With the emergency support phase for Tsunami-affected individuals in the north of Sri Lanka successfully completed, Sewalanka is working with CBOs to rehabilitate communities through the construction of permanent houses and the redevelopment of livelihood activities.

Top and middle: Construction underway on permanent houses in Jaffna District Bottom: Completed houses in Kottadi

The construction of permanent houses is a project that has been developed in partnership with German Agro Action (GAA) with funding from the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) and the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

As part of the program and in line with the Government-coordinated resettlement program, Sewalanka will build permanent homes for 505 families; 90 houses in the villages of Kottadi and Suppermadam in Point Pedro in Jaffna District, 134 houses for the people in Maradankerny, also located in Jaffna District, 181 families in Mullaitivu District, and the construction of roofs for 100 houses in Kallaru.

Of the 90 houses targeted for Kottadi and Suppermadam, 10 houses have been completed since construction began in November 2005. In Maradenkerny, 30 houses are in progress and 20 constructions in Mullaitivu are underway. These houses will be completed and ready for occupation by April 2006, after which a second stage of construction will begin.

All 505 houses are due for completion by August 2006.

Sewalanka’s Director of Special Projects, Ms Lakshi Abeyasekara, said that a significant factor contributing to the rapid progress of construction so far had been the commitment of beneficiaries.

“Families have been very active throughout this whole process,” Ms Abeyasekara said.

“From the planning, to the actual construction, it is great to see the families out on the sites each day, enthusiastically taking part in the creation of their new homes.” she said.

The permanent housing program is being implemented and coordinated by the Sewalanka /GAA Tsunami office in Kilinochchi, in coordination with the Jaffna district office.

A nation-wide livelihood program funded through Dutch Oxfam (NOVIB) will also ensure activities geared toward developing and maintaining income generation activities within communities. In the north, NOVIB-funded activities will be implemented by Sewalanka staff in Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu.

>> For more information contact:
Ms Lakshi Abeysekara, Regional Coordinator, North on 024 222 1354