The photographs were taken in Weligama along the coastal road on the 20th of April, 2005. These fishing villages have been badly damaged four months ago. They are depicting the status quo of the housing situation. All what has come up up to now in Weligama are all semi permanent houses made from wood. Those people who have not got wooden houses still live in tents. Rainwater is seeping in and make life much more miserable for those Tsunami affected people.
Some photos show foundations of washed off houses. On such foundations we will start to build houses from May. The Divisional Secretary is selecting the families who will get the houses and he will vouch for the authenticity of the deeds of such houses, which will be chosen.

The Jayawickreme Foundation has asked the Divisional Secretariat to select 10 families so that we can start building houses away from the 100 m buffer zone in May. 3 families should be from Kapparatota, 3 from Pelena and 4 from Kamburugamuwa/Talaramba, which are coastal fishing villages belonging to Weligama.

The Divisional Secretary will choose more families according to funds received by us. At the moment we have committed ourselves to build 10 houses at least. The Urban Development Authority (UDA) has now offices in the Divisional Secretariats to approve, register and monitor those organizations, which are building houses.

Our application for Government owned land is with TAFREN and the relevant local authorities since January, but we did not get any response yet. In Weligama there is still no suitable land available to resettle affected fishermen out of the proposed 100 m buffer zone.

Up to now there is not a single permanent house available for occupation by Tsunami victims in Weligama, according to the Divisional Secretariat.

At the moment we are focusing on building houses to help traumatized children and their desperate parents to have a proper roof over their heads again. People are most distressed due to the fact that they have lost their loved ones and in other cases all their belongings and their houses. Building a new home for these agonized people will go a long way in helping them mentally to start a new life.

Moreover, we help small entrepreneurs with our instant rescue programme to rejuvenate their businesses to create income and job opportunities for those affected breadwinners.

We are reducing the distribution of dry rations, but will increase again if there is a demand on reasonable grounds.

We are in permanent touch with Prof. Dr. Harendra de Silva, the Chairman of the National Child Protection Authority of Sri Lanka (NCPA), with whom we are cooperating for a long time. In regard to orphanages Prof. de Silva clearly emphasizes that those institutions are not promoted by the NCPA as they strongly advise that the orphaned children should stay with relatives to overcome their trauma and cope with the sudden loss of their parents or one parent respectively.

Moreover, the NCPA is fully aware that various people and organisations are trying to get funds for the building of orphanages. In this regard Prof. de Silva stresses that orphanages can only be built by registered organisations, charities, foundations and societies after getting the approval from the National Child Protection Authority, which does not recommend the setting up of more orphanages at the moment.

Likewise, it is not advisable for private people and any organisation to give financial support directly to orphaned children or children, who have lost one parent. Whoever wishes to contribute donations towards those affected children should get in touch with the NCPA, which will give the link to organsations and funds doing this in a coordinated way to monitor an equal distribution among those affected. E-Mail: ncpa@childprotection.gov.lk

Past Tsunami Situation Reports >>

Jayawickreme Foundation, West Charley Mount Estate, Denipitiya, Weligama, Sri Lanka
Phone/Fax: + 94 (0)41 – 2250225; Email: info@jayawickreme.org