• The board of trustees who lead and closely monitor the activities:
• Pierre Pringiers: Honorary Consul of Belgium in Sri Lanka, who settled in the country 30 years ago and has since created with his Srilankan partners a successful tire and wheels company.
• Dr. Nihal Jinasena and Tissa Jinasena: Loadstar directors and partners of Pierre Pringiers for the last 30 years. They are established Srilankan businessmen leading several companies and with a strong reputation in the country. Dr. Nihal Jinasena was recently appointed by the Srilankan government to lead the Sri Lankan fishing industry rehabilitation program.
• Tissa Jinasena: Managing director of Loadstar and partner of Pierre Pringiers for the last 30 years. He is an established Srilankan businessmen leading several companies and with a strong reputation in the country.
• Koenraad Pringiers: director of Solideal Loadstar, working and living in Sri Lanka for the last 15 years.
• Pradeep Jayewardene: grandson of the former Persident of Sri Lanka and established businessman.
• A program coordinator, reporting to the board of trustees, is managing the program implementation.
• A logistics team of Srilankan and Belgian volunteers.
• 30 Expert technicians and employees from Loadstar Pvt. Ltd. in the field.
• 50 Daily paid workers.

Team in Belgium  ^
An association of 10 volunteers, under the name 'Aid Sri Lanka Tsunami', has joined forces in Belgium. The team consists of professionals of diverse sectors. They all responded spontaneously to Pierre Pringiers' help request and will focus on promoting the program and helping raise the funds required.

• Promote program through different channels:
• Network of friends, family and business relations
• Companies
• Service Clubs
• Associations and NGO's.
• Approach King Baudouin Foundation for program adoption to enable tax deduction for donors.
• Provide updates & feedback to donors and parties interested.
• Coordinate & communicate with the team in Sri Lanka.
• Act as enabler for Belgian industrial donors in kind.

Members of the team are: Christof Frenay, Paul Hegge, Amaia Lasa Montoya, Filip Kempenaers, Sacha Muller, Nicolas Frenay, Nerea Lasa Montoya and Louis Motte.

The Belgian Army  ^

Contingent
The first contingent of the Belgian Army arrived in Sri Lanka on the 12th of January 2005. This contingent consisted of 4 different components of the Belgian Defence namely, Army (engineers, mechanics, divers, fibre technicians), Air Force (water purification team), Royal Navy (mechanics of boats and engines, fibre technicians) and Medical team (doctors, nurses, aid men, hygiene specialist). They arrived with much equipment, which needed to carry out their operations such as JCB, Bobcats, Trucks, Jeeps, and Boats etc.. In total there were 4 contingents during 4 months of relief operations, which amounted to the participation of approx 250 Belgian Defence personnel. They worked in close cooperation with the 'Solideal Loadstar Rehabilitation Trust'.

• Emergency Relief (medical assistance, clearing operations, IDP camps).
• Rehabilitation and Development of Fisheries (diving & salvage operations, engine & boat repair).
• Rehabilitation of Critical Infrastructure (reconstruction of schools, hospitals and public buildings).
• Rehabilitation of Micro Economy ('Cash for Work' Program, Civil Military Cooperation (Cimic)).

Different activities in detail
1. Clearing operations
Clearing operations were done in the areas of Weligama, Kapparatota, Pelena and Mirissa. These areas were cleared of all debris and cleaned up entirely. The clearing up operations were done by hand and with machines and more than 60 local workers were employed for task in a programme called 'Cash for work'.

2. Diving & salvage operations
Diving and salvage operations to clear the harbours were done in the areas of Weligama, Mirissa, Matara, Gandara and Dondra. In Galle assistance was provided inside the harbour. 22 Ships, dozens of engines, nets and anchors were cleared and lifted.

3. Diving & salvage operations
Boats were repaired at Weligama workshop while inboard engines were repaired at workshops in the areas of Mirissa, Matara, Dondra and Galle by the Belgian Army. Inboard engines from the area of Galle up to Kirinda were repaired in these workshops. The Belgian Army was financing all spare parts needed for these engines and fixed a total of 150 inboard engines. In addition, they distributed 46 outboard engines in the areas of Weligama, Mirissa, Koggala and Matara and financed 200 pieces of tuna nets to be distributed in the area of Mirissa and financed the mould for the 28 feet 1-day boats to be built newly by the 'Solideal Loadstar Rehabilitation Trust' which is also responsible for the repair of nearly 200 outboard engines.

4. Construction engineering
The Belgian Army built 3 IDP camps in collaboration with the 'Solideal Loadstar Rehabilitation Trust' in Kumbalgama (68 families - 241 persons) Labeema (15 families - 61 persons) and the temporary houses in Pelena area (27 families -114 persons). In addition the Belgian Army carried out the following reconstruction of critical public infrastructure:

• Weligama Hospital (renovation of a wing).
• Establishing the water connection in Mirissa Harbour.
• New building of Mirissa Madya Maha Vidyalaya School (upgrading capacity).
• New Nursery School in Mirissa.
• Renovation of Mirissa Balika School.
• Renovation of Sumangala Girls School Weligama.
• Renovation of Kudalumulla School in Weligama.
• Renovation of Martin Wickramasinghe School in Koggala.
• Reconstruction of several fishermen houses in Weligama.

• Improving the Saint-Thomas High School for girls in Matara.
• Construction of the Weheragalla Educational Centre in Mirissa.
• Facilitating and coordinating with IO/NGO and Government.
• 'Cash for Work' Program.
• Re -establishment of micro-economy.
• Renovation Eluwawala School in Denipitya.
• Reconstruction of a wall supporting the sacred Bo Tree Dhammikagiri Temple Bandaramulla, in Mirissa.