EUROPE/GERMANY - Holy Childhood Germany builds bridge of solidarity for victims of seaquake in southern Asia promising 100.000 Euro: 10,000 Euro already at the Papal Nuncio’s office in Jakarta

Monday, 3 January 2005

Aachen/München (Fides Service) - Holy Childhood Mission Society, Kindermissionswerk KMW or Sternsingers has worked for some years to help needy children in the areas affected by the recent seaquake on December 26. Following the tragedy in collaboration with local partners involved in programmes for children, KMW has spanned a bridge of solidarity providing an immediate sum of 100,000 Euro for the most urgent needs of victims, children especially. Soon more than 500,000 German children Sternsingers will go from house to house on and around the feast of the Epiphany to collect money for children in need. The country chosen for priority aid in 2005 was Thailand but in view of the recent tragedy which affected many countries of south Asia and some of Africa, emergency aid will go to help children in each of these countries. KMW has already made 10.000 Euro available to the Papal Nuncio’s office in Jakarta and other aid is arriving through missionaries on the spot. The collection this year will be used for long term aid, rebuilding of homes, schools and structures.
KMW also arranged for emergency aid, clothes, food, clean water to be sent to countries affected by the seaquake through Religious Orders present in the countries of the area with which it is in contact, as Omar Zino of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Germany told Fides. PMS Germany is sending emergency kits to people in Sri Lanka and Indonesia who have lost everything.
“The situation in Indonesia is terrible”, the contact told Fides. “Countless people have died, there is widespread serious damage and communications in the affected area are impossible with telephone lines cut and roads destroyed. This situation hampers the arrival of relief workers and aid. The area most affected was the island of Sumatra especially the northern province of Aceh. PMS Germany is in contact with Divine Word Missionaries (SDV) present in the Archdiocese di Medan to co-ordinate the distribution of aid.
In India German PMS aid is sent to the Franciscan Missionary Brothers who distribute it where necessary especially in Tamil Nadu, one of the worst hit areas. In Thailand PMS Germany is in contact with missionaries in Phuket, to know more about the situation and needs of the local people.
(RG/RZ) (Agenzia Fides 3/1/2005 righe 41 parole 389)


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