Caritas Sri Lanka, part of Caritas International, has spent a total of nearly Rs 11 billion on tsunami relief work in Sri Lanka from 2005 to June 2009.
Caritas is a Catholic charitable organization which operates through Social and Economic Development Centre (SEDEC), the social arm of the Church.
At a press conference in Colombo to announce the closing of Caritas Sri Lanka Tsunami Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Programme, Rev Fr Damian Fernando, National Director, Caritas Sri Lanka said that the closing of the tsunami programme was being announced for accountability purposes but further work emanating from the relief work already carried out will continue.
He said that there are children without both parents or without one parent. Caritas has built welfare houses for some 526 children and they will be looked after until they are 18 years. They have expanded their work on psycho-social support and have estblished community based disaster preparedness. There are still 11,000 families living in temporary shelters or with relatives as they either do not have land or they do not have proper documents to prove that they were affected by the tsunami. Caritas is trying to help solve this problem too.
Rt. Rev. Dr Harold Anthony Perera, Bishop of Galle, and Chairman of the Catholic National Commission for Justice, Peace and Human Development said that accountability and transparency are their prime concerns in all their activities and they work with experts and said that there is a retired Supreme Court Judge, President’s Counsels, Chartered Accountants and financial experts working with them.
The most important contribution towards tsunami recovery provided by Caritas is setting up of 906 self help groups and 68 community based organizations with 13,394 members which are functioning now and they have saved nearly Rs 18 million in 893 savings schemes. 2,091 beneficiaries received nearly Rs 43 million as grants and 2931 beneficiaries received Rs 48 million as revolving loans for livelihood enhancement produces.
In addition to their initial relief work immediately following the tsunami, Caritas has built 8,534 permanent houses, and has repaired 2,156 houses and 30 community centres. They have built five religious buildings, four workshops buildings, four orphanages, six markets, 37 culverts, five hospitals and the Kirinda Harbour was renovated. They have built 4,161 toilets and 2,325 drinking water wells.
Over 5,043 adults and children have received post-tsunami counseling and 39,830 persons attended in psychosocial programmes and 949 cases were referred to professional counselors for treatment. Over 23,056 households have begun earning their livelihood, provided 753 fishing boats, 825 outboard motor engines, 196 lagoon and sea canoes, 12,121 fishing net sets, 12,919 fishing accessories, 153 peddle cycles for fish vendors and 21 water pump accessories to agriculture farming communities.
Other relief provided: 3,362 agriculture tools; 393 home gardening kits, 11,356 seeds and seedlings. 433 organic farming assets; 1,753 irrigation faicilites, 21 water pumps and accessories; 5,277 small business kits, 185 sewing machines and cash vouchers to start self employment Caritas Sri Lanka has also repaired 12 pre-schools, 23 schools were repaired or newly built, 12 school toilets built and 198 school and pre-school were assisted with allowances.
There were also a number of training programmes carried out by Caritas in post-tsunami recovery programmes. |
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