Bangalore Citizens Initiative for Tsunami Victims

BANGALORE CITIZENS INITIATIVE FOR TSUNAMI VICTIMS

A network of voluntary organisations, colleges, student organisations, NGOs,
etc. from the Bangalore region have come together to launch the CITIZENS
INITIATIVE FOR TSUNAMI VICTIMS. The main purpose is to develop collective
efforts for mobilising relief material and money to help victims through
credible contact points in the affected areas.

St. Joseph's College of Arts and Science will be the main contact point for
collection of material and donations. A bank account in the name of
"Citizens Initiative" is available for collecting all donations and routing
them through credible channels to the affected communities.

In a major drive to mobilise relief material and resources, the Citizens
Initiative will organise a Relief Collection March on Thursday, 30 December
2004, from Mahatma Gandhi Statue on M. G. Road, starting 3.30 pm. This
March will wind its way through many commercial areas to raise awareness to
GIVE GENEROUSLY AND APPROPRIATELY.

Additionally, there will be a major GIVE GENEROUSLY AND APPROPRIATELY
Canvassing Points set up by Volunteers in many parts of the city. By way of
this Release, we request more volunteers to join these campaigns. A
briefing meeting will be held for volunteers at St. Joseph's College on
Wednesday, 29 December at 5.30 pm.

A series of collection points for material and donations are also set up,
the details of which are given below.

Material Required:

Blankets and Clothes are an immediate necessity.

In addition clothes which are not torn and clean could be donated in neat
wrappings, clearly describing whether it is for Boys, Girls, Men or Women
and describing the age group as: Less than 1; 1-3; 4-7; 8-10; 10-15; 15-18.
SAREES AND LUNGIS ARE URGENTLY NEEDED.

Food material which is ready to consume and have a long shelf life, such as
biscuits, are also needed. Dal, rice, and grains are also needed. Grains
should be ground into flour. Also required are tea, sugar, salt, oil etc.
PLEASE PACK ALL FOOD WITH NEAT LABELS IN ENGLISH (Tamil, Telugu and
Malayalam if additionally possible).

An advisory on the list of medicines and medical supplies is also being
developed and will be available shortly. Pharmaceutical companies and
hospitals are requested to donate such material generously.

Collection Points:

The following material and donation collection points are set up:

St. Joseph's College of Arts and Science, Langford Road, Bangalore 560027
Tel: 22272299/22211429

Environment Support Group R, S-3, Rajashree Apartments, 18/57, 1st Main
Road, S. R. K. Gardens, Jayanagar, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore 560041.
Telefax: 26534364/26531339/26341977
Email: esg@esgindia.org or esg@bgl.vsnl.net.in
Web: www.esgindia.org

Servelots, 3354, "Pankaja", KR Road, Bangalore, 560070 Email:
tsunami@servelots.com - Tel: 2676-2963

Pedestrian Pictures, Prakruti Mudrana, 52, 29th cross, 9th main,
Banashankari II stage, Bangalore 560 070. ph: 94483 71389, 26713894

Jaiva, 8, Hospital Road (Bowring), Behind Safina Plaza, Bangalore 560001.

Website to coordinate relief information:

A website to coordinate relief information has been set up at:
http://www.indiatogether.org/relief/tsunami.


Convenors:

Fr. Ambrose Pinto, Principal, St. Joseph's College of Arts and Science,
Bangalore

Donna Fernandes, Vimochana

Leo F. Saldanha, Coordinator, Environment Support Group

Srimathi Prasad

Sd/-



Leo F. Saldanha