Novartis Foundation enables exemplary relief effort in Sri Lanka
News of the tsunami that devastated Southeast Asia on December 26, 2004 triggered a wave of relief efforts that quickly spread throughout communities and organizations worldwide. In line with our strong commitment to corporate citizenship, Novartis began contributing to the global relief effort within hours of the tsunami’s moment of impact.
January 27, 2005 - Having just returned from a trip to Sri Lanka, Prof. Dr. Klaus Leisinger, President and CEO of the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development (NFSD), contacted Sarvodaya, Novartis’ partner for rural development in Sri Lanka, with an offer of immediate help. The NFSD provided a total of USD 200,000 to Sarvodaya’s efforts in Sri Lanka, as well as tireless emotional support, which have both helped sustain the organization’s staff as they worked to provide relief in some of the world’s most devastated areas. “Novartis was the first to get in touch with us and give moral support, and commit the very first financial support at the most critical hour,” wrote Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne, Executive Director of Sarvodaya, in a letter of thanks to Prof. Dr. Leisinger.
The NFSD’s partners at Sarvodaya have faced a challenge of staggering magnitude since being thrown into round the clock action one month ago. After Indonesia, which is composed of hundreds of islands, Sri Lanka was hit harder by the tsunami than any other country. The official death toll in the island nation stands at 29,854. Still missing in Sri Lanka are 6,007 people and another 100,000 families have been displaced. The damage to the country’s infrastructure and economy is estimated at more than USD 1.3 billion.
“Because some of the districts hit most severely in Sri Lanka were part of the NFSD supported Comprehensive Community Development Program (CSDP),” explained Prof. Dr. Leisinger, “Sarvodaya was able to mobilize its staff rapidly in these areas and was providing relief to injured and traumatized victims within hours of the tsunami’s impact. Within the first few days, Sarvodaya had supplied approximately 50,500 people in over half of the island’s affected districts with food, clean drinking water, medical services, clothing, shelter and sanitary facilities. In the weeks following, the organization expanded its relief effort by reuniting families, providing counseling, organizing programs for children and finding meaningful work for adults. Furthermore, Sarvodaya recently announced that it will care for all displaced orphaned children of primary school age in Sri Lanka with immediate effect, provided the children are referred to it by the authorized state agency.
Despite all Sarvodaya has been able to accomplish through its support from the NFSD, its relief effort has only just begun. As Dr. Tudor Ariyaratne, Founder and President of Sarvodaya explains: “What remains to be done in Sri Lanka is not simply building a house for the one which has been flattened, or re-building the roads and rail tracks that have been badly damaged….but to do all these things within a sustained national effort to build a new Sri Lanka. Novartis is a trusted partner of Sarvodaya in this challenging task.”
Prof. Leisinger emphasized that the NFSD’s dedication to Sri Lanka will endure stating: “Our support of Sarvodaya’s successful tsunami relief effort is in no way an isolated contribution but rather part of our long-term commitment to both Sarvodaya and sustainable development in Sri Lanka.”
Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development