Complaints
I've heard through the grapevine that the Germans from Munich who distributed mattesses and fishing nets in Pelena were unhappy with my reference to them as "disaster tourists."
First, if anybody disagrees with anything I have written here, there's a simple solution. Post your own comment or complaint, or email them to me.
Second, "disaster tourist" is not my choice of phrase. As I've made clear in previous posts, it's a derogatory expression that professional aid workers use to describe amateur aid workers. That's why I put it in quotes.
Third, I have since learnt that the Germans have begun coordinating their activities with the local tire company that had taken the lead in delivering assistance to Pelena. They're now cooperating well, which is a positive outcome.
-- Michael Dobbs
By washingtonpost.com |
February 23, 2005; 12:05 PM ET
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Michael Dobbs
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Posted by: Thomas Vomberg | February 23, 2005 01:59 PM
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Hi Michael,
I am one of the two "disaster tourists" you met in Weligama. The reason why we came to Sri Lanka and particulary to Weligama is to help the Tsunami victims not only by donating money from home. Instead I decided to spend my annual leave of 3 weeks to go to the affected areas and help where I have the feeling aid is needed.
I totally agree with you that coordination not only by NGO´s but also by those kind of private projects is essential. Otherwise the help for some areas will be duplicated while some areas will get no help at all.
While we worked on our own in the first week in Weligama we coordinated our actions in the remaining time with Loadstar very much and cooperated also with the Belgium Army who does a great job down there.
---Some more information on our project---
-We raised a fund of approx. 6.500 Euro through friends/relatives/colleagues in Germany.
-For the Weligama families we bought 50 food packages in the first week when there was a food shortage. Furthermore we supplied to them 180 matresses, kitchen equipment, school uniforms and fishernets.
-For a school in Merissa, a neighbouring village we bought a microphone amplifier and tape deck (the old one was destroyed by the Tsunami) as well as 100 school bags and other school equipment.
Thanks again to the guys from Loadstar and the Belgium Army who helped us very much to complete our project.
A big "Danke" to all friends who donated money and made our project possible.
Finally thanks to you Michael and your friend who is still in Weligama for the great reporting. It will take months and probably years until the harms of the Tsunami will be eliminated. The must not be forgotten in the so called 1st world.