Welcome to ABDF.org! — ABDF.org was formed by Bennett Hinkley, with the help of several friends and colleagues, after he visited the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka and saw first-hand the devastation caused by the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami that caused such large-scale tragedy across most of the Asian coastline.
ABDF.org is dedicated to raising funds to donate to small-scale projects that are needed by the people of this region of Sri Lanka. Our projects have a maximum total of $1,500USD, which means that donations can quickly match the need of each project and create immediate benefits for the people of Batticaloa.
Please donate generously and tell your friends, neighbors, family and colleagues about ABDF.org. Learn more throughout this website or contact us.
The heat must be addling my brain. My last post was on the day before my half-way point in this years’ season, and I didn’t even realize it. It would have been an appropriate to step back and summarize where we stand thus far this year, and to compare it to last year. It also would have been a good time to ruminate on the future, and the goals we hope we achieve.
Well, better late than never!
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Mrs. Sinnathampi stands in front of her house.
ABDF was shown this house by the Valachenai Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVP) at the same time we saw the house that has become ABDF's Valachenai SVP Roof Project #1. In fact, this home is right next to that home. It is the residence of Mr. Kanthapar Sinnathampi, his wife Vairaththai, and their 16 year old son, Vijikaran. Mr. Sinnathampi has a series of health problems which keep him in and out of hospital (he was in hospital when ABDF visited the site), leaving Mrs. Sinnathampi to keep things at home in line. Vijikaran is currently in 10th grade at a local public school.
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Pushpakaran’s great-aunt, one of the few family members to stay behind in Shalampailkerny after the massacre in 1985.
Project Director, Bennett Hinkley, was taken to Shalampailkerny by his friend Pushpakaran, as it was his friend's birthplace as well as the location of a minor massacre in the mid-80s, Pushpakaran’s father having been one of the victims. But in addition to showing the Project Director his ancestral home, and the place from which his family fled during the height of the violence, Pushpakaran also wanted to help his village. He wanted to know if ABDF could build the village a water tank.
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Pilomena was babysitting her sister's toddler when ABDF visited her.
About a month ago, the ABDF Project Director received the following letter which, roughly translated from Tamil, reads:
Dear Sir,
I live at the above address. I am 47 years old, my parents and husband are dead. I live in a small house alone next door to my relations. I have no source of income. Frequently I get chest pains. The house which I live is in very poor condition. I have no money to replace the cadjans for the house. When it rains, I am unable to stay in the house. Please come and see the poor (more...)
ABDF's water tanks at Navatkadu and Mangikkadu, have proven to be very successful and quite popular.
The most local government level in Sri Lanka is the Divisional Secretary (DS). In Sri Lanka, provinces are divided into Districts, and Districts into Divisions. All of our water tanks have been built in Manmunai West Division with the approval and cooperation of the DS office.
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Small donations,
immediate benefits!
ABDF projects cost
no more than $1,500.
So, your money goes further. Learn more at ABDF.org.
