Originally published in Currents, August/September 2005
Copyright ©2005-2006 AWC Hamburg

$48,000 Donated to Housing Project in Sri Lanka for Widows and Orphans after Tsunami

A village housing project benefiting widows and children in Beruwala, Sri Lanka, an area that was devastated by last year’s tsunami, is the recipient of a $48,000 Emergency Relief Fund raised by the Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas, Inc. (FAWCO), announced FAWCO President Emily van Eerten.

Several of the village’s fishing boats were destroyed and most of the others were damaged; twelve of the small village’s fishermen were lost at sea, leaving many of the already needy villagers without house, home, husband or father, and without means of financial support. The money will be used by the Beruwala Village Humanitarian Association to build a “long-house” for the widowed and orphaned families, a motel-like structure that can house many families.

“It is important to FAWCO members to have the fund go directly to the women and children who need it,” said van Eerten about the donation. “We chose to work on a small, concrete project where we can have a direct impact and where we have a personal relationship with those in charge so we are assured that our contributions are directly helping the survivors move forward with their lives.”

The fundraising appeal was sent to more than 70 of FAWCO’s member clubs around the world. The cost to build a long-house for 60 people, including the land, was estimated at approximately $40,000. FAWCO exceeded the goal, and the groundwork is already being laid for the construction of the house.

The Beruwala Village Housing Project, Sri Lanka

Beruwala Village is on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, 60km south of Colombo. The area consists of Beruwala and five smaller villages surrounding it, with a population of 12,000. The Beruwala Village Humanitarian Association was founded as a non-profit association in France by Mr. Pierre Vivier several years ago as a charitable operation, distributing alms to individuals and communities in need as well as help for schooling, health and small business start-ups. The association has no paid employees, limited operational and overhead costs, and travel expenses are not reimbursed.

The project came to FAWCO’s attention through its member club, the American Women’s Group of Languedoc-Roussillon, France. Local club member Genette Eysselinck’s husband is a board member of the association and architect of the housing project.

“I love the idea that a woman living in a small village in one part of the world is helping another woman in a small fishing village on the other side of the world,” commented AWG Languedoc-Roussillon Club President Linda Laval. “I can be personally involved in helping her build her long-house, feed her children, and enhance the community that she lives in – one woman helping another woman in a practical, meaningful way.”

FAWCO’s Emergency Relief Fund (ERF)

FAWCO’s ERF appeal can be activated at the request of any member club. The scope of the tsunami disaster triggered several requests from clubs and individuals around the world. Member clubs were asked to recommend a specific local project or organization to receive the ERF. The Beruwala Village Housing Project was selected from among the candidates because of the direct impact it had on tsunami survivors and because of the close ties the overseeing association has with a FAWCO member club.

Funds are not set aside for an emergency fund in advance. They are activated by a request for funds for a specific relief effort, and all donations received are disbursed quickly to a qualifying relief aid organization. Previously, FAWCO activated the ERF for the Clinton-Dole Scholarship Fund for children of the World Trade Tower workers after September 11, 2001, and also for the children of locals who lost their lives in the U.S. Embassy bombing in Nairobi.

In addition to the ERF, member clubs raised more than $250,000 for charities in their host countries last year, including $105,000 for breast cancer awareness by the American Women’s Club in The Hague, and more than $116,000 for several charities by the American Women of Surrey, England. FAWCO’s philanthropic arm, the FAWCO Foundation, has also raised and distributed $60,000 in recent years to efforts benefiting women and children around the world.

Car Boot (Trunk) Sale at the AWC Surrey

President Dale Tebbe and her Board decided to try something new this year, and it was a great success. It was advertised as a Massive Expat Moving Sale and held in the town where the American School is located. They charged each vendor £25 ($45) for a space where they could sell whatever they wanted from the back of their car. The brilliant sunshine brought out the buyers and in addition to the 70 vendors, they had the American butcher there selling hamburgers and hotdogs, and they also sold 150 dozen Krispy Kreme donuts! They raised £2500 ($4500) in five hours. They had charity vans come and collect any unwanted, unsold items so the vendors could go home with empty cars.

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