Our new newsletter!

Our new newsletter has just come out. You can read extracts from it below. To receive the full texts of all our futur newsletters, you just have to write you email adress in the box "Newsletter" of our blog.

Newsletter n°4 

December 2010

Our actions on the ground ****************************************************************

The region of Sunderbans in West Bengal Spending a few months in Kolkata and in the Sunderbans enabled the team of InMaLanka to explore the region and to become aware of the problems that the inhabitants of the rural areas have to cope with. The Sunderbans are an ecosystem that is unique in the world. It provides a habitat for the last tigers of Bengal and is one of the most important areas of mangrove swamps. Nevertheless, the beauty of the region is threatened by the rise in the water level but also by its location in the middle of a cyclone area. In May 2009, cyclone Laila destroyed the region, leaving behind it landscapes of desolation, and made the land salted so that it has now become unfarmable. The villages are very remote and to go there from Kolkata, you need thus to take the train, then the boat and then to walk. Sanitation, hydraulics and electricity lack awfully. That is why InMaLanka plans to create a mobile hospital to go to the most remote villages and as well to put in place a programme of solar energy. That project will unable the villagers to rent out rechargeable solar lamps at the same price than the kerosene lamps that they use today. By replacing their lamps, the villagers will have more lights, they will respect the environment, and furthermore, they will protect their eyes and their lungs.

Writing: Blanche Mattern

Translation: Jodie Cazau

In July 2010, InMaLanka went to Tamil Nadu to visit its partner Desire India That visit was the occasion to discuss the evolution of the partnership with Desire India. As we have decided last year during our annual meeting, we want to extend the Little Angels’ School by building a primary school. The project is still under way but the laws on construction have become more restrictive, that is why we are still waiting for the authorizations. During the meeting, we also talked about the pupils and their attendance. Some of the children have left the school this year. As a consequence, both partners have decided to reinforce the support to the families and the follow-up of their conditions of life so that fewer children leave school.

Writing: Margot Durin 

Translation: Jodie Cazau

Our events in Paris************************************************************************

Open forum of the associations of the 20th arrondissement InMaLanka was present at one of the 240 stands put in place on Pyrenees Street for all day on Saturday, September 18th. As the other associations, we were there to make you discover our social and international commitment as well as the actions we have been putting in place for two years.

Writing: Jodie Cazau

Translation: Jodie Cazau

Our news from India, Sri Lanka and Madagascar******************************************

Sri Lanka – The project of a United Nations’ investigation is a source of debate Sri Lanka is drawing everybody’s attention those weeks because it has reacted with hostility and indignation to the will of the United Nations to create an International Investigation Committee. The latter will have to assess the actions of Rajapakse’s army during the last stage of the civil war in the 2009 spring.

Writing: Jodie Cazau

Translation: Jodie Cazau

Madagascar – Towards a positive transition? Waiting the occasion to be elected, the self designated president Andry Rajoelina announced on last October 20^th, by the intermediary of the president of the High Authority of Transition, the opening of State shops. Only the poorest families (around 500 000) will have the right to buy vital commodities at very low prices.

Writing: Adeline Dechaume

Translation: Jodie Cazau