The PEACE Fund's PEACE in Paradise project was established in response to the devastating tsunamis which ripped through South East Asia on 26 December, 2004.
Prompted not only by the desire to help the children whose lives were forever altered by the natural disaster but also by a personal connection - a brother who lives with his family in on Koh Phi Phi - Adrian Paul immediately began the organization of the first PEACE Fund auction.
With the help of many businesses on the island, the Phi Phi Island Tsunami Relief Fund was set up through Hi Phi Phi, a community-based charitable initiative of local Koh Phi Phi residents and non-Thais who joined forces to help the people of Phi Phi rebuild their lives after the Indian Ocean tsunami.
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The monies donated by The PEACE Fund to the Phi Phi Island Tsunami Relief Fund went towards supplies to help the local community. The restructuring of the business and getting people back to work demanded a lot of help and effort through volunteers and the island community itself Money went to supplying water and food needs for some individuals who had lost all means of livelihood while others quickly started projects to rebuild the island's infrastructure. The current project that is being worked on is the replanting of the island's flora that in certain areas was wiped out by the flooding. The monies raised have helped with the starting of projects to strengthen the environment by bringing back local flora to make the island green again and provide some protection against erosion. |
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| The Island of Phi Phi before the Tsunami | ||
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| The Island of Phi Phi before the Tsunami | ||
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Set up by the Sriphong Phukaoluan Foundation of the Krabi Relief organization, the purpose of this program is to provide scholarship monies for the children of Krabi Province affected by the tsunami of Dec. 26, 2004. The goal is to provide tuition, room and board and funds for basic necessities for students who have lost parents, family and means of support.
Over 100 students have been registered for the program. These children have been grouped into three classes, Class A- Loss of both parents, Class B- Loss of one parent, no wage earner in family, Class C- Loss of one parent, some income available. The aim is to provide funds for education and sustenance for each child until age 18. The Foundation is working with other international aid agencies such as Help International, the Governor of Krabi, the office of the Mayor of Krabi and local government social and health organizations to establish a coordinated, comprehensive program of benefits for each child.
The Sriphong Phukaoluan Foundation is the only officially registered Thai foundation established in Krabi to aid the victims of the tsunami. We will act as the conduit for the international agencies to be able to continue their support after their staff have returned to their home countries. In addition, we are also registered as a tax exempt foundation in the United States through CAF America, so individuals and corporations may make donations tax free.
Your donations will be used to pay for a child’s tuition, room and board, transportation, school uniforms and supplies and basic necessities. In addition, representatives from the Foundation will visit each child at least once every three months to examine their status and determine the suitability of the benefits. As a donor, you will receive personal information on the child you are sponsoring, along with a photo. Any correspondence can be translated and forwarded to your child.
Over 100 boys and girls between the ages of 4-16 have been registered. The average annual cost to sponsor a child is $1,000 USD or 780 Euro. You may contact us directly at info@krabirelief.com to discuss the specifics of your sponsorship. US citizens may donate tax free directly to CAF America using the attached gift form which designates our Krabi Relief Fund as the beneficiary.
We thank you for your support and thoughts during this difficult time. We are all working together to rebuild the lives of those devastated by the tsunami, and your help is instrumental in keeping the smiles on the faces of these children.
Robert Reynolds- Director, Sriphong Phukaoluan Foundation.
CLICK HERE for an update from 2008
Adrian's letter
PEACE in Paradise, the formation of the project
Andrew's letter
The Tsunami of Koh Phi Phi - by Andre, Adrian Paul's brother
The auction was promoted as the Immortal Aid auction (given Adrian's well-known role as the Immortal Highlander Duncan MacLeod), supported by the Davis Panzer and Davis Anderson companies (the companies behind the production of the Highlander television series and related merchandise) and run by representatives of the Highlander WorldWide Official Highlander Fan Club (two of whose members are now on the committee for The PEACE Fund). Featuring items signed by Adrian's co-stars on the Highlander series, this first auction raised just over $45,000 U.S.
Our base established, and with the re-energizing of The PEACE Fund initiative that was first started in the late 1990s by Adrian Paul, PEACE in Paradise was launched.
With a strong desire to ensure the funds raised reached the people who needed the help the most, monies from this auction and the second PEACE Fund auction held in October 2005 were donated to the The Phi Phi Island Tsunami Relief Fund (PPITRF) and The Krabi Relief Fund.
These two groups had direct ties with the Koh Phi Phi island (just south of Thailand) where Adrian Paul's brother, Andrew, resides and were committed to helping the local people through various projects.
