One Thousand Fifty Cooking Stoves

In a previous article we informed you about our plans to provide 1050 cooking stoves to the IDPs. We are happy to inform you recipients were chosen in Zone #1 and #4 of the IDP camps and I participated in distributing the stoves in both camps on the 24-25th of July 2009.

We know that these stoves will make a big difference in the quality of their lives. Not having a cooking stove causes enormous difficulties for some families with children or older people or sick people.

Since a large number of stoves that we needed were not available to purchase in Sri Lanka, we contacted a company in India and placed an order. Within days, a shipping container containing the 1050 stoves was shipped to Sri Lanka. When the container arrived in Colombo, my brother in law, who owns a customs clearance and forwarding company, got the container cleared the same day.

That night the container truck was sent north to Vavnia and the drivers drove over night to arrive at the camp the next morning. Military, especially Col. Perera and Col. Valpita helped us to clear the military and police barriers, allowing us to avoid the associated delays in the checkpoints.

Thoughtfulness, quick action and dedicated attention, and often extra hours of work or overtime work of many people went into this project. The hours I spent on the phone delegating the tasks were the easy part.

So as usual, thank you everybody, from the bottom of my heart. Thanks a thousand and fifty times on behalf of thousand and fifty families who received the stoves.