Tsunami Appeal
Tsunami School Project
On 26 December 2004 December 26, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, the most powerful earthquake in 40 years, erupted under the Indian Ocean near Sumatra. It caused giant, deadly waves to crash ashore in nearly a dozen countries, killing hundreds of thousands. A long stretch of Sri Lanka's coast was devastated by these killer waves, with more than 40,000 dead and a staggering 2.5 million people displaced. Although 1,600 km from the epicentre, the waves struck with huge force and swept inland as far as 5 kmilometers. Waves as high as six metreers had crashed into coastal villages, sweeping away people, cars and even a train with 1700 passengers. It was the worst human disaster in Sri Lanka history.
After this devastation, Keela, as part of the Ardmel Group, embarked on a project to rebuild a new Primary School to replace one that was destroyed by the Tsunami to help the children and local community in one of the poorest areas of Sri Lanka recover from this devastating disaster. This project was taken on by ourselves Keela with our contacts in Sri Lanka to ensure 100% of the funds went towards the school. Unlike so many charitable organisations whose costs are taken from the money donated and with only a certain amount of the funds going directly to the people who need it most, our project was completely different. All work was undertaken voluntarily with none of the funds going towards administrativeon costs.
The project would not have been realised if not for without the generous help of our customers, suppliers and local schools in Scotland, who raised the amount needed to start building. The school was completed on schedule at the end of December 2005.
Our aim from the beginning was always for the project to be ongoing and we continue to contribute as a company and to raise funds in order to complete phase two, the renovation of the adjoining school.
The school itself is located within the most deprived and poorest area of Sri Lanka. Its creation has given hope to hundreds of children and offered them a better education in the form of new facilities, educational equipment, sports equipment and computers. New Computer Study teachers privately funded by this project have also joined the facility.
Keela's philosophy has always been to break from convention, regardless of whether this is to create new and better products or project manage lifestyle changes. This philosophy has spread into all our working practices and by making differences, however small, into all aspects of our lives we make big changes to the lives of others people - Tthe fulfilment of priceless and unforgettable experiences.