September 2005

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“One Boat at a Time” Project Makes Progress
by Raj Ramanathapillai

Editor’s Note: Earlier this year, the ICPJ, working together with Gettysburg College and many groups in the community, raised more than $28,000 to assist in building boats for fishing families in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, whose boats had been destroyed by the Indian Ocean tsunami on December 26, 2004. Our partner in Trincomalee was the Rotary Club. Below, Raj Ramanathapillai, a native of Trincomalee and the initiator of the project, reports on his visit there this summer.See pictures here.

I visited Trincomalee (Trinco) tsunami refugee camps this summer. The Rotary Club, One Boat at a Time partners of ours in Trinco, informed me that they have placed the order for seven boats at a Trinco-based boat building factory. During my stay in Trinco, I visited the factory and met the owner. He showed me three boats that have been already built and other boats which are under construction. I was excited to take pictures of the boats and thanked him for his work. The Rotary Club also informed me that they have paid 577, 599 rupees ($6,800) advance for the boat engines and they have allocated 75,000 rupees ($750) for nets and other gear for the boats. I took some pictures of them.

The next day the Rotary Club members took me to visit four tsunami refugee camps. The first three of the camps are located at Uppuvalli, three miles from the downtown of Trinco. I met Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians who belong to these camps. The refugees were very happy to meet us. I asked about their living situation and listened to their day to day struggles. Most of the people I met in these camps were women and children. I explained to them about Gettysburg College and the Gettysburg community’s support for the One Boat at a Time project. They were happy to see a face from Gettysburg. Refugees in these camps conveyed their heartfelt thanks to Gettysburg College and the community for helping.

Then we drove to the fourth camp. It is located seven miles from downtown Trinco towards Nilaveli, an area that was heavily affected by the tsunami. It was a Muslim refugee camp. The refugees received us with excitement. We spent a long time listening to their stories. There was one person very persistent in asking for one more boat for his community. The Rotary Club member patiently explained to him the limitations of their budget. We took a group photo outside the refugee camp. They asked me to express their thanks to Gettysburg.

Although the project is slow, due to the political and economic difficulties of the country, the Rotary Club members have made a lot of progress and are giving lot of care for the refugees. Overall, I am happy about the progress of this project.

(Note: After writing this, Raj heard from a Rotary Club representative in Trincomalee that six boats were ready and the seventh would be ready by Monday, but the engines that they have ordered have not yet come.)

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Last updated September 12, 2005

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