Sunday Times 2
Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka celebrates India-funded estate housing project
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A new homeowner receiving the deeds to his own property and home from Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera
On March 24, Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera and India’s High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu ceremonially handed over 98 homes built under the ‘Indian Housing Project’, to the families of the Hellbodde Estate in Nuwara Eliya.
Hill Country New Villages, Infrastructure and Community Development Minister Palani Thigambaram, Lands Minister Gayantha Karunathilake and Special Area Development Minister Radhakrishnan also attended the ceremony.
The Indian Housing Project, funded by the Government of India, envisions the resettlement of at least 4,000 plantation worker families in newly created cluster villages or townships in the Central and Uva Provinces. As part of Phase 1 of the Indian Housing Project, Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka has successfully constructed 98 homes for plantation workers of Hellbodde Estate. An additional 267 homes are under construction by Habitat for Humanity in five other estates across the Central Province.
Speaking at the event, Indian High Commissioner Sandhu described the US$ 350 million Indian Housing Project as the largest single Indian grant assistance project in any country abroad.
The new housing scheme
Minister Samaraweera, drawing attention to the close relations between India and Sri Lanka, described India as a true friend, always ready to assist Sri Lanka during emergencies and crisis situations. Given this special relationship between the two nations, the 98-house village was officially named ‘Bhagat Singh Puram’, after famous Indian freedom fighter and youth Icon – Bhagat Singh.
Coinciding with the official event, Mr. Yu Hwa Li, National Director of Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka, noted that the close collaboration between the Ministry of Hill Country New Villages, Infrastructure & Community Development, the Plantation Human Development Trust (PHDT), respective Regional Plantation Companies (RPC), Plantation Management, home-owner beneficiaries and the Estate Worker Housing Cooperative Societies (EWHCS) of Hellbodde played an integral role in the successful completion of ‘Bhagat Singh Puram’.
Comprising a minimum of 550 square feet, each new home consists of two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and a toilet. The ownership of the housing programme rests with the Estate Workers’ Housing Cooperative Societies (EWHCS). This unique participatory approach encourages homeowners to take ownership of the construction of their own homes, while Habitat for Humanity provides technical assistance, quality assurance & monitoring throughout the construction process, ensuring housing quality standards are met.
Celebrating 25 years of operations in Sri Lanka, Habitat for Humanity has assisted more than 25,500 families by building homes, facilitating access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation facilities for communities and assisting families to improve their shelter conditions.