SINGAPORE, 10 December 2015 – SINGAPOREAN humanitarian non-governmental organisation (NGO) Mercy Relief has initiated its first distribution of relief supplies, which will benefit 300 low income families in the flood-hit city of Chennai, India.
As part of the ongoing disaster relief efforts for the South India monsoon floods, Mercy Relief’s initial distribution of S$10,000 worth of relief supplies will be carried out at the NGO’s first Relief Distribution Operations (RDO) in Kulathumedu, an urban slum district in Chennai, on 12th December 2015.
More than four tonnes worth of food and non-food essentials, including rice, cooking oil, dhal, family hygiene kits, and blankets, compose the disaster relief packs that the 300 beneficiaries will receive from Mercy Relief. Each relief pack can last a family of six for up to 10 days.
Mercy Relief’s Executive Director Zhang Tingjun said, “Being able to raise S$10,000 in under a week reflects our local community’s generosity and compassion when lending a helping hand to our neighbours in crisis. We hope that Singaporeans continue to generously support our campaign as we aim to hit similar amounts of contribution every week until the end of January 2016 to sustain our relief efforts in Chennai.”
Flood waters may have subsided but communities in affected regions still face challenging issues such as the life-threatening risk of water-borne diseases and hindered relief aid delivery caused by the inaccessibility of water-logged villages. Off-road vehicles such as tractors have to be used to reach these hard-to-reach areas. On top of that, low income families in these communities have suffered loss of assets caused by the flood and face great difficulty in rebuilding their homes.
As flood waters have receded from most of parts of Chennai, local authorities in India have now shifted their focus from rescue efforts to relief measures. Working closely with its ground partner in India, Mercy Relief’s current focus is to deliver assistance to affected areas that have yet to receive adequate help from the local government. According to official sources, the current death toll has reached 280 in the Tamil Nadu region and 54 in Andhra Pradesh. More than 100,000 people in Chennai remain displaced.
In support of Mercy Relief’s relief efforts for the South India Floods, the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF) in Singapore will organise a special fundraising effort from 18th to 24th December 2015. Donation boxes will be placed in all 69 mosques during this period.
The public can continue to contribute to Mercy Relief’s fundraising campaign, which runs through to 31st January 2016. Donations can be made through the following channels:
1) Credit Card donation via Mercy Relief’s website: www.mercyrelief.org (GIVE page, click on “South India Floods Relief 2015”)
2) Cross cheque to Mercy Relief Limited with “South India Floods Relief 2015” written on the back of the cheque, and mailed to Blk 160, Lorong 1 Toa Payoh, #01-1568, S310160
3) Cash donations at Blk 160, Lorong 1 Toa Payoh, #01-1568, S310160
4) Funds transfer to Mercy Relief’s DBS Current Account 054-900741-2
For media enquiries please email corporateaffairs@mercyrelief.org
