Singapore hands over S$3m educational college to Sri Lanka
- Collaborative effort by Singapore Red Cross and Singapore Sinhala Association
- Final reconstruction project funded by Tidal Waves Asia Fund (Singapore)
Sri Lanka, 25 July 2010 - The first Singaporean team to complete a reconstruction project in Sri Lanka after the 2004 Tsunami has wrapped the final project funded by Singapore's Tidal Waves Asia Fund. Chairman of the Singapore Red Cross, Mr Tee Tua Ba handed over the S$3 million (LKR 245.5 million) Sri Lanka-Singapore Friendship College to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a special ceremony today in the presence of 500 guests. (See Annex A for programme)
The only college with the capacity for 1,200 female students aged 13 to 18 years old in the district of Hambantota, the Sri Lanka-Singapore Friendship College is the fifth milestone project between the long time partners, Singapore Red Cross and the Singapore Sinhala Association. Prior to this, the two organisations collaborated on a series of projects aimed to restore normalcy. These included the construction of close to 200 houses; a barber shop and an internet café to spur livelihoods; community centres to strengthen social fabric; and schools to nurture the future.
Mr Tee Tua Ba enthused, "With the handover of the Sri Lanka-Singapore Friendship College, the Singapore Red Cross has further strengthened its position as the leading humanitarian organisation that effectively harnesses the resources of diverse individuals and institutions to serve humanity, particularly the vulnerable in our communities."
Hambantota along the south coast was among the hardest hit towns in Sri Lanka and remained flooded two months after the 2004 Tsunami struck. Relocated to an elevated site, the Sri Lanka-Singapore Friendship College features increased capacity, enhanced facilities and e-learning capabilities. It is also home to a dental clinic which will serve about 10,000 children and youths in the district. (See Annex B for details).
The Singapore Red Cross and the Tsunami Reconstruction Facilitation Committee have managed the Tidal Waves Asia Fund since January 2005. To date, close to 70 projects on healthcare, education, housing and community, and economic recovery and livelihood have been successfully implemented in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. (Refer to Annex C)
For more information or for high-resolution photos* of the event, please contact representatives of the Singapore Red Cross Corporate Communications:
Ms Carol Teo +65 6336 0269 x 272 / 9732 8052 carol.teo@redcross.org.sg
Ms Eileen Cher +65 6336 0269 x 273 / 9711 0409 eileen.cher@redcross.org.sg
[In Sri Lanka] Ms Sheena Conceicao +65 8153 2902