On to Sri Lanka for Fishing Boat Restoration Project!

March 17th start of LifeNets Fishing Boat Restoration Project Endorsement and Support from WNP and Darris McNeely for LifeNets Reconstruction Project Appeal letter sent to friends of LifeNets January 20 (PDF) www.lifenets.org/tsunami

March 7, 2005

On March 17th Kevin and Sonali Fiske along with their 18 month old son Ethan are leaving from the Southern California to Colombo, Sri Lanka on a LifeNets mission to repair, restore and replace fishing boats in Payagala, Sri Lanka.  Eighty-one percent of the Sri Lankan fishing fleets became inoperable after the December 26th Tsunami that claimed more than 7,000 fishermen's lives as part of a total of more than 30,000 who perished in Sri Lanka alone. 

Kevin, Sonali and 18 month-old Ethan

Kevin and Sonali are going to Sri Lanka for a for a minimum of three months.  We want to thank all supporters who provided us with startup funding in excess of $40,000. We are still working towards further government funding to continue the project beyond the first three months. 

The Fiske's live in Southern California and are active in the United Church of God, in Garden Grove, California where they are are leaders to the congregation's young adults directing them in various activities, including visits to local homeless shelters. Including their affiliation with LifeNets, they also volunteer for the Afghanistan Relief Organization, a non-profit, humanitarian group dedicated to helping the displaced people of Afghanistan, and Be The Cause, a network of individuals that inspire acts of compassion throughout their communities. 

Together, Kevin and Sonali have traveled to over 25 countries, gaining humanitarian experience & visiting diverse cultures in parts of Asia, South America & Europe. Their task while in Sri Lanka, is to work hands-on in coordinating the LifeNets Asian Tsunami Reconstruction Fund, which will begin the immediate rehabilitation of a fishing village ravaged by the recent tsunami.

Kevin, a 32 year old native Southern Californian, is a skilled construction contractor, specializing in wood carpentry & design. Sonali, a 34 year old homemaker & former workplace safety consultant, is fluent in Singhalese and was born & partly raised in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Kevin & Sonali are happily married for over ten years & have an 18-month old son, Ethan Sanjay. They reside in Aliso Viejo, California.

Sonali Fiske flew to Washington D.C. to meet with the Counterpart and USAID people on February 23rd with whom we have worked on other projects, notably Ukrainian container transportation. We are confident of their support.

Here are highlights of her report from the February 24th meeting:

Sonali Fiske and Irina Wunder

Met with Counterpart Program Manager, Irina Wunder to discuss collaborative efforts towards LifeNets Boat Rebuilding Project in Sri Lanka. The following was discussed:

(1) The idea of linking LifeNets website with that of Counterpart's. It will match Counterpart's Sri Lanka Redevelopment Program to rebuild the country's damaged infrastructure. The linkage will hope to raise further funds for LifeNets Boat Rebuilding Program through outreach to private donors. The link-up will also seek to keep donors abreast of progress made on project.

(2) We further met with Counterpart President & CEO, Mr. LeLaulu & Cole Wolfson, the team's Redevelopment Coordinator. They expressed their desire to collaborate with LifeNets on the ground, in Sri Lanka, to help rebuild within the Fisheries Sector and/or their Redevelopment Program. The possibility of this effort will be reviewed at a future date. 

(3) Also, Counterpart will continue to monitor USAID's future supplemental funding opportunities. They will send a representative to the next USAID OFDA meeting, gathering the latest information relevent to LifeNets projects.

(4) Irina and Sonali agreed that once in Sri Lanka & upon launching the Boat Rebuilding Program, it will be ideal to visit the USAID office in Colombo. It's best to appeal to the USAID Mission Director on the ground, so she may track progress first-hand.

(5) Also met with Counterpart's Yang Hee Kim, regarding their recent provision of 1,000 Emergency Kits to Sri Lanka. Once in the country, Ms. Kim and Sonali will evaluate the need for additional such kits, specifically for the families within the fishing communinty we will seek to rehabilitate.

Stay tuned and come back often to see updates.  Bookmark the LifeNets blog for daily updates for this and our other projects.