The Asian Achievers Awards’ Official Charity Partner, the Indian Ocean Disaster Relief (IODR), was founded following the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, initially to protect and sustain lives directly impacted by this disaster; to rehabilitate the community, especially vulnerable children whose lives had been irretrievably changed; to support them through education in its broadest sense; and to build local capacity to create sustainable futures for themselves.
Since that time, whenever there is disaster, IODR tries to intervene; by providing immediate relief or by building long-term projects including schools, housing, education, sports, welfare and community facilities.
IODR’s legacy projects have included the Weligama Community Welfare and Education Centre (WCWEC) in Southern Sri Lanka, one of the areas most severely affected by the Tsunami. The WCWEC initially supported survivors and orphans and now assists vulnerable children to educate themselves and whatever family they have left. IODR has also intervened in the north of the country following the end of civil war; building education and sports facilities for children who had known nothing but war. IODR has similarly supported victims in the Philippines, Haiti, Pakistan, India and Kenya following natural disasters.
More recently, IODR has concentrated its efforts in Nepal; supporting an existing school in the region of Palubari that was severely damaged by the earthquake in 2015. IODR has also committed to building a new school in another part of the country, with a sports and play area, a kindergarten and an examination centre which will allow young girls to sit exams, who previously would not have been allowed to.
IODR understands that natural disasters often result in the exploitation of children, in particular young girls. IODR aims to create awareness of the perils of human trafficking, to assist in rescuing and rehabilitating trafficked girls and to protect others from being forced into becoming future victims of human trafficking and acid attacks, by allowing them to build confidence and vocational skills.
In the UK, IODR focuses solely on fundraising to support these causes.
To support IODR initiatives, to donate or to find out more, visit www.iodr.co.uk
