Java, Indonesia, September 13, 2006 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) is expanding assistance to the victims of the earthquakes and tsunami on the island of Java. The Foundation is partnering with three reputable nonprofit organizations to bring aid to the victims in need, following a series of new earthquakes.

A grant was made by TPRF to Yayasan Dian Desa (YDD), a disaster-relief organization in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, to rebuild damaged water wells and restore the supply of much-needed water to the people living in this area most affected by the earthquakes. Many water wells were blocked as debris from collapsed buildings obstructed the flow of water. YDD is undertaking the restoration and reconstruction of 100 wells with its team of volunteer engineers working hand-in-hand with earthquake survivors. This partnering approach enables the survivors to become part of restoring their quality of life and to gain a sense of ownership, pride, and responsibility for the work.

A grant had been given earlier to the Indonesian Development of Education and Permaculture (IDEP) Foundation to feed 900 people for three weeks as they began to recover from the earthquakes and resulting tsunami. Dr. Michael Ricos, coordinator of IDEP's Disaster Management Department, reported: "An entire mountain village came out to see us, and people's faces soon lit up at the sight of the food aid we had brought. Several people were moved to tears by the fact that someone has remembered them, and my hands were firmly grasped by an elderly lady with tears in her eyes and a smile that said it all."

Immediately following the first earthquake on May 27, 2006, TPRF had made a generous contribution to the United Nations World Food Programme for food aid to tsunami victims. WFP was one of the first relief organizations on the ground bringing food aid to people in need. Read the press release.