Peralyia - a village almost totally destroyed by the Tsunami, read this first!

One Year Later, Dec 26th 2005

Maps, the trail of destruction

Tsunami Explained

Anatomy of a disaster

All Great Things Come to An End - and I've had an amazing experience!

Watch this space for the next project!

Would you like to help?

Your money can make a huge difference, I know I've seen what it can do. If you would like to make a difference you can contact me at malpitcher@ntlworld.com or donate directly to TAB relief....thank you..............should I?

How Did I Spend the Money?

This is an overview of where the money went. More information can be found throughout the website and some pictures are available of the items purchased etc. Thanks to every single person who donated.

TAB Relief - Some amazing people making things happen!

I spent several days visiting the camps set up and managed by TAB Relief. I was very fortunate to meet such a caring and compasionate group of people. Thanks to you all. Click on the picture to go to the website and then hit the "Tsunami relief" button to read all about whats happening now and where we spent some of our money.

Breaking News - Its happening now! -........Alison, at the front line in Peralyia

Alison’s diary September 5th Fire!!!!!!! Last night the monsoon rains and winds surged through the village and cut all the power in the area. A can of petrol exploded in one of the temporary shelter homes (which were built for the tsunami affected 100 meter people.) The fire raged out of control through the village destroying 30 homes. Hit the link to read her diary, as it happened. Click here to see what Alison found when she arrived in Peraliya several days after the Tsunami.

Life can be so incredibly unfair

Latest News from Peraliya. A tragic fire burns down 30 Tsunami temporary wooden shelters, 84 people are without homes again. They lost everything and are devastated. September 4th. Hit the link above to take you to the website

Tsunami Family in Galle

I visited this family in Galle. They virtually lost the whole of their house. They have just two rooms that they can live in. Most of the time they are still living in tents, 8 months after the Tsunami. We were able to help a great deal as this family are very poor. We provided them with a cooker, 2 gas bottles, 6 childrens chairs and two childrens tables, 4 adult chairs and a table. We also gave them some cooking utencils etc. Click on the link above to see the rest of the photos.

Whats it like - to feel humble

Whats it like ...?.... to be able to tell the poorest family in the hardest hit Tsunami village that we want to help them. Whats it like to tell a young Mother & Father with 5 kids living in a space no bigger than your garden shed who have nothing but 1 mattress for 7 of them to sleep on that we are going to help & buy them some mattresses, a cooker, a table & chairs, some cooking utencils & help pay some money towards their eldest daughters education. Whats it like when these people look at you in disbelief, then realise that its real & its happening. And whats it like when the Mother bursts in to tears, throws her arms around you and the Father shakes and then kisses the back of your hand and says" god bless you & your friends back in England" - Whats it like... I'll let you think about that one... there were times when I struggled.

My Story of Peralyia

I visited a place called Peralyia, I had seen some of the devistation previously when I had travelled down to Galle on the train. Its difficult to describe this place and the photos really do not do it justice. So much brickwork and rubble is apparent, a testimony to the force of the Tsunami.......I have spent three days in this place going from temporary house to wooden hut, being invited in to sit and listen to the stories of the Tsunami. At first it sounds unreal, maybe its just a village story, but you soon realise that these poor people have suffered more than we can ever begin to comprehend, it is real and they are still living it today. Every house / hut its the same story. The first wave, the second bigger wave - devistation, destruction & death. Without exception I was shown photo's usually water marked of members of their family who were lost in the Tsunami. Middle aged Men and Women who lost Mothers, Fathers, Brothers and Sisters - but the hardest stories to swallow were always the same. It was when they told you of loosing their children. So matter of fact, no emotion, they told it like a story, somehow detached.Then suddenly they stopped speaking & looked away, a sudden realisation that it wasnt a story, it was real and these children were never coming back..... They would look back at me and I could see this deep sense of loss in their eyes and a pain etched into their faces & despite their occasional smiles I was well aware that these poor people were in a state of trauma. I found it very hard to listen as this black cloud of sadness swept over me, but this was a very tiny price to pay in comparison to what they had to endure for the rest of their lives.

The Tsunami Children