Latest News

Having dropped our last loads of aid in the Matara District we have embarked on a new project.

Instead of simply handing out aid, we have started to employ people on a daily cash-in-hand basis to clear the rubble and debris left by the tsunami. The ensuing confusion caused by the government's statements that people will not be allowed to rebuild their homes within 100 metres (or perhaps 300 metres) of the sea has meant that most people have still not tendered to their land due to the fear that they are going to be removed from it. Whilst the government bides it time considering solutions to the current housing crisis, we have decided to be proactive within a small community. We have selected a small fishing village close to Matara - Thalarumba Weladaragoda - in which to concentrate our efforts. We have chosen this place for a number of reasons. The size of the land and people inhabiting it is suited to our resources - we can organise wide reaching projects which benefit the village as a whole, not only those whose houses were destroyed. Similarly, if the projects continue run smoothly we can develop a longer term plan for our involvement with the village. Many of the team were previously based in this area and have a range of contacts to organise any aspect of the project as well as  implementation and development of ideas. All of the houses in the area in which we are working were flooded, with most of the goods inside destroyed or lost, and most of the houses on the seafront were completely flattened. However, the destruction in this village does not compare with other densely populated areas nearby where the sea took almost anything that stood in its path. In these areas, large NGOs are moving in on a big scale. The size of the task in these areas is so immense that it is logical that the international relief teams treat them first. However, small villages such as Thalarumba Weladaragoda, have received no visitors and no aid and there is a danger that they will be overlooked. These people have also lost their houses and their livelihoods.

The project has been under way for two days now, employing over 35 people from the village each day. As well as paying wages for labour, we contract a local family to supply lunch packs for the workers, and a local elder to fix the tools for the work. We are paying standard local labouring wages (350 rupees = approx £2 per day). We are also rotating the labour force so that all of the inhabitants of the village who are willing and able to work get their chance. The first day was spent clearing littler and rubble in Thalarumba Weladaragoda. We hired a tipper truck to take the waste away to a dump site recommended by the local authorities. A substantial amount of waste was cleared from peoples homes and communal areas. We plan to spend another day to finish the clearing of the village before bringing in a JCB, which is relatively costly, to clear the rubble. Today we moved the workforce from Thalarumba Weladaragoda to work in Mirissa, where we cleared and tidied the lagoon area that was trashed on December 26th. Many parts of Mirissa have undergone rubble clearance but not rubbish. From what we can tell, other NGOs have generally not made it a priority to clean up litter. The devastation caused by the tsunami has created a situation where new ideas on issues such as rubbish can be introduced. We hope that by cleaning up the land others will be encouraged to do the same. It also restores a sense of pride in the area for residents and visitors alike.

The cash for labour scheme has been a great success so far. It has injected cash into the local economy, substantially cleared inhabited areas which were strewn with debris, and encouraged people to be proactive in getting on with the task at hand rather than sitting around whilst confusion reigns about state plans for the future of the affected areas. We intend to continue working with this community as we are developing strong ties and understanding with them. We will post more details on the site concerning the project shortly.

Back...