Caritas, a humanitarian institution run by the Catholic church in 202 countries, completes 25 years of social work, in Sri Lanka with one of its biggest-ever projects being post-tsunami relief work. Under the Caritas Tsunami reconstruction programme it has built 8,458 new houses and 9,075 temporary houses. In addition it has rehabilitated 10,609 houses that were damaged due to Tsunami disaster.
Through rural development societies it has helped form 882 small groups consisting of 13,315 members and their savings now stand at more than Rs 17 million. Caritas has provided loans to 2,353 persons amounting to Rs 36 million and to another 1,757 persons were provided with cash donations amounting to Rs 41 million, officials said.
To announce the progress of their massive charitable relief activities and its 40th anniversary in Sri Lanka a press briefing was held last week in Colombo with Rev Dr Vianney Fernando, Bishop of Kandy and President, Sri Lanka Bishop’s Conference presiding. The Bishops present were Rev Dr Kingsley Swampillai, Bishop of Trincomalee and Batticaloa and Rev Dr Harold Anthony Perera, Bishop of Galle.
Bishop Swampillai said that due to factional fighting, violence and terrorism has erupted in the East and the situation is no better than what prevailed before the elections. He said that the dreams of the Eastern people of leading a peaceful life of co-existence have been dashed and what now has happened is that the province has been handed over to one armed group from another armed group.
Caritas first started with charitable work and then with the country facing with disasters moved to development work. It operates on a two pronged programme – Emervency and Disaster Management and Mitigation programme and Development Programme.
Under the tsunami relief programme it has also helped rehabilitate 18 government schools by providing seven playgrounds, three parapet walls, seven toilets, two drinking water facilities and 13 temporary class rooms. In addition necessary equipment for 18 pre-schools have been provided. It has provided 753 fishing boats, 11,990 sets of fishing gear, 128 catamarans for sea and lagoon fishing, 821 outboard engines and 12,919 ancillaries for fishing industry.
Bishop Vianney Fernando said that out of these massive relief assistance, only a fraction of it has been provided to Catholics in Sri Lanka and that too for those who fulfilled the general requirement while the other balance was distributed among other communities and religious groups affected.
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