Jakob donates for COVID aid in Sri Lanka
We at Jakob Rope Systems would like to do without gifts this year. Instead, together with our employee Chinika Jeyaseelan, we decided to donate to an aid organization in Sri Lanka.
Chinika Jeyaseelan works for Jakob Rope Systems at the Swiss headquarters in Trubschachen. Her path at Jakob began in 2016 with an apprenticeship as a businesswoman. Today, as a specialist in sales and IT, Chinika looks after our customers and sales partners in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Vietnam.
Chinika grew up in Switzerland. Her parents come from Sri Lanka. For this reason, she has very close ties to both countries. Chinika is currently concerned about the COVID-19 situation in both countries. Chinika's grandparents and other family members live in Sri Lanka. Her grandfather recently passed away. For this reason, Chinika travelled to Sri Lanka two weeks ago.
After her return from Sri Lanka, Chinika told us about the COVID-19 situation on site. The situation there affected us: The state welfare in Sri Lanka is different than in Switzerland, says Chinika. The people in Sri Lanka are left to their own devices in many areas. Government aid, a comprehensive vaccination program and medical care are not available to everyone in Sri Lanka. Adding to the weak economy in the country, terrorist attacks on hotels and churches in 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic that has been ongoing since 2020 have dramatically weakened Sri Lanka's economic situation and food supply. Help is urgently needed in many places.
On this occasion, Chinika drew our attention to an aid project in Sri Lanka. We have decided to support this project with a donation.
Chinika, to which project in Sri Lanka is the donation from Jakob Rope Systems directed?
There were several organizations to choose from for a donation that are involved in humanitarian aid in Sri Lanka. Peter Jakob and I have chosen the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRedCross) for a donation. This is the largest humanitarian organization in Sri Lanka. The employees of SLRedCross provide disaster relief, emergency measures and social welfare programs - always under the mission to help the most vulnerable. The organization has been working for humanitarian aid on the island since 1936.
What is the SLRedCross currently doing for the people in Sri Lanka?
Currently, SLRedCross is involved with several projects in Sri Lanka, providing assistance to the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. Sri Lanka is struggling with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The high numbers of infections in the country have exhausted the resources of the health authorities and thus also the necessary protective measures by medical personnel. Jakob's donation is intended to help support the medical measures on site and strengthen the forces in the health sector. This includes, for example, the purchase of masks, gloves and disinfectants and also the provision of medical oxygen for patients.
Why did you and Peter Jakob choose this project for a donation?
The SLRedCross is suitable from our point of view, because the organization is internationally recognized. In addition, there is the good positioning in Sri Lanka. The organization is represented in all 25 districts of the country and thus very well networked to provide effective help. We assume that our donation will provide help where help is urgently needed.
More about the SLRedCross can be found here: slredcross.give.asia