World Vision Builds Shelters on Tsunami-ravaged Coastline of Sri Lanka

Reconstruction and recovery works have been continuing in South Asian countries along the coastlines that were devastated by the Boxing Day tsunami four months ago.

In Sri Lanka, even though the country has secured most of the $1.8 billion (£938 million) worth of aid that is required in rebuilding towns and villages for displaced people, there has proved to be a the lack of land to continue the project due to the vast destruction near the coastal areas, according to Reuters. World Vision International (WVI)’s local shelter programme has helped to ease out the situation.

According to official figures, around 500,000 people in Sri Lanka were displaced in the deadly tsunami. 100,000 survivors are still living in wooden shacks, tents or temporary shelters.

"Our policy is to give land closest to the original location where (those displaced) lived. But options are limited," Suren Batagoda, head of Urban Development Authority's tsunami housing unit told Reuters. "In some areas...we don't have land to build houses because of the sea and lagoons. When we pass the lagoons, it is too far inland."

Currently, the authorities have secured land to build around only half of the 60,000 permanent houses initially set in the government's tsunami reconstruction plan.

According to Reuters, Sri Lanka's biggest donor, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which has raised $400 million for Sri Lanka, has so far secured land for 9,000 of the 15,000 houses it has pledged.

In the midst of this deadlock, World Vision International (WVI) has committed itself to raising the standard of the living environment by providing new shelters for tsunami-displaced people.

A recent update revealed that Shelter World Vision has opened a community of transitional shelters in the southern Sri Lankan district of Galle this week.

A total of 84 families moved from tents, where they had lived since the Boxing Day tsunami, into the new temporary shelters. Each family has also received a welcome pack, which included two mosquito nets, a cooking set and clothing.

In addition a special care project for children was launched by World Vision. Child Protection/Children’s Activities World Vision is working on a new Child Friendly Space (CFS) in the tsunami-affected district of Kalutara, south of Colombo. A total of 38 CFS tents have been set up so far, and up to 150 CFS' are planned to be set up by the end of the year.

In addition to CFS, World Vision has established 16 playgrounds in the districts of Galle, Ampara, Hambantota and Batticaloa.