Several members of the Ghanaweb online forum - Say-It-Loud (sil.ghanaweb.com) - have joined together to make cash donations to assist the surviving victims of the Dudzome boat tragedy on Lake Volta which occurred on Friday, 7 April 2006.

The survivors, whose families originally were mainly from the Keta district in the southern part of the Volta region, had lived in various communities located in the Afram Plains in the Eastern Region of Ghana, such as Agege, Agrafi, Hedzo, Kolekope, Kwaehumu, Sakpiti, Supong?Odume, Tanakope, Yamoso and Zikpo for the past 38 years.

This tragedy is still very recent and therefore the total number of those who perished remains unknown. However, there have been survivors and they are in urgent need of assistance. The SIL Dudzome Relief Fund was established on 14 April 2006 to collect cash pledges to assist the survivors; to coordinate the relief effort using the Say-It-Loud forum at sil.ghanaweb.com as the official communications centre; to identify the survivors; to appoint trustees; and to organize an effective and transparent strategy to distribute the cash donations as quickly as possible among the survivors in Ghana.

The number of pledges continues to grow, and we encourage all who care about Ghana and Ghanaians to contribute. All pledges and donations made directly or indirectly to the SIL Dudzome Relief Fund will be listed on the Say-It-Loud website.

To make a pledge towards the SIL Dudzome Relief Fund, or to offer assistance or suggestions with the coordination of the relief effort, please visit the following website:

sil.ghanaweb.com

To learn about how the relief effort was established, please visit the following links:

• http://sil.ghanaweb.com/r.php?thread=1947272

• http://sil.ghanaweb.com/r.php?thread=1947951

• http://sil.ghanaweb.com/r.php?thread=1948526