Dear Old Friends, Greetings from the ORCA Polli Committee (OPC). From my recent posts, we may have had our memories refreshed as to how concerned and compassionate ORCA brothers at home and abroad had demonstrated their camaraderie and care by collecting huge funds for providing EACH of the 30 families in MOKTARPUR (in the aftermath of an engulfing flood in 1998) and 80 families in KUAKATA (post the menacing cyclone called Sidr in 2007) with not only a HOME but also HOPE and SCOPE to REBUILD THEIR DEVASTATED LIVES! We may have also seen how, over the years, most of these ORCA assets i.e., the living quarters, the kitchens, the toilets, the community center, and the internal roads - especially in ORCA Polli Kuakata – BECAME DILAPIDATED TO A POINT WHERE THE PLACE HAVE BECOME UNINHABITABLE! While many families were forced to leave the Pollis because they could not repair the dilapidated houses, most stayed put there in the ramshackle houses doing makeshift, flimsy, temporary repairs on their own which are not good enough to shelter the inhabitants against the onslaught of wintry winds and torrential rains! At present, in ORCA Polli Kuakata, NONE OF THE 65 REMAINING HOUSES ARE REPAIRABLE! Compared to ORCA Polli Kuakata, the living conditions at ORCA Polli MOKTARPUR are somewhat better! Considering all, the OPC have developed plans for these works, prepared the cost estimates, and decided in principle to carry out – A. Repair and Development works at ORCA Polli Moktarpur at an estimated cost of BDT10,85,000 (Ten Lakhs Eighty-Five Thousand); B. Reconstruction and Development works at ORCA Polli Kuakata at an estimated cost of BDT2,93,05,000 (Two Crores Ninety-Three Lakhs Five Thousand) Because of the volume of the works, time required, and the huge amounts needed to implement, the works at ORCA Polli KUAKATA are to be carried out in following six (6) phases – PHASE – I: (i) Construct the Western Boundary Wall @ BDT8,00,000; (ii) Construct the Main Gate and Guard Room @ BDT3,50,000; (iii) Reconstruct the Community Center @ BDT6,65,000; and (iv) Construct 06 Houses on the south side of the Pond @ BDT17,65,000 – TOTAL Estimated Cost BDT35,80,000 (Thirty-Five Lakhs Eighty Thousand). PHASE – II: (v) Construct 18 Houses along the Western Boundary Wall @ BDT54,00,000; and (vi) Construct the Eastern Boundary Wall @ BDT6,40,000 – TOTAL Estimated Cost BDT60,40,000 (Sixty Lakhs Forty Thousand). PHASE – III: (vii) Construct 18 Houses along the Eastern Boundary Wall @ BDT54,00,000; (viii) Construct the Imam’s Quarter @ BDT2,70,000; and (ix) Construct a Grocery-Cum-Pharmacy-Cum-Tea Stall @ BDT1,30,000 – TOTAL Estimated Cost BDT58,00,000 (Fifty-Eight Lakhs). PHASE – IV: (x) Construct 14 Houses along the Eastern-Northern Median @ BDT42,00,000; and (xi) Construct 4 Guest Houses @ BDT12,00,000 – TOTAL Estimated Cost BDT54,00,000 (Fifty-Four Lakhs). PHASE – V: (xii) Construct 14 Houses along the Western-Northern Median @ BDT42,00,000; and (xiii) Construct the Northern and Southern Boundary Fences @ BDT1,00,000 – TOTAL Estimated Cost BDT43,00,000 (Forty-Three Lakhs). PHASE – VI: (xiv) Earth Filling @ BDT15,00,000; (xv) Reconstruct Internal Herring Bond Roads @ BDT20,35,000; and (xvi) Supply of Running Water for the Masjid and Residences @ BDT6,50,000 – TOTAL Estimated Cost BDT41,85,000 (Forty-One Lakhs Eighty-Five Thousand). It has been found that the poor, hapless, and debt burdened fishermen FAMILIES – many without a male earning member - DO NOT HAVE THE MEANS EITHER TO REPAIR (FURTHER) OR TO RECONSTRUCT THE HOUSES ON THEIR OWN! They have been looking up to ORCA to carry out the much needed and urgent repair/ reconstruction/ development works so their habitat - the Pollis - become livable again! Dear Brothers! Upkeeping or rebuilding all ORCA assets especially our signature social responsibility project, the ORCA Pollis, are indeed our collective responsibility! It’s a call upon our conscience! So, LET US ONCE AGAIN SHOW THE CARE AND CAMERADERIE we had shown when we built the ORCA Pollis and EXTEND OUR HELPING HANDS TO BEGIN DONATING – NOW! The Polli inhabitants have withered many winters and rainy seasons already! LET US NOT ALLOW THEM TO SUFFER MORE DURING THE UPCOMING RAINY SEASON!! You may begin with whatever small amount you can manage now. As we go along and you attain more capabilities, you can top it up! As soon as we have BDT46,65,000 (Forty-Six Lakhs Sixty-Five Thousand) in hand, we SHALL COMMENCE our REPAIR works for ORCA Polli MOKTARPUR and Phase-I of RECONSTRUCTION works at ORCA Polli KUAKATA. WHATEVER amount YOU WANT TO DONATE, you are requested to deposit directly into the following bank account in Bangladesh: ORCA Polli A/c # 0125-031000-5875 NCC Bank Limited Mohakhali Branch Dhaka-1206, Bangladesh Routing Code: 160-274-189 Brothers in the USA, Canada, Australia are requested to pay through their respective Chapters or directly into the above account. IMPORTANT: After you have donated, please REMEMBER TO INFORM Alam G. Hossain (8/419) via E-mail: alam.g.hossain@gmail.com or WhatsApp: +880 17 3003 2356