Kiwis open wallets for aid

The Indian and Sri Lankan communities in Auckland yesterday prayed for tsunami disaster survivors and formed a combined fundraising effort.

Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff joined 100 people at the service at the Mahatma Gandhi Centre.

Later, he welcomed a cash donation of $5000 from the Auckland Indian Association, saying the Government would match public contributions up to $4 million.

Association president Parshot Govind said the association was aiming to collect $100,000 to give to the New Zealand Red Cross for the South Asia Tsunami Appeal.

Red Cross reported that the appeal had topped $2 million since it began seven days ago.

Yesterday, the Red Cross call centre received its largest donation to date - $20,000 from one concerned New Zealander.

Two members of the New Zealand Register of Engineers for Disaster Relief, Colleen Ruru and Steve Pantling, left yesterday for duties in Indonesia.

Ms Ruru, of Lower Hutt, will work on logistics from a Jakarta base and Mr Pantling will be assessing security in Aceh.

Both recently completed disaster relief assignments with the United Nations in Afghanistan.

Register director Neil Mander said a further 20 members were ready for assignments in south Asia and he had received offers of help from individuals and companies.

Two doctors from the Sri Lankan community in New Zealand have left for that country and more are on their way.

Doctors have placed orders for about $26,000 of medicines and dressings, including antibiotics, to take to Sri Lanka to help stave off disease among the homeless.

Dr Gamini Ediriweera, a semi-retired general practitioner, is organising the appeal to pay for the medicines, and his wife, Rukmal, is helping to collect and pack a shipping container of household goods and clothing at her Greenlane home.

Mrs Ediriweera said yesterday she was overwhelmed by the generosity of people giving cash and goods.

Most Red Cross donations have been through the appeal number listed, which accepts automatic $20 donations.

Donations can also be made at branches of the ASB Bank, BNZ, Westpac, TSB, ANZ and National Banks and at all Foodtown, Woolworths and Countdown supermarkets.

They are helping the Red Cross by asking customers to donate a dollar with the amount added to the bill.

Telecom has waived its standard 70c charge on each 0900 phone donation.

Oxfam New Zealand said $380,000 had been raised in New Zealand. Tradeaid, the Body Shop, The Warehouse and ANZ Bank are accepting Oxfam donations.

The Foodstuffs grocery chain is donating $50,000 cash to the relief fund and is calling on other businesses to do the same.

Managing director Tony Carter said a donation of food was considered but the company was heeding the Government's call for cash rather than products.

Foodstuffs has the Pak'n Save, New World and Four Square stores.

World Vision New Zealand reported $900,000 raised so far to contribute to the $US50 million ($69 million) that World Vision has pledged to raise internationally.

Aid and relief agency Tear Fund New Zealand said it had raised more than $300,000 to help with the distribution of food, water, shelter and medical supplies to isolated areas.

The New Zealand Herald and the Herald on Sunday are part of a Tsunami Relief Appeal to support those left grieving and homeless.

The newspapers, part of the Australasian APN News and Media Group, kicked off the appeal with a $100,000 donation, of which $50,000 has been donated by APN's publications and radio stations in New Zealand.