The tsunami devastated eastern and southern coasts of Sri Lanka, killing at least 30,000 people and displacing more than half a million people. At least 100,000 homes were either partially or completely destroyed. Working in Sri Lanka since 1956, CARE’s tsunami recovery efforts are focused on the districts of Ampara, Batticaloa, Galle, Jaffna, Hambantota, Mullaitivu and Trincomalee, where we are helping some 160,000 people put their lives back together.
With the involvement of affected and neighboring communities, we built more than 1,700 high-quality transitional shelters that included water and sanitation facilities for some 7,700 people; some of those shelters were ready to be lived in one month after the tsunami. We distributed food and essential relief items to 32,000 families in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. Our efforts to provide clean water and proper latrines for 24,000 families have helped prevent disease and keep people healthy. With our continued support in the form of trainings, tools and equipment, and cash-for-work programs, some 11,000 families – including farmers, fishermen and small traders – have started to earn an income again.
Of the 1,330 houses CARE plans to rebuild, 361 have been completed and 665 are on hold due to ongoing conflict9 affecting Jaffna, Batticoloa, Trincolmalee and Killinochi/Mullaitivu, where all but lifesaving activities have been suspended due to security risks. While continuing to support the financial recovery of tsunami-affected families, CARE is also promoting their emotional recovery. More than 5,000 students, 4,500 parents and 200 teachers have benefited from CARE’s psychosocial program in schools.
To promote long-lasting change, CARE and other organizations have advocated for land and other legal rights for women, and set up a women’s coalition for disaster management and women’s action groups that empower women living in temporary camps to prevent and report violence. CARE also continues to advocate for a peaceful resolution to the current conflict, which is displacing and severely disrupting the lives of thousands of civilians.
Please read the complete report below for more information on CARE's tsunami response in Sri Lanka and other affected countries.
"After the Tragedy in the Indian Ocean: A time to remember, reflect, and recommit;" CARE's one-year report on its activities in the areas affected by the 2004 Tsunami.
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