15.10.10
The Danish Refugee Council constructs 455 shelters for returnees in villages in Northern Sri Lanka with the support of ECHO.
By Rob Drouen, the Danish Refugee Council, Vavuniya
In July 2010, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) started the construction of transitional shelters for 455 families in Northern Sri Lanka. Through the construction activities shelters will be provided to 235 families in the Jaffna District and to 220 families in the Killinochchi District. The financial support for the project has come from the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO), enabling the launching of the project this summer after the approval by the Sri Lankan Presidential Task Force.
Massive needs for shelter
In Killinochchi District, almost 7,000 families have returned up to now. There, the DRC/ECHO shelters are constructed in Kandavallai Division by locally hired skilled labourers and where possible also the beneficiary.
With such high needs for shelter, priority has been given so far only to the most vulnerable returnee families. These have been the families with less ability to build shelters for themselves as households that are female-headed, households with families where there is an absence of an able-bodied, households with a non-elderly male, or households with five or more dependents.
Paving the way for returnees
The last major wave of displacement took place from April 2008 to May 2009 where renewed conflict forced people from their homes in the Vanni. In total, an estimated 275,000 people became displaced from the Vanni towards mainly the Menik Farm camp in Vavuniya District and to a lesser extend to Jaffna, Trincomalee and Mannar Districts. Following the start of de-mining activities since October 2009, people have gradually been returning to their areas of origin. Upon return, the families received each a six months food rations, non-food items return kits and in principle a 25,000 LKR shelter grant.
Most returnees as well as representatives from public authorities indicated that for them the highest priority was the construction of shelters as the conflict has left many homes damaged or destroyed. With the upcoming rainy season starting in October, the need for shelters has become even more urgent.
Learn more about the people for whom the DRC is working in Sri Lanka
Mr. K, a 47-year-old fisherman, along with his wife and four children in just a few months, from December 2008 to March 2009, were displaced seven times, and ended in the Menik Farm. As the family returned to their village after one year, they found their home burnt and completely destroyed. With a tarpaulin sheet they made a provisional shelter for the family, a shelter not only with very limited space, but also with new dangers.
“In the last four months I have killed five snakes within the shelter, and that the space here is too small for the children to study” Mr. K tells.
During heavy rains in the beginning of September, flooding damaged their WFP dry food ration and some of the clothes. Now, the family has been selected for the DRC/ECHO transitional shelter project, promising them a safer home before the rain season starts. Already, Mr. K has started to prepare the land for the shelter construction solving at least one of their urgent needs.
“Fishing nearby is not yet possible and there is no other jobs available, so I still don’t know how I will be able to support my family” Mr K. tells.
Mrs. Y, a 43-year-old widow is alone with 6 children. In 1992, the family displaced towards Kandevallai. As they were forced to leave their home in January 2009, the family managed to make their way to the governmental controlled area.
After having lived in a camp with other displaced families for nine months, they were transferred to Menik Farm. A few months later, the family returned to their village only to find their home completely destroyed. This forced them to live under very harsh conditions with a shelter made from tarpaulin sheets and another one with cadjan, the traditional straw mats.
In August 2010, the DRC started the construction of the transitional shelter for Mrs. Y and her family.
“The new house will help me to a safe environment for my children and it will give privacy for the family. There will be enough space for the children to study at home and the shelter will protect us from flooding”. Mrs. Y now hopes to soon receive livelihood assistance in the form of poultry in order to sustain the family.
Mr V. is 47 years old, he is blind and so is the woman he married in 2003. The couple now has two sons, one who is six years old and the other three, with the youngest boy also being blind. For most daily activities, they depend on their oldest son who despite his young age is playing a crucial role in many matters, being the only eyes of the family.
Before being displaced in January 2009, Mr V worked as a teacher in a school for disabled, and through this job managed to have a good income. After several displacements, and with the oldest son wounded, they received a travel pass in April 2009 to be evacuated to Trincomalee hospital. After treatment, they were transferred to Menik Farm.
In May 2010, the family returned to Kandavallai Division where they found their house destroyed. Wit the support of a neighbor, a small shelter was made with tarpaulin. Rain, scorpions and insects constantly entered the shelter. Since they cooked there too, the family often got burns from being too close to the fire. Recently, the family could move into their new home as DRC handed over transitional shelter to this family.
“This shelter will protect my family from flooding, and from insects and snakes. And hopefully it will also prevent more accidents during cooking” Mr V tells.
The main concern of Mr V is how to support his family since at present they have no income and depend entirely on the support from outside.
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) construction of transitional shelter is a first phase of an integrated approach for assistance in Kandevallai Division. In September/October, a livelihood assistance project will start followed by economic and community infrastructure rehabilitation.
The DRC was established in Sri Lanka in 1998. Today, DRC has offices and activities in the following districts: Vavuniya (Head Office), Jaffna, Killinochchi (office re-opened in August 2010), Mullaitivu, Trincomalee, and a liaison office in Colombo.
