Caritas SED-Galle handed over six housing schemes to tsunami affected local communities in Matara. It is the second district in Southern province of Sri Lanka. Four divisional secretariat divisions of the district were heavily affected by Asian Tsunami tidal waves in December 2004.

98 high quality houses were build in 05 Urban Development Authority (UDA) housing schemes and 01 Co-Financing scheme with RADA.

Beneficiary selection
The particular Divisional Secretaries and their staff recommended tsunami victims for new houses and repairs. Caritas SED-Galle and other organizations and individuals received these recommended lists. Those who were allocated to CSG again checked and for support documents and observed at their original dwellings where possible. Then only they were verified by the district management and followed by the Father Director of CSG.

Site selection
UDA lands were first visited and collectively selected by the government officials and CSG. Then the sites with higher land suitability for housing were presented to the already selected beneficiaries.
Selection of house design
Three options were shown beneficiaries to choose the design of their own house. In addition to that already built houses in a Galle district housing scheme was visited with them. Some modifications were also made to the original design as requested by the beneficiary and approved by the construction engineer of CSG.

Considering soil condition and fluctuation of water table in Kambikoratuwa site a special design of septic tank was adopted.

Building of Houses
After selecting land and design of house the beneficiary, CSG and the government signed a MOU mentioning each party’s responsibility.

Land surveying, site cleaning and leveling were done by CSG in the UDA sites. In the other case, beneficiaries contributed to the process by cleaning their land and participated in setting out of new house.

Constructions were done through contractor out source method. Small-scale construction contractors were accordingly selected awarded a number of housing units matching with his capacity. An appointed construction supervisor under the guidance of a Technical Officer closely supervises the process. Completed houses were handed over to CSG after a issuing the final completion certification by the TO. Defects occurred during the liability period of the houses will be supposed to rectify by the particular contractors.

The particular beneficiaries contributed some of modifications for houses such as tiling floors and finishing ceiling.

Always quality of construction was assured in selecting quality materials, supervising construction and defect rectification.

Water supply
Houses of all UDA housing schemes were provided water supply by National Water Supply and Drainage Board.

Other facilities
In addition to the houses internal road network and drainage system were constructed by CSG in both UDA sites.

Retaining walls were built by CSG for houses where necessary in Kambikoratuwa site.

Community facilities
02 children’s parks were built by CSG in Kandagodalla and Mahawatte for the benefit of children of 45 houses.

Shelter Animation
Animation programs were conducted by CSG for the both UDA housing schemes to help the beneficiaries to shift to their new houses.

Caritas SED-Galle Srilanka - 2007 - Info@caritassedgalle.org

Affiliated to the National Secretariat for Justice, Peace & Human Development Commission of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka incorporated by Act No. 17 of 1983 of the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.