Tsunami victims start new life at Indunilpura in Galle

Twenty families in South of Sri Lanka, whose lives were literally affected by the waves of the December 2004 tsunami, have been given a new lease of life by the South Asia Partnership Sri Lanka (SAPSRI) with support from Development and Peace (D&P) Organisation of Canada.

These families in the Galle and Matara districts, who lost their homes and personal belongings were presented with new houses at a ceremony recently.

SAP Sri Lanka, with financial backing by the D&P of Canada and assistance from the Cardinal Leger Organisation (CLO) built 20 houses in the town of Ahangama for 20 families in a new village constructed at a cost of Rs. 15.1 million on a two acre land.

The new village named 'Indunilpura' by the residents was inaugurated by the Acting Canadian High Commissioner Rachel Bedlington in the presence of representatives from the CLO, the Canadian High Commission, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and SAPSRI.

The new home owners also participated in the opening by lighting 20 oil lamps signifying the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. he Executive Director of SAP Sri Lanka Dr. Padma Ratnayake said the most pressing need for tsunami victims was shelter, it was also the most difficult to attend to.

"Due to difficulties of obtaining land, we took up the challenge to build new homes for selected families and purchased the land for the purpose', she said.