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Sri Lanka

From disaster to new life

21/12/2006: Since the tsunami hit Sri Lanka and destroyed the livelihood of thousands of people and killed several thousands, DanChurchAid has been working through local partners to provide emergency assistance and to assist the affected population in recovering and rebuilding their lives. The work is challenging as Sri Lanka is also very much affected by the ongoing conflict between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE).

Mrs. Nagarasa Arulnayaki at work in her reopened grocery shop, December 2006

Peaceful village life before the tsunami

Before the tsunami stuck, 40-year-old Mrs. Nagarasa Arulnayaki lived a peaceful village life together with her husband and two children.

Mrs. Nagarasa’s husband was a fisherman and she owned a very small grocery shop in the poverty stricken and conflict affected village Vinayagapuram in Thirukovil division of Ampara District.

Tsunami and conflict affected Thirukovil
Ampara District in eastern part of Sri Lanka was badly affected by the tsunami. Thirukovil division in Ampara District is one of the divisions affected by war in the 1990s. Villagers were internally displaced and relocated to safe villages close by. They lost their properties and income sources. In 2002 when ceasefire agreement was signed between the Government and the LTTE, they were able to start their normal life. However, in 2004 Tsunami disaster made them once again to loose their properties and belongings.

Tsunami and conflict affected Thirukovil

Ampara District in eastern part of Sri Lanka was badly affected by the tsunami.

Thirukovil division in Ampara District is one of the divisions affected by war in the 1990s. Villagers were internally displaced and relocated to safe villages close by. They lost their properties and income sources. In 2002 when ceasefire agreement was signed between the Government and the LTTE, they were able to start their normal life. However, in 2004 Tsunami disaster made them once again to loose their properties and belongings.

The main sources of income of the people in Ampara District are paddy cultivation, fishing and animal husbandry. Their livelihoods were badly affected due to the tsunami and the conflict in the 1990s.

Dharshini Croos, who is a programme officer with DanChurchAid in Sri Lanka, explains:

“The livelihoods of the people were extremely affected by the tsunami, as people did no longer have access to their income sources and their fishing gears were also destroyed”.

Displacement and resettlement after the tsunami

Mrs. Nagarasa and her family were lucky enough to escape from the disastrous tsunami. They were displaced to one of the closest IDP camps.

Her house, her shop and the fishing gear were completely destroyed.

Her family accommodated in the camp for six months where she received relief assistance during the entire period. She was able to return to her village and start building her house, which is still on progress.

Mrs. Nagarasa Arulnayaki (to the left), outside her reopened grocery shop, and Dharshini Croos, programme officer with DanChurchAid

Mrs. Nagarasa Arulnayaki (to the left) outside her grocery shop with DanChurchAid programme officer in Sri Lanka, Dharshini Croos. December 2006

Mrs. Nagarasa’s grocery shop has reopened

Mrs. Nagarasa restarted her grocery shop with the livelihood assistance provided by DanChurchAid through the local partner SWOAD as micro credit.

Mrs. Nagarasa received a loan of DKK 1.500 (EURO 201) and restarted her shop by selling groceries, coconut, vegetables and drinks and expanding with many other goods added. She will pay back her loan within two years.

“I am very grateful that the Danish public contributed to our village, and thus enabled me to recover quickly from the terrible disaster. It has been crucial for us in trying to get our lives and incomes stabilized,” says Mrs. Nagarasa.

DanChurchAid and partners
DanchurchAid assisted tsunami affected IDPs of Thirukovil division by providing DKK 806 207 (EURO 108 158) for the livelihood rehabilitation project implemented through the local partner Social Welfare Organization of Ampara District (SWOAD). The DanChurchAid tsunami programme will continue helping people regain their livelihood until the end of 2008.

DanChurchAid and partners

DanchurchAid assisted tsunami affected IDPs of Thirukovil division by providing DKK 806 207 (EURO 108 158) for the livelihood rehabilitation project implemented through the local partner Social Welfare Organization of Ampara District (SWOAD).

The DanChurchAid tsunami programme will continue helping people regain their livelihood until the end of 2008.

DanChurchaid programme officer Dharshini Croos adds: “Through our partners, DanChurchAid has managed to provide vital livelihood assistance offering the affected people opportunities to start creating new income generating activities and not only depend on relief aid. Further, as part of our projects people have also gained access to crucial legal documents such as ID cards and property documents; enabling them to claim their right to basic services from the government as well.”

Mrs. Nagarasa is extremely happy that she received livelihood assistance which includes leadership and business related training programmes, marketing advices, quality assurance, guidance and extra support from SWOAD staff. She confirms that she has now increased her earnings compared to the pre Tsunami period and her savings rate increased by 100% in the post Tsunami period compared to the past.

By Jonas Ingemann Parby, Programme Officer, DanChurchAid