About Helping East Lanka Progress
Helping East Lanka Progress (HELP) was set up as a trust by Dr Vip Thiagarasah in August 2005 to relieve the suffering of victims affected by the devastating tsunami of December 2004 on the East Coast of Sri Lanka. It received charitable status from the Charity Commission on 19 September 2005 (registered charity no 1111363 - further information available at www.charitycommission.gov.uk ).
The Origins of HELP!
In the weeks preceding the devastating tsunami of December 2004, Dr Thiagarasah had been touring North and Eastern Sri Lanka on a charitable football tour. A number of the towns and villages he had visited were badly affected by the tsunami and his father lost two cousins in the tragedy. This drove Vip to organise a mission to the East Coast of Sri Lanka in January 2005 with the aim of providing emergency medical aid to those affected. He resigned his post at St Bartholomew's hospital in London and put together a party of 22 medics from London teaching hospitals to travel to the East Coast at their own expense.
The mission was a great success. Based in a hospital in Thirrikuvil, the team provided invaluable assistance and medical equipment to hospital staff who had been completely overwhelmed by the demands of the tsunami.
Working for the longer term
On his return to the UK, Dr Thiagarasah decided that there was a need to finance longer term projects in the region, specifically focussing on the needs of the children, many of whom had been orphaned or traumatised by the tsunami. He therefore arranged a second visit to the region in July 2005, accompanied by two friends (Alan Ball and Andrew Schneidau) with the aim of identifying viable longer term projects.
Again, this short mission was a great success with a number of extremely worthwhile projects identified. Local banking arrangements were put in place to ensure that funds would be employed only on the projects identified and strong links were forged with a locally based charity (Community Focused Disaster Response - CFDR) to manage the projects.
The Objectives of HELP!
The Objectives of HELP! can be described very simply - to provide assistance to the families, and specifically the children, of East Lanka who have suffered as a result of the tsunami. The principle upon which the charity operates is equally as simple - ALL funds raised by the charity will be spent in East Lanka on projects identified by its trustees. There have not been, and will not be, any administrative fees incurred by the charity- everyone involved with HELP offers their services on a voluntary basis and the banking arrangements have been set up specifically to ensure that all funds transferred to Sri Lanka will go directly to the worthwhile causes identified by the trustees.
Donate to HELP
If you would like to make a donation to HELP! please use the button below. If you would like further information on the operations and aims of the Trust, please do not hesitate to contact us.