Two years following the wake of the disastrous Tsunami which hit SE Asia killing hundreds of thousands of people and leaving millions homeless, Israelis continue to assist the affected communities.

During 2006 Israeli aid groups have provided assistance to Sri Lanka in the means of mental health programs and micro finance training both programs reaching out to tens of thousands of people all over the country.

Among the groups still active in Sri Lanka is NISPED – the Negev Institute for Strategies of Peace and Development - an international Israeli aid group (and IsraAID member) that has been empowering Tsunami-damaged cooperatives in the southern Galle province. The project, funded by B'nai B'rith International and implemented in cooperation with the International Cooperative Alliance and local partners, includes the construction or reconstruction of ten business outlets and the training of 1750 managers from the local Sri Lankan Cooperative Movement which has a national membership of over 2 million. The training program provides managers in 93 cooperatives in Galle province with didactic and practical tools for rebuilding and growing their businesses which were closed or ruined due to the Tsunami.

A new Israeli medical program will begin this month and run during 2007. The medical program is a joint initiative between MASHAV the foreign aid department in Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Magen David Adom and the Sri Lankan Ministry of Health and Sri Lankan Red Cross.

This month the first group of 15 Sri Lankan medical officials will arrive to Israel to study various techniques on how to better deal with future disasters. The course will be held in the Magen David Adom compound in Tel Aviv with field visits to the Shiba and Lanyado hospitals. Magen David Adom would also donate 6 ambulances to the local Sri Lankan Red Cross.

The new medical program will be sponsored by MASHAV & the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.

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