Tsunami victims get more fishing gear from NDB Bank

THE single largest donation of fishing gear valued at Rs. 22 million under the NDB Fishermen's Relief Trust Fund will be handed over to 122 fishermen at Matara this week.

This donation will benefit 366 tsunami affected families in the Galle and Matara districts bringing the total number of families helped by the Fund to 1857 in areas hit by the tsunami in the South and the East.

The NDB Fund, set up to help the tsunami affected fisher-folk, has so far given out boats and canoes as well as engines and nets to the tune of Rs. 73 million. Another nearly three million rupees has been spent to repair boats and engines.

The Fund was set up immediately after the tsunami with a seed capital of Rs. 10 million by the NDB Bank with a target of Rs. 100 million.

The response has been most encouraging and we reached our target quite comfortably from both local and foreign donors," NDB Bank's Assistant Vice President-Auto Finance Ravindra Ranjith who coordinated the project as head of the Relief Fund Committee said. The NDB Bank itself contributed another Rs. 10 million as the project progressed.

The recipients from the Galle and Matara districts will assemble at the Uyanwatta Stadium tomorrow where the boats and other gear will be handed over at a simple ceremony, .

Two more presentations will be held in the near future - one at Hambantota and the other at Ampara to wind up the tsunami relief activities planned under the NDB Trust Fund.