IASF (was called “Oriya Sevaks” then) was born after the 1999 Super Cyclone in Orissa that claimed 10,000 lives and caused immense destruction across the state. This cyclone has been listed as the strongest recorded tropical cyclone in the North Indian Ocean and among the most destructive in the region (Info).
IASF volunteers worked passionately to raise funds and executed 12 community projects ranging from distributing medicines, blankets to building shelter homes, repairing schools etc for sustainability of affected people in long term.
Here are selected few:
PROJECT: SRI AUROBINDO NURSERY SCHOOL
LOCATION:: Khandagiri, Bhubaneshwar
BENEFICIARIES: 150 students
COST: $20,000
FUNDED BY: California Oriya’s + IDRF + local source
STATUS: 100% Complete
WHEN: Year 2000
A few of the structures in the school campus were badly damaged by the Super Cyclone, including the existing nursery school. IASF decided to fund the rebuilding of the nursery school. About 150 happy students are studying in this school since its completion.
PROJECT: MEDICINE, BLANKET, AND MAT DISTRIBUTION
LOCATION: Ganjam, Cuttack and Jagatsinghpur
BENEFICIARIES: People of Ganjam and Jagatsinghpur
COST: $9000
FUNDED BY: California Oriya’s and AmeriCares Organization
STATUS: 100% complete
WHEN: Year 1999
IASF worked with AmeriCares to send medicines and other materials to the cyclone affected areas to help with the “second” aftermath of the Super Cyclone. AmeriCares matched the funds that IASF collected from Bay Area Oriyas with a proportion of 10 to 1. The medicines were distributed by the Lions Club in Odisha. IASF also distributed blankets and mats to cyclone affected people in Chhatrapur (Ganjam) and Jagatsinghpur area.
