Internet Edition Issue 4
July 2005

Editorial

Viewpoint

Pilgrims Get Ready to Travel

Caritas Australia Says
Thank-you to Broome

From the Office of Justice, Ecology & Peace

Broome Campus Library
an Award winner!

KCP Magazine

Caritas Australia Says
Thank-you to Broome
Caritas Australia worker Melville Fernandez said a big “thankyou” to all the people of the Kimberley who donated to the Caritas Australia Asia Earthquake Appeal.
“The people of the Broome Diocese gave $51,923 to our Caritas Australia Asia Earthquake Appeal to help the victims and survivors,” said Mr Fernandez.
Mr Fernandez is the South Asia coordinator for Caritas Australia, the aid and development agency of the Catholic Church. He has recently returned from Sri Lanka and India where he has reviewed the post-tsunami relief work that Caritas Australia is doing in the devastated region.
The tsunami left approximately 300,000 people dead, including those who are still missing and presumed dead, more than one million people without homes and more than five million people deprived of basic services.
“In the immediate post-tsunami phase Caritas Australia helped to provide evacuation, removal of bodies, medical treatment and food and utensils. Later it helped the local people to build temporary shelters and provided medical and trauma care,” Mr Fernandez said.
In the long term, Caritas Australia is working with the local people to help build housing, restore water and sanitation and to help rebuild employment opportunities. “These plans will take up to 10 years to implement but Caritas Australia can assure the Australian community that all funds will be well-utilized and expenditure properly audited,” he said.
“Caritas was able to respond very quickly because, together with other Caritas Confederation members, we were already working in the four most affected countries – India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand, when the dis

Relief Camp at Pondicherry, India. Photo: Courtesy Caritas Australia

aster struck,” said Mr Fernandez. “The development projects that were already underway are continuing but now the Confederation has also committed to collectively assist in the relief and rehabilitation of the tsunami affected areas,” he explained.
The Caritas Australia Asian Earthquake Appeal is now closed. But Mr Fernandez urged people to keep giving to Caritas Australia. “The problem is that poverty in the world is a huge on-going problem. We need to be able to look after the enormous numbers of people in other parts of the world whose lives are brutally shortened or diminished because of the effects of war, disease, famine and natural disasters.
“The scale of deaths suffered during the tsunami occurs once every two weeks in Africa. So unfortunately, our work is never finished and we rely on the generosity of all Australians to help us respond to the needs of all those living in poverty,” he said.
Please contact Caritas Diocesan Director for further information on 08 9192 1227.

^ top