends at NATR provide to the Thai people has gained so much traction of late that the stories coming out of this humble office have only just begun. So, without further diatribe, allow me to now encapsulate this precious week at NATR.

Our Moken Handicraft Programs
Over the past several weeks, we have supplied all the necessary knives, drills, saws, sanders, pandanus leaves, and dyes for the Moken villagers to regain a portion of their livelihoods by carving the miniature boats of their heritage. Prior to the tsunami, they would sell these boats occasionally to tourists in the area, but with the tsunami went their supplies, the tourists, and their livelihoods.

Weeks of skilled craftsmanship have yielded an initial supply of elaborate boats that can be sold to interested markets, but tourists remain hesitant to travel to our area. Thanks to several alliances, including the Rotary Club of Thailand, we are now developing markets for the Moken boats and other Moken handicraft. You can see an example of their workmanship in the photograph attached (and in the near future on our web site: www.northandamantsunamirelief.com).

Our Scholarship Programs
Thanks to those of you who have donated money for our longer-term programs, we have now given a first month's scholarship check to sixteen children in Laem Naew. With continued funding we look forward to providing these children an education. We hear stories of families taking their children from school early to help make a living during this difficult period. NATR remains committed to circumventing such desperate measures by including short-term labor and livelihood programs to the villages we help.

Four days ago, a few Thai men quietly approached our office without appointment. Unusually, instead of waiting to be greeted at the door, these men showed the urgency of their request and entered. We discovered that their village had been overlooked by many of the care givers in the area, and they came hoping to secure assistance to pay for their children's schooling. Unlike many countries with more socialized infrastructure, the Thai must pay for their children's elementary schooling. On the spot, we committed to paying scholarships for the remainder of the semester for their six children. We will be sending an assessor to further determine need in their village.

Our Restoration of Livelihood Programs
In partnership with the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit, we provided the first installment of 50 squid traps to the 41 squid fishing families of Bak Jok this week.

A Few of Other Accomplishments
-Continued fresh food delivery to villages most in need
-Continued fresh water delivery to Thung Dap
-Creation of the Baan Taele Nok Working Group. This is a group organized to manage and coordinate the many aid groups in the area.
-Began clearing landslide debris in Laem Naew

Bonnie Doyle
NATR volunteer on behalf of our Director, Bodhi Garrett

One final note (from the perspective of an NATR volunteer with about 10 days under his belt...) It is because of people like Bonnie that NATR is the incredible organization that it is. Most notably, Bonnie used her technical expertise in database creation to build the tool (our database) that allows NATR to function so effectively despite the changing and often chaotic nature of our work. Like all volunteers at NATR, her contributions go well beyond listing, her compassion for people unmatched, and her dedication to the needs of those who we are here for, beyond comprehension. On a personal level, Bonnie's ever-present smile, energy, love, and can-do outlook has kept the rest of us going, and in good spirits, at times when the work and tasks at hand seemed overwhelming. She will be greatly missed, but not forgotten. (Especially since she will be maintaining and improving our database from home in San Francisco!).

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Update North Andaman Tsunami Relief February 9, 2005

Note from Bonnie on behalf North Andaman Tsunami Relief
It is an exciting time at NATR, with nine weeks of assessments clarifying our mission, and with operations moving from emergency care to livelihood. As we continue to bring much needed food and water to our target villages, we have been busy solidifying ways in which we can get villagers back on their feet quickly.

We have identified boats that need to be rebuilt and nets and traps that are needed for fishermen to regain their livelihoods. Where families cannot return to fishing, or where it will be some time before they are able, we have identified other work/labor plans such as handicrafts and mangrove reforestation to bring villagers income.

Within the chaos of needs assessment, we continue to take care not to overlap the programs of other agencies, and listen carefully to ensure our programs will be useful to villagers. There are several agencies with excess funds in the area that are helping to rebuild infrastructure, but few that are providing assistance with livelihood.

I have attached a couple of livelihood proposals that desperately need funding. If you have the funds to help, let us know what project you would like your donation to go to. Below you will find details of our busy week. Enjoy!
Bonnie on behalf of Bodhi

Our fresh food programs are in full, regular swing. We bring delicious vegetables, meats, chilis, chili-paste, rice, sugar, cooking oil and other useful cooking items that have been lost, such as mortar and pestles bi-weekly to the villages of Thung Dap, Bak Jok, Tappa Yoi, and Baan Taele Nok. These villages have been temporarily relocated on the mainland while their villages are rebuilt, so transportation and access are easy and affordable.

Due to their remote location and the expense of boat transportation, our deliveries to Koh Surin and Laem Naew continue, but less frequently. We are also providing fresh water to some villages that do not have it. Thanks to those of you that have donated so generously to our fresh food programs.

In Bak Jok, villagers have shown great interest in our livelihood programs! Now that we have supplied all of the tools necessary for the creation of Moken boats, production is in full swing. We made our first weekly payment to workers in the Moken boat handicraft program and the cashew nut peeling program on Sunday. To our participants we pay 100 baht per day, and will find a market for the boats once they have been produced.

In the Surin Islands we’ll make our final delivery of tools needed for Moken boat making and mat/basket weaving on Friday. Fresh water is still a major problem for these devastated areas. This week we provided water filtration to the Thung Dap village, so that villagers and workers have access to fresh water.

We continue to make progress on our short term labor Mangrove reforestation project. Seedlings have been acquired and the next step will be to dig a pond in the area. Looking ahead In our mid-term efforts, we need donations for fishing boats, nets, and traps. We are also beginning education assessments, and have preliminary needs identified. Please take a moment to look over the summaries attached, and make a donation. With your help and kind thoughts, we are making great headway toward getting villagers back on their feet.

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Update 8 from the North Andaman Tsunami Relief 30th January 2005

1. Bodhi's Introduction
When I first arrived in Kuraburi, I guessed that a week of around-the-clock work would enable the project to get established, at which point I probably start to get a decent night's sleep. But with opportunities to help people arising on a daily basis, and an ever-increasing but under-informed cadre of aid groups to be coordinated, it seems that the implementation of the Regular Sleep for Bodhi Project has been delayed for at least another week.

Speaking of fatigue, a growing concern in this area is aid fatigue. Tsunami-affected villagers are being swamped by well-wishers, who appear out of nowhere, give out a few gifts or some money, take extensive notes as to what villagers want, and then disappear again just as quickly, never to return. Surely some of these groups will return with more help, but since there is very little communication with the villagers about plans for aid, the locals have grown increasingly weary of weekend warrior well-wishers. However, the difference in style and substance of tsunami relief efforts among various groups reveals a dichotomy in the motivation to help. In helping someone to have more power over their own life, there are two basic options - use your power and influence to benefit them, or help them to empower themselves. As they say, if you give a man a fish, he can eat for a week, teach him how to fish and he will eat forever.

Do we want tsunami-relief to be just a bandaid, or do we want to take this opportunity to invest in the futures of those that have been affected? Helping the "tsunami relief effort" is actually an abstraction, enabling people to make their own choices in life is the true nature of our work.

Luckily, our friends and loved ones in the communties here make sure that NATR is not at risk of being relegated to this category. Our focus groups, net and livestock replacement projects, and fresh food programs keep us in regular contact with the villagers.

On the subject of empowerment, the database we are designing will not only allow local aid groups to coordinate more effectively by understanding the scope of actions in each village, it will be used as an educational tool to educate and empower locals.

Another major concern are the rumors of a second tsunami that have been a problem in many villages, where unfounded reports often cause the whole community to flee the village for hours at a time. Below you can find more information about our plans to address this issue as soon as possible.

Other interesting happenings this week included an unexpected meeting with the Army Chief of Staff, an opportunity to show the Swiss ambassador around Koh Phratong, and a day spent tracking down semi-wild chickens in villages across Ranong province. If you want my advice, the next time someone tells you that their village needs 'local' chickens, think long and hard before you say yes. Otherwise, you too will have to find, catch, and transport hundreds of rather unhappy fowl on a small long tail boat to a remote village.

2. Breaking News
Tapa Yoi, one of the villages on Koh Phratong was not affected by the tsunami, but the fear of subsequent natural disasters has brought the entire village onto the mainland, where they are living in a tented camp at the temple. NATR is planning to develop a warning system for the island communities, to monitor earthquake activity and we will be looking for major funding for this. The Tsunami Information Center (with dedicated links to seismology centers, a call center, and regular radio reports) will help to alleviate the state of continual fear that many villagers are living in.

The villagers of Pak Chok and Koh Ra are just moving into their temporary accommodation, while the new permanent houses at Baan Talae Nok have already been completed.

Our office in Kuraburi has become a hub of activity, with aid agencies, volunteers and private funders visiting for updates, meetings and funding ideas. Bodhi has been involved in many meetings and has become a great information source for people wanting to conduct work on Koh Phratong.

3. Programmes and Projects
This week has seen a great demand for project proposals, which has given us the opportunity to formalise all the work that NATR is handling. There are many aid agencies and government departments still helping to fulfill people's needs, and our role has developed into one of monitoring that the needs are met, and helping to fill those gaps. Our short-term projects are still focusing on food delivery, short-term labour projects, provision of raw materials for handicraft production and livestock replacement. We are now developing longer-term proposals to assist with education and livelihood needs.

Koh Surin: Through our contact with Professor Naramon at Chulalangkorn University, we received a 'wish list' from the Moken (sea gypsy) community on the Surin Islands, and were able to finance this with the help of Island Pools in Phuket. Lucy delivered tools, fresh food and other equipment to the islands where a group of volunteers were also helping to clean up the National Park and some divers were evaluating damage to the coral.

Laem Naew: This village was left in tact by the tsunami, but many of the boats and traps were damaged, which means that villagers cannot fish and therefore access cash for their daily needs. NATR delivered fresh food, chickens and wood to construct chicken coops and to carry out repairs. We also conducted focus group discussions with the villagers to find out their longer-term needs, and met with the school teacher, who currently teaches a class of 28 students comprising 6 different grades. With his input, NATR is developing some educational projects, both for immediate repair of the facilities and longer-term scholarship opportunities for the children. For donors wishing to target children and education, please get in touch with us about this funding opportunity.

4. Volunteers
The volunteers who arrived this week have been a complete godsend! They plugged in their varied expertise immediately and have already become indispensible! Pa, Bom and Ning, from Mahidol University, have been conducting focus group discussions and finding out new information and needs from villagers. Bonnie and Rachel arrived and upgraded the communications and technology within seconds. Bonnie has been working on a database to record all NATR's activities, which can also be used by aid agencies to avoid duplication of efforts in the different villagers. We are currently looking for funding to expand this project further. Rachel is networking the computer system and will be taking over from me, Lucy, with the communications by email. Nicole also arrived as project coordinator, initially at Kuraburi, and later on Koh Phratong. Paula has gone to Golden Buddha Beach to manage developments there as the resort is rebuilt, and is currently in the company of Emma (a previous Naucrates volunteer), Amanda, and Tanya.

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Update 7 from North Andaman Tsunami Relief (NATR), Jan 23rd 2005

As the days turn in to weeks, and the gulf of time that separates us from the tsunami continues to grow, things seem to be getting back to normal. It is easy to get used to the tent camps and hastily built temporary housing, the ever-present officials and dignitaries parading around the devastated villages (posing for a quick photo with the most distraught looking local they can find), the ridiculous oversupply of donated clothes and plastic water bottles. After a few days, all of this seems to just be just about average. But if you scratch the surface, you can see the anguish and uncertainty that fills the days of those who survived the tsunami. You can see that the dignity of these people is being threatened by an onslaught of well meaning but misdirected aid. You can see that there are basics, like fruit, vegetables, and meat that people cannot afford. You can see that there are stories to be told and tears to be cried. A friend of mine in Hat Praphat calmly described how her 2 year-old child was torn from her arms by the torrent, never to be seen again. In the end, it will be a community of caring friends and concerned neighbors that will heal these wounds, not the international or governmental aid efforts. So, to me, the most important question is how to enable the re-forging of community, how to make sure that people feel good about where they live and what they do.

From this perspective, there is still much work to be done, and because of our connections and friendships in these communities, we have been able to make a difference - particularly with the short-term labor and fresh food delivery programs. As I was helping the villagers of Had Sai Kaew to remove a long-tail boat from the mangroves, their laughter and teamwork was something I had not experienced since before the tsunami. We are also able to respond quickly to particular needs in various villages, such as the water shortage in Tung Dap, or the food crisis in the remote Moken village beyond the Surins.

Below is a more detailed update of what we are doing, and below that are two relevant articles from Bangkok newspapers. I hope that you can also take a moment to feel good about being involved in the tsunami relief effort, the people here often express their gratitude that people half way around the world have made an effort on their behalf. Bodhi

Today, Sunday, marks four weeks since the tsunami ravaged the North Andaman islands and coastline. So much has been accomplished in that time, through efforts of government, aid organisations and the communities themselves, but it will still be a long time before people's lives return to any level of normalcy. The villagers from Bak Jok are still in a tented camp at the Kuraburi school; the community of Tung Dap has just moved into their temporary housing built by the Thai army, but are now without a clean supply of water; and the people of Baan Talae Nok are watching their new permanent houses being constructed.

NATR continues to play an active role in providing for the needs as yet unmet by other agencies. The short term labour project for Hat Praphat and Had Sai Kaew has been particularly successful. We had anticipated the involvement of twenty villagers, forty showed up the first day, and by the third day of the project, sixty people had come to work! They have been pulling their boats out of the mangroves in the channel between the villages and clearing up debris. For a few hours each day, the community is able to focus on the present and shape their future, rather than sinking under the enormity of what they have lost.

The handicrafts project also started this week, with the purchase and delivery of pandanus leaves for weaving. Dye is soon to arrive from Bangkok so that the women can begin to make baskets and mats again, for sale. Next week, we will also deliver pandanus to the Moken (sea gypsy) community on the Surin Islands. This community has achieved a degree of fame within Thailand as their oral tradition includes an understanding of tsunamis (from a previous occurrence in 1907) and they were able to save all but one of the village members as well as a number of tourists. They have built 56 houses in 10 days and have started fishing again. NATR sent over mosquito nets with a group who had come to Kuraburi for a new boat and has also requested their help in delivering food and clothing to other sea gypsy communities in the region that are not receiving aid due to inefficiencies.

In order to assess the effectiveness of NATR's projects, we have been running on-going evaluations. Instrumental in this has been Duk, a resident of Bak Jok (one of the worst affected villages) and a past employee of Golden Buddha Beach. He has been interviewing village members to find out their views on current projects, and assessing whether we can assist with their unmet needs. NATR would like to thank him for volunteering his time so selflessly and the great contribution he has made to the success of the projects.

This Update is being compiled from NATR's new office in Kuraburi. It is located next to the internet cafe and has already become a hub of activity. Paula has arrived to focus on ecotourism, and in the next few days, we are expecting a group of eight more volunteers to join us as project coordinators, clerical staff and for some serious manual labour! These include Rachel, Bonnie, Emma, Amanda and Nicole. Our call for Thai translators and focus group facilitators has been answered and we look forward to welcoming Pa and Bom to the office tomorrow.

We have now finalised the NATR Operational Plan (including budget), Village Assessment Report and more detailed Project outlines.

Currently, we are looking for a donor to fund a large supply of equipment to the sea gypsy village on the Surin Islands. If you know anyone who would be interested in supporting this project area, kindly get in touch!

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Update 6 from Golden Buddha Beach, Jan 16th 2005

Words from Bodhi, Relief Director
Well, the last week has been a whirlwind of activity - assessment, short-term support, meetings, family aid, vegetable and fruit delivery, and so on. North Andaman Tsunami Relief (as we are now called) seems to be serving a much needed role - that of an organization not encumbered by bureacratic inefficiency. We have been able to fill several gaps in the relief efforts, needs that were not being met by the government or aid agencies. There is also a gap in communication between the Thai organizations and the international relief agencies that we have been able to bridge. I will get back to you soon with more details, but for now, I must squeeze in a few hours of sleep before tomorrow's busy day: buying fruit and veggies for the sea gypsies on Surin Islands, arranging for a short-term labor program in Baan Talae Nok, meeting with the workers after their first day of mangrove restoration at Hat Prapha, and distributing family aid in Tung Dap.

I would especially like to thank all of the people that have been instrumental in making our efforts possible: our caring donors, Lucy Dixon-Clarke (whose willingness to help full-time in the first days has made a huge difference), Dick Sandler, Richie Ralphsmith, Christine Kolisch, Craig Lovell, Greg Voelm, Jane Atkins, Forrest Melton, Lee Krasnow, Bert Gerbrands, and everyone else who has been kind enough to share your thoughts, concerns, and creative ideas to generate awareness across the world.

Accomplished to date:

* Delivered 200 kilos of food to Moken community and other villagers of Bak Joke (some will also be delivered to Koh Surin). Delivery included limes, morning glory green, pumpkins, okra, mustard greens, onions, garlic, fresh and dried chili, fish paste, shrimp paste, cooking oil, baby milk.

* Distributed 500 baht for emergency needs to every family in: Ko Ra (38 families) , Had Sai Kaew (166 families), Baan Talae Nok (66 families), and Bak Jok (88 families, and 1000 baht to all Moken extended families with relatives on Surin Islands). Will distribute to Tung Dap (64 families) on Jan. 15.

* Assessment of status of villagers from Bak Jok, Koh Ra, Hat Praphat, Had Sai Kaew, and Baan Talae Nok, focusing on immediate needs, long-term goals, and under-represented groups (please refer to NATR Village Assessment Report). Focus groups facilitated by Khun Jittin, an experienced community development consultant, who donated two days of her time.

* Met repeatedly with the chiefs of all villages mentioned above as well as Tapa Yoi and Tung Dap, and spent many hours talking with villagers about their hopes, intentions, and unmet needs.

* Hosted meeting of NGOs (15 participants, Thai and international groups) working on relief efforts in the area - arranged for specific action to be taken on providing short term labor. Provided summary of meeting to all groups. Repeatedly called for international and local groups to provide aid to the people of Laem Naew.

* Procured two laptop computers, three mobile phones, and portable internet access (provided courtesy of Lost Horizons and Dick Sandler.

* Clearing of debris and salvaging of re-usable material from the mangrove channel that separates Hat Praphat and Had Sai Kaew. Will employ 30-40 workers (from displaced communities of Hat Praphat and Had Sai Kaew), and 3 supervisors for 2- 4 weeks

* Identified key local stakeholders and forged links with Thai NGOs (including Seub Foundation, TRF, Association of Thai Fisherfolk, and WFT), and university professors who have been working in the villages for many years. Thee groups have a very good sense of villager priorities, and rely on a community-driven development process. Also serving as liaison between Thai NGOs and ARC - the group that is providing funding for the replacement of boats to 14 tsunami-affected villages on the Andaman Coast.

* Created Operational Plan.

Projects beginning in the next week (all projects are based on needs identified by villagers, other tentative projects also scheduled): Establish an office in Kuraburi (will move in on Tuesday). Provide regular supplies of fruit and vegetables to the Bak Jok tent camp and the Moken living on Koh Surin. Hire work crew of 30 people from Tung Dap for coastal forest and mangrove replanting (supervised by TRF). Buy weaving supplies for Moken women living in Bak Jok tent camp. Provide baby chickens to families Baan Talae Nok for raising and future resale. Provide mechanism for providing the financial support to all workers from Golden Buddha.

North Andaman Tsunami Relief (NATR)
We would like to introduce the new name for the relief fund: North Andaman Tsunami Relief (NATR). The purpose of NATR will be to provide assistance to tsunami impacted coastal communities on and near Koh Phratong. In doing so, it will emphasize a community-driven process, and cooperate with other parties involved in the relief effort in working toward long-term community and environmental sustainability. The goal is to provide (short and mid-range) assistance to ensure that tsunami victims have access to housing, education, healthcare, and can rebuild and/or diversify their livelihoods. NATR will coordinate the use of funds for reconstruction and rehabilitation projects for the seven villages in the North Andaman area.

To date, NATR has produced an Operational Plan and an initial Village Assessment Report, as well as some specific projects based on the findings. Through a series of focus group discussions with villagers, Bodhi and Dick, greatly assisted by Jumbo and Jittin, have managed to analyse the situation and needs of villagers and identify niche areas where NATR can assist. There is a great deal of help coming into the area from the government and international aid agencies, so NATR will initially focus on needs which require a rapid response, and later on, develop long term community and environmental sustainability programmes.

Volunteers
To date, we have had over 60 offers of volunteers. This is fantastic and we would like to thank everyone so much for their help and kind wishes. We envision that the voluntary work will take place over a series of three stages:

Stage 1 has already begun with needs identified in three main areas: the affected villages, the administrative centre in Kuraburi and Golden Buddha Beach. Bak Jok residents are keen to have help in clearing the rubble left by the tsunami and other villages may require supervisors for short-term labour projects. Golden Buddha Beach has requested for the assistance of about ten people on the island, to help with supervision, rubble clearing and the production of inventories. We have also established a temporary office at Kuraburi, on the mainland, for the administration of NATR and clerical staff are needed at this base. The administration of NATR will now take place separate from the Lost Horizons office in Bangkok. In addition, we are hoping to get the immediate assistance of Thai/English speakers to help with liaison at village and donor meetings. At this stage of on-going development, we need self-motivated, hard-working people who don't mind roughing it for a while. There is some electricity, but no drinking water as yet on the island and we are not yet sure what is available in terms of accommodation. The accommodation in Kuraburi will be about 400B a night, which you will be expected to pay.

Stage 2 will focus on the reconstruction of the villages and the resort at Golden Buddha Beach. The government is helping with the reconstruction of houses for villagers, but NATR is able to identify gaps in the government response where we are able to provide immediate assistance, by financing projects and through the expertise of volunteers. We have had offers from a number of skilled carpenters who may be able to assist in boat building as well as the reconstruction of buildings on GBB, and we will also need other skilled plumbers, electricians etc.

Stage 3 will look at the longer term requirements of the villagers, so volunteer help from people with a background in community-driven development, environmental restoration and the production and distribution of handicrafts will be a great help. Please continue to email if you or your friends are interested in helping out over the coming months. And if we do not reply, kindly resend as we have been having some email problems. Don't give up - we really value your support!

With love Bodhi and Lucy

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Update 5 from Golden Buddha Beach, Jan 12th 2005

Dear friends of Golden Buddha Beach,

Bodhi and Dick went down to the island on Monday 10th January to assess the damage and to get a clearer idea on the best way forward. They are being joined today by a Swedish television crew who will be filming the devastation. The entire restaurant area was lost and the ground on the peninsula where the yoga sala used to be has been reshaped completely. Many of the houses were washed away, but fortunately some remain and will serve as the control centre during the rebuilding stage.

Stories from people surviving the tsunami are incredible: many were washed into the sea and stayed there for up to three hours before being rescued, others managed to climb up to Monkey Mountain and were safe. Tragically, those who were carried into the mangrove swamp did not survive.

Golden Buddha Exciting news:
GOLDEN BUDDHA IS REOPENING ON 1st DECEMBER 2005!

By that stage, we would like to assure everyone that it will be returned to its full natural splendour and will offer the beauty and friendliness that it has come to be known for.

Please support us by recommending the resort again to all your friends, and encouraging bookings (please contact us for more details).

Ulrika has already booked Golden Buddha for a Yoga Journey from 10th -18th December, so please come for some wonderful Anusara Yoga and support the re-emerging of GBB

Relief Fund
Thank you to all the wonderful people who have been donating so generously to the Relief Fund. It is now possible to donate via the website (PayPal), directly to Wells Fargo Bank in the States, or via Go Differently in the UK. We are in the process of setting up a fund in Thailand and a tax deductible address in the UK. More information about how the fund will be used is available on http://www.godifferently.com/golden_buddha_beach.asp

Volunteers
The call for volunteers in the last update has produced an overwhelming response. We will be formulating an action plan over the next few weeks, with specific tasks and time lines. The initial stage will involve clearing the island of debris and trying to rescue any undamaged items. For this we will need strong manual labour from people who can survive with no luxuries! The water is not yet suitable for drinking and there are still problems with electricity and communications. We will also need Thai speakers to consult with the villagers about how best to assist them and how to provide for their immediate needs. Stage two, possibly in late Feb/March will be reconstruction when we will need skilled carpenters and builders. By then will also have a better idea of how to contribute to the villages and the Turtle Conservation Project. (Please contact us for more details)

With love, Lucy On behalf of Bodhi

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Latest News

What happened... Copy of email message received from those at Golden Buddha shortly following the disaster.

About the Appeal Fund - Set up to help rebuild the lives and livelihoods of the local fishing communities.

Newspaper Articles