Does 'by starting' sound natural English?

Question

And have I arrangend the words "possibly, or possibly not" correctly here?

The earthquake and tsunami disaster on 26 December 2004 have caused a terrible loss of many lives. Another impact is that there are many children who have lost their parents to that natural disasters. These orphans POSSIBLY, OR POSSIBLY NOT, have been offered assistance from their extended families. TAI, as an international humanitarian institution, identifies the orphans as a vulnerable group and finds out that there has been a lack of support for them. In line with TAI commitment to help the vulnerable community members, TAI gives supports BY STARTING to conduct an assessment of the structure of the already existing support for the orphans and their siblings.

Answer 1

I think the point is that the orphans may not have assistance, rather than that it's possible that they have.

I'd say: These orphans may not have been offered assistance ...(or better yet, may not have RECEIVED assistance--since offering isn't enough).

By starting is out of place--STARTING isn't what supports the orphans, the assessment itself does. I thin kyou mean:

TAI's support starts with an assessment of ...

Also "and finds out there has been a lack of support" is awfully wordy (and strange in the simple present)--why not:

...identifies the orphans as a vulnerable group who lack support.

And "orphans and their siblings" sounds odd (although it might not in the larger context) because surely the siblings of orphans are also orphans?

Answer 2

Here's my take on it;

The earthquake and tsunami disasters on 26 December 2004 have caused the terrible loss of many lives. Another impact is that there are many children who have lost their parents to these natural disasters. Some of these orphans have been offered assistance from their extended families, but many have not. TAI, as an international humanitarian institution, identifies the orphans as a vulnerable group and finds that there has been a lack of support for them. In line with TAI commitment to help the vulnerable community members, TAI is giving support BY STARTING to conduct an assessment of the structure of the already existing support for the orphans.

But I'm not happy with the last part, "TAI is giving support BY STARTING to conduct an assessment of the structure of the already existing support for the orphans and their siblings" - it doesn't sound to me that they're being very helpful at all, too many other organisations are running around 'talking' about things but not taking action! Where's the info about fund-raising? Where's the info on how they're in the process of buying up surplus foodstuffs, and discontinued ranges of children's clothing, so they can help these kids in a practical way?

I removed the bit at the end about 'and their siblings' because the siblings of an orphan are ALSO orphans!!!

Answer 3

Start with eathquakes up to to these(not that) natural disasters. you don't have to use possibly or possibly not. It's sufficient to say These orphans have not been offered assistance by( not from) their extended families.TAI,an (no more as) international humanitarian institution identifies these orphans as a vulnerable group. They found out that there has been a lack of support for them. So TAI( no more in line) decided to take up their cause as their commitment. As part of this assistance program, they are conducting an assessment of the ( no more structure) already existing support system for the orphans and their siblings.

Don't you think that sounds bettter the way I wrote it.? I didn't change the concept of the statements just the expression.

Answer 4

that natural disasters..should be plural...these natural disasters( if you consider the tsunami and earthquake to be two disasters).
or singular that natural disaster (if you are grouping tsunami and earthquake as 1 disaster)
these orphans have possibly not been offered assisitance....sounds better.
identifies the orphans..would sound better as identifies these orphans
TAI starts (giving--or by giving) support to conduct an assessment of the structure....sounds less wordy and clearer.
these are just my opinion...hope they help...It sounds good anyways...I just tried to improve it slightly.

Answer 5

Sounds ok if you take the "s" of the word "supports" right before it.

You might want to say that "...TAI gives THEIR support BY STARTING to conduct..."

Answer 6

By starting is alright; possibly is right--possibly not isn't.