PIME tsunami campaign to assist Andaman Islands
Milan (AsiaNews) - The tsunami campaign launched by the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) is going to add India Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean to its list of beneficiaries.
As of January 19, the AsiaNews backed fundraising effort has reached € 315,000 (US$ 420,000). The funds have already been shared out among the missionaries operating in the various disaster-stricken areas.
According to Fr Davide Sciocco, director of PIME's Missionary Centre in Milan, "focus now moves to reconstruction and jumpstarting the economy and work activities which are the only conditions that can give people hope and a wish to live after the tsunami ".
To meet the needs of the Andaman and Nicobar islanders PIME has donated US$ 30,000 to the Indian missionaries of St Francis Xavier (Pilar Fathers)
There are 14 Pilar Fathers on the islands, among them Mgr Aleixo Das Neves Dias, Bishop of Port Blair, diocese of Andamans.
More funds are needed to rebuild orphanages, schools, clinics, housing, chapels, churches and other church buildings swept away by the fury of the waters.
An additional US$ 20,000 was sent to Fr Antony Thota, PIME emergency coordinator in India, to buy boats and fishing equipments for the families living in the villages in the Kalpakam area, near Tamil Nadu's capital of Chennai (formerly Madras).
PIME's Ufficio Mondialità launched another initiative involving schools in Italy's Milan province.
Local schools are expected to be paired with schools in the affected areas to help them rebuild and rehabilitate their facilities. Milan schools and students will thus be able to bring material assistance to their counterparts in Asia and in return would gain knowledge and insight from exchanges with cultures and countries different from their own.
Those who wish to help the affected communities can still make donations as follows:
Clearly specify that it is for Tsunami Emergency Asia S 100.
Send the money via:
* P.O. Account: No. 39208202. Donation made out to PIMEDIT Onlus Via Mosè Bianchi, 94 - 20148 MILANO
* Credit card: Calling to: ++ 39-02-43822.1
* Cheque, bank draft or postal money order:
For ITALY: PIMEDIT Onlus, Via Mosè Bianchi, 94 – 20148 MILANO
For USA: P.I.M.E. Missionaries 17330 Quincy Avenue Detroit, Michigan 48221-2765
* Bank Transfer to account No. 5733. Donation made out to a PIMEDIT Onlus Via Mosè Bianchi, 94 MILANO - at Credito Artigiano Sede, P.za S. Fedele, Milano (ABI 3512, CAB 01601, CIN N). Once the bank transfer is done, please fax a copy of the receipt to ++ 39-02-4695193
For further information, contact:
Centro Missionario Pime Milano
by phone: (in Italy) 02-43822.1; (outside Italy) 011-39-02-43822.1
E-mail: uam@pimemilano.com; progetti@pimemilano.com; pimemilano2@pime.org
Internet: www.pimemilano.com
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