Hands on Health in Banda Aceh
By Dr Dein Vindigni

Over the last 2 months much news about the devastation caused by the South Asian earthquake & tsunami has featured in the media. Like many other Australians, you have probably felt a deep sadness and a desire to help.

One of those Australians, Moira Kelly AO, founder of the Children First Foundation (www.childrenfirstfoundation.com), has been on the ground in Banda Aceh trying to help the community to rebuild in a sustainable way. Along with Fr Scott Binet (co-ordinator of the Relief Task Force) and the local Sacred Heart Parish (who themselves lost many parishioners in the disaster), Moira has been seeking to provide basics to the community. These include healthcare, trauma counselling, food & clothing, as well as housing for the homeless and volunteers who have come to help them.

In order for them to continue their work, Moira and Fr Scott have asked for some supplies to assist them in the rebuilding process:

1. Help to set up two mobile medical clinics to provide services in Banda Aceh and Loksumawe (3 hours from the Sacred Heart Parish).
2. Funds for fuel and maintenance of the mobile clinics.
3. Funds for elementary school resources, such as books, writing materials, and classroom furniture.
4. Two desktop computers, one laptop, and two printers.
5. Funds for medications, laboratory instrumentation and first aid supplies.
6. Volunteer health professionals to support the clinic that the Relief Task Force hopes to open on the Sacred Heart Parish grounds.

Fr Scott is also hoping to make some accommodation available for the volunteers providing sustainable healthcare facilities in the area. If you are interested in helping to change the lives of these devastated people, please contact:

Dr Dein Vindigni
Tel: 03 9464 3822
Fax: 03 9465 9988
Email: dein@optusnet.com.au