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Sri Lanka

Federation-wide Tsunami Semi-annual Report 2004-2008: Sri Lanka Appeal No. 28/2004 (1 November 2007 to 30 April 2008)

Attachments

This report covers the period of 1 November 2007 to 30 April 2008, but reports cumulative totals from December 2004 onwards.

In a world of global challenges, continued poverty, inequity, and increasing vulnerability to disasters and disease, the International Federation with its global network, works to accomplish its Global Agenda, partnering with local community and civil society groups to prevent and alleviate human suffering from disasters, diseases and public health emergencies.

In brief

Executive Summary: During the six-month reporting period [November 2007 to April 2008], the Red Cross Red Crescent has completed projects representative of its wide ranging post-tsunami operation despite complexities in some operating environments. These include construction of new houses, extension and laying of new water pipelines, livelihoods support, reconstruction and rehabilitation of health infrastructure, building of both Sri Lanka Red Cross and community disaster risk management and reduction capacities. Around 42 percent of the Red Cross Red Crescent projects have been completed or are underway. Most of this progress is in the southern districts of Sri Lanka where implementation has not been affected by the conflict. In the north, where fighting continues, almost all projects remain suspended until the situation allows for implementation.

Much of the progress in project implementation has been in the housing sector, which is one of the largest components in the Red Cross Red Crescent post tsunami recovery programme. In the past six months alone, the Red Cross Red Crescent has provided 2,680 houses. Housing construction projects in Galle, Matara and Hambantota have been completed. To date, a total of 3,832 beneficiaries, of the 5,657 registered beneficiaries from the Community Recovery Reconstruction Partnership (CRRP), have started to receive top-up and full cost disbursements. Both community water and sanitation and construction safety equipment programmes are underway. The disbursement of funds under community water and sanitation and construction safety equipment programmes commenced during the first quarter of 2008.

There has also been progress in the health infrastructure projects component, where the Red Cross Red Crescent has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Health for implementation of 76 health infrastructure projects. Several of the smaller scale projects have been completed, while some of the larger scale projects are progressing well. Twenty five such projects have already been completed, 44 are underway and 7 projects are at the tendering or design phase. The scope of works includes the construction of new buildings as well as renovation and refurbishment of existing health facilities, together with the supply of new medical equipment.

To date, around 40 livelihood projects have been completed by the Red Cross Red Crescent. Approximately 25,000 families have been assisted through these projects and many of the long-term projects are continuing. Supporting newly resettled housing beneficiaries became the primary focus of most livelihood projects as they concentrated on providing these beneficiaries with cash grants to resume their normal lives. These projects have shown remarkable results as per the programme monitoring results.

Across the board, Red Cross Red Crescent partners in Sri Lanka are now taking on more collaborative and integrated approaches to programming, both between programme areas and through involving beneficiaries directly, as part of community-based initiatives. This approach increases both the efficiency and the quality of the projects.

As projects are completed, some Red Cross Red Crescent partners have begun implementing their exit strategies, with the Netherlands and Australian projects, plus the Taiwan Red Cross Organisation projects, being the latest to conclude in Sri Lanka.

Contact information:

For further information specifically related to the tsunami operation in Sri Lanka, please contact:

Federation country office in Sri Lanka:

Paul Emes (head of delegation), email: paul.emes@ifrc.org; phone +94 11 452 8698.

Federation secretariat in Geneva:

Lesley Schaffer (regional officer, the Maldives & Sri Lanka), email: lesley.schaffer@ifrc.org, phone: +41 22 730 4854

Priya Nair (grants officer, tsunami unit), email: priya.nair@ifrc.org; phone: +41 22 730 4295