Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

E-groups route relief funds, materials

By K. Jeshi

COIMBATORE, JAN. 1. Technology can work wonders and it has been proved once again. E-groups and bloggers on the Internet are working overnight to bring a difference in the lives of tsunami victims. Messages and e-mails sent through various e-groups have brought contributions from people across the globe.

K. Ravindranath, a member of various e-groups including Coimbatore e-group, said that communication through e-group evoked positive response from people in the United States, Canada, Australia, England and Europe.

"Messages through e-groups on yahoo such as Indiancivilisation, Navyasasthra, Hinducivilisation (google), Kerelathoughts and Hindupressinternational reached more than 5,000 people and most responded with funds and materials."

Advisory role

Such e-groups also play the advisory role for the NRIs on how to channelise the contribution. Bloggers also give updated information about the tragedy. Blogsites such as www.my1000words.blogspot.com has updated information on how to contribute through NGOs.

"People are not sure how they can contribute to the tsunami-hit victims. Many fear cash donations will be misused. Others worry that relief material they give might not reach the needy. The idea is to spread word and help people make an informed choice and act quickly," says Feroze Ahmed, a blogger based in Bangalore.

Other exhaustive blogs are: http://www.tsunamihelp.blogspot.com/, http://tsunamihelpindia.blogspot.com/,

http: ashatsunamirelief.blogspot.com/ and http:www.tsunamivictims.org/.

E-mail campaign

For V. Uma, managing trustee and founder of Suyam Charitable Trust based in Chennai, the e-mail campaign (more than 1,000 mails sent) to various NGOs, e-groups and individuals evoked a tremendous response. "We sent the messages through Indiavision2020e-group and it has reached a larger group. People from Delhi, Mumbai and France immediately responded," she adds.

More than 10 volunteers from these places have landed in Chennai and are involved in rehabilitation work at Akkarapatti panchayat on Nagapattinam-Velankanni road. "Two nurses from California are also expected," she adds.

For Arihara Suthan, AIMS co-ordinator, Kanyakumari, who is at present involved in rehabilitation work at Keelmaankudi area of Kanyakumari district, the e-channel ensured relief work at a faster pace.

"We sent more than 100 mails to individual members and 50 per cent responded.

Messages were also sent through e-groups of AIMS India, Washington chapter and its regional chapters such as Nellai group and Kovai group. They forwarded it to other members and this in turn helped in our relief efforts," he adds.

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