About us:                                                                               

Who we are and who we represent:

unitingtheworld.org is:

To Create awareness & funding by identifying & supporting a handful of micro-level projects that we can help directly, and

Assist other donors to identify other projects needing help.

We believe in responsible giving and that you can make a difference.

unitingtheworld.org is a working website for Sri Lanka tsunami aid projects in the community of Vancouver and British Columbia, Canada. This is a co-ordinated effort that includes AMDA/Rose and Room to Read Canada. It is non political and non religious.  

This effort is facilitated by Lawrence Keenan and Yoga Yogendren in Canada. unitingtheworld.org also works with the AMDA/Rose Charities Vancouver medical foundation in coordinating efforts at the Kalmunai Base Hospital and surgeon Doctor Bahaven who asked for assistance to establish a pediatric ward immediately after the tsunami. AMDA/Rose medical support group includes medical staff from Childrens Hospital and UBC, similar to Doctors Without Borders.

unitingtheworld.org is focused on rebuilding Sri Lanka through micro level projects. It is non political and non religious and has no agenda other than to ensure the successful recovery  of communities throughout this country that were affected by this tsunami.

Media recognition through a recent visit to Sri Lanka that was covered by Global TV and partly by CBC. Global TV is continuing to track the success of the projects that they covered in Kalmunai from january 9th. It followed the story of Sri Lankan Richard Anthony, now living in Surrey, who returned to his hometown of Kalmunai to help in the recovery effort and reunite with his family, which had had lost many members to the disaster. Lawrence, Yoga and Bahi assisted in the organization of this mission which involved the Rose/AMDA medical team. Lawrence also featured in his particular efforts to raise awareness and support for micro-level projects, such as a local long standing orphanage, the Crista Illam Home.

unitingtheworld.org is partnering with a number of other partners including the

BC Principals' & VPs' Association, Art Institute of Vancouver, CSLI (Canadian as a Second Language Institute, a private Vancouver English School) especially Director Lori-Ann Keenan, RoomtoRead Canada.

This site is designed and currently administered by Lawrence Keenan, volunteer and independent fund raiser for the Sri Lanka tsunami relief effort. In addition to his volunteer work in Sri Lanka he is assisting the association and others in coordinating resources where they are most effectively needed in micro-level projects in tsunami affected areas of the country.

Past SLFABC President Yoga Yogendran returned to Sri Lanka in August 2005 to reveiw progress in projects in Kalmunai and Hambantota, as well as meeting with business leaders to establish specific business opportunities in Sri Lanka. This will also be an opportunity for local support groups to identify the projects they wish to physically support.

The Sri Lankan Friendship Band Project for BC Schools was initiated by Lawrence for unitingtheworld.org for the purpose of raising funds, but more mportantly, to raise awareness through ongoing sustainable micro-projects whereby BC students can make a real difference. This allows them to be actively involved through a simple fundraising project (or use funds already collected), and then by allocating them (through unitingtheworld.org ) to one specific project, be able to monitor progress through this dynamic site. BC Principals' & Vice Presidents' Association have already expressed interest in this project and presentations begin after Spring break.

Schools such as CSLI in Yaletown and Bodwell College (thanks Paul Yeun and Stephen Smith) in North Vancouver and Collingwood Schools in West Vancouver ave already contributed significantly, while students at the Vancouver Art Institute along with Cliff Jones and Christiaan Bernard have lent their enthusiastic support through organizing the media release of this project and website due March 1st. Betsy Puff through her own fundraiser in Vernon has already raised over $11,000 for the AMDA/Rose project in Kalmunai, and already has the support of local Okanagan schools. puff@telus.net

Corporations are welcome to sponsor this project however the Sri Lankan Friendship Band Project will remain a student initiative, as it is our intent to connect students with students and children with children. Our next project allows these schools o make a real and ongoing connection through technology with the students and children in Sri Lanka whose lives they have supported.