The first local project by the Force of Nature (FON) Aid Foundation is set to be completed next year.
The foundation had initiated a community-based river auditing programme in Pagoh, Johor, in October.
It had awarded a grant of RM198,000 to the Global Environment Centre to introduce a system for river auditing and mapping and monitoring.
In addition, a flood awareness programme would also be implemented in four schools and three villages in the Muar district.
Yesterday, FON officially launched the “Tsunami Progress Report 2007” in conjunction with the Disaster Awareness Day 2007 at the Putra World Trade Centre. FON chairman Tan Sri Razali Ismail said the foundation had raised RM11.9 million from the Concert for Tsunami Aid which was held on March 18, 2005.
“After the resounding generosity by the public, I’m glad that we are coming back to them with a report on how we have spent the money in the last three years.”
Among the completed projects were a Construction-Training Workshop in Aceh, the Aceh Remedial Teaching Programme and psychosocial therapy through “The Ray of Hope Storytelling Project” in Sri Lanka.
“From the total raised, RM5.6 million was used for ongoing projects while RM3.1 million was for operations, monitoring and public awareness. The remaining balance of RM3.2 million will be fully disbursed by June next year.”
He said unlike other bodies which dealt with natural disasters through immediate relief efforts, FON focused on redevelopment efforts in the long-term.
FON also introduced international models Josie Maran and Emma Heming as its goodwill ambassadors.