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| Sunday, 25 December 2005 |
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Business |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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GTZ supports rebuilding of the Sanasa Cooperatives Colombo, 21 December 2005 - In effect of the Tsunami the Federal Republic of Germany granted 100 000 Euro through the GTZ (German Technical Cooperation) to the Sanasa Development Bank. The relief supports the reconstructions of Sanasa's Savings and Credit Cooperatives throughout Sri Lanka. In context of the Emergency and Transitional Aid Programme the GTZ granted the means for equipment to support the rebuilding of the Sanasa infrastructure. With the support from GTZ 300 cooperatives benefit in terms of furniture and stationary, and restart their activities in serving their old and new clients. As now, the cooperative has rebuilt societies, recreated reports, trained replacement staff and developed new microfinance products. Sanasa, the largest non-government community based organisation (NGO) in Sri Lanka, has reacted rapidly to the need for post-tsunami reconstruction. Within two days after the Tsunami the members of the cooperative were working in the impacted areas, doing emergency relief activities. After the work was done, they turned to a longer-term rehabilitation. They started helping to reconstruct people's houses, revive their communities and, being a microfinance practitioner, provided finance to rebuild micro and small enterprises. At the heart of these efforts is a commitment to cooperative values and the long-term reconstruction of sustainable, self-reliant communities. The objective of the movement is to empower the poor of Sri Lanka by economic and social development. The core of Sanasa is a network of 8400 savings and credit co-operatives located in rural communities in every nook and corner of Sri Lanka. With a membership of 850,000 families they support approximately 3.2 million people. The NGO has not been spared by the Tsunami disaster. 380 of the villages and communities worst impacted by the devastation had active Sanasa societies; approximately 70,000 members were impacted. Moreover, also the cooperative needed to support its own societies. 153 societie's members had their buildings completely destroyed; in addition 242 were partly damaged. Many staff were killed, records got lost. To get their business running external support was necessary. In its reconstructions, Sanasa is thinking about the future. In close co-operation with the GTZ-assisted program for the promotion of the microfinance sector in Sri Lanka the NGO will improve their services beyond this little relief. It is determined to ensure that the newly rebuilt movement is stronger, more efficient than before the Tsunami. |
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