Successful completion of SLRT tsunami rehabilitation programme

Thanks to the confidence and financial support of all its donors (French Red Cross, Belgian Red Cross, Lions Clubs International Belgium, SLRT founders and numerous private donors) Solideal Loadstar Rehabilitation Trust could give a fast and effective response to the tidal wave disaster that hit Sri Lankan coast on 26th December 2004.

SLRT tackled the problem of the post tsunami reconstruction with a global approach of the situation by helping victims to overcome their trauma, give them back confidence, bringing them back to live by giving them livelihood, allowing children to go back to school and by giving them a decent and safe house.

At the end of June 2007, 2 and a half years after the disaster, SLRT has reached its objective of allowing persons affected by the tsunami to live in dignity:

Approximately 15,000 persons directly benefited SLRT assistance (25,000 indirectly) through its various programs detailed in this report.

Today, nearly 3,000 persons live in a decent and solidly built new house or in their house repaired with the assistance of SLRT. End March 2007, SLRT completed 726 permanent houses while 625 houses were initially planned. Similarly, achievements in the rehabilitation of the fishing industry, rehabilitation of the schools, temporary shelter, psychosocial programs and community development projects are higher than initially planned.

SLRT could accomplish it task with success in a rather complex context. In the continuity of the SLRT, SLRT trustees decided to pursue its developing efforts by creating a new Foundation named Building a Future Foundation (www.baflk.org).

A village is under construction in Pelena

24 Families are living in their new house in Pelena. In total the SLRT plans to rebuild 50 2-storey houses. All are located on the beneficiaries' land, where they had their house before the tsunami occurred.
These people who always used to live close to the ocean were never afraid of water. The children weren't scared to go to school by the beach, men went fishing and their families lived daily with and from the sea as a part of their life. 10 Months after the tsunami, some of them who got totally traumatized in a few minutes time, are now frightened. Even though they are ready to live close to sea, they want to feel safe, living in a house which provides a secure shelter upstairs if another tsunami ever hits Sri Lanka. 24 Families are living now in this newly reconstructed village which is progressing step by step. People are recovering their daily activities, children are going back to school already since many months, men restarted their job, women took up their tasks and everybody is organizing the village life.
The village is reviving by the rhythm of the inaugurations, celebrations and emotional moments, every time a family leaves the transitional camp where they lived for 10 months to return to the place where they always lived, with their friends and family. It definitely will take some time to pick up life as before, but these families with strong community ties, have now a solid basis to go on.

Un village se reconstruit à Pelena

24 Familles sont désormais installées dans leur nouvelle maison sur le site de Pelena. Sur ce terrain, SLRT a prévu de construire sur ce site 50 maisons à étages, toutes situées sur le terrain appartenant aux bénéficiaires de ces constructions, terrain sur lequel vivaient ces personnes avant le tsunami.
Avant le tsunami, ces personnes, habituées à la mer, ne craignaient pas la proximité de l'eau. Les enfants n'avaient pas peur de longer la plage pour aller à l'école, les hommes péchaient et leur famille côtoyaient quotidiennement cet élément, part entière de leur vie. 10 Mois après le tsunami, certaines personnes dont la vie a basculé en quelques minutes, ont peur et, si elles sont prêtes à vivre de nouveau près de la mer, elles souhaitent y vivre en sécurité, dans un logement qui leur permet de se réfugier à l'étage afin de les protéger et que la catastrophe qui a décimé leur village ne se reproduise pas. 24 Familles vivent désormais dans ce nouveau village qui se reconstruit peu à peu. Les personnes retrouvent leurs repères, les enfants retournent à l'école depuis plusieurs mois déjà, les hommes ont repris le travail, les femmes reprennent leurs activités et la vie du village s'organise.
Le village revit au rythme des différentes inaugurations, moments de fête et d'émotion dès qu'une nouvelle famille quitte le camp temporaire qui l'a accueilli pour revivre, enfin, dans son village, auprès des amis, de la famille. Prendre ses marques prendra quelque temps, sans doute, mais ces familles, liées entre elles par des liens immuables désormais, peuvent reconstruire leur vie sur des bases solides.

Achievements in 10 months of rehabilitation!

10 Months later, we can be proud of the work realized by our team! Thanks to the SLRT's action and to the mobilization of our teams on the field, 429 houses are today under construction, 24 families are already living in their new 2-storey house in Pelena, 2,460 people living in 7 transitional camps are receiving counseling and psycho-social assistance, 304 persons recovered their job thanks to our community development program, 4,550 children could return to school, 163 boats and 315 engines have been repaired together with the Belgian Army and 1,119 fishing nets have been handed over to the fishermen. Today, 4 new 28 feet boats have been built and handed over to their owner, each one allowing 5 families to recover their livelihood. More than 5,000 people have received the immediate relief, which the SLRT provided since a few hours after the tsunami and 1,828 persons have been identified, with the approval of the Government, to live in one of our housing schemes.

These achievements are the result of many months of hard work in collaboration with the people who have lost everything in this disaster! Our commitment is to assure a better future for everybody! We try to help them to recover a solid foundation and better living conditions, because we don't want our support to be in vain. Most of the people living in our intervention zone have recovered their job. Presently the focus is on construction of houses, in order to give everybody a home as soon as possible! 4 Housing projects are now in the pipeline! Daily the future beneficiaries are coming to follow the progress of their new home!

Nous travaillons pour eux!

9 Mois après le tsunami, nous pouvons être fiers du travail réalisé par nos équipes! Grâce à l'action du SLRT et à la mobilisation des équipes sur le terrain 429 maisons sont aujourd'hui en cours de construction, 24 familles vivent désormais dans leurs maisons à étage à Pelena, 2,460 personnes réparties dans 7 camps sont bénéficiaires de nos actions de conseil et de soutien psychologique, 304 personnes ont retrouvé leurs outils de travail grâce à notre action de soutien des communautés, 4,550 enfants sont retournés à l'école, 163 bateaux ont été réparés ainsi que 315 moteurs et 1,119 filets de pêche ont été distribués aux pêcheurs. Aujourd'hui 4 nouveaux bateaux de 28 pieds de long ont été construits et remis à leur propriétaire, chacun faisant vivre 5 familles de marins. Plus de 5,000 personnes ont bénéficié de l'aide d'urgence que nous avons mis en place dès les premiers jours et 1828 personnes ont d'ores et déjà été identifiées, et approuvées par le Gouvernement, pour faire partie de nos projets de reconstruction.

Ce travail, résultat de longs mois de travail de proximité avec ces personnes ayant tout perdu, nous le faisons pour eux: pour que ces personnes retrouvent des conditions de vie acceptables. Afin que notre soutien ne soit pas vain, nous essayons de les aider à retrouver des bases solides, et de meilleures conditions de vie. Aujourd'hui, la majorité des personnes ont retrouvé leurs outils de travail et nos efforts se concentrent sur la construction, pour que ces personnes retrouvent au plus tôt un foyer. 4 Chantiers sont actuellement en cours, et nous somme heureux de voir les bénéficiaires de ces projets venir suivre l'évolution des travaux de leur future maison!