The Ismailpuram community housing project in Sammanthurai in Ampara district that consists of 193 houses, funded by the German Red Cross Society (GRC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) was handed over to the beneficiaries on 8th November .The chief guest was Minister of Housing Ferial Ashraf .
The German Red Cross (GRC), in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS), undertook the task of rebuilding the lives of tsunami victims who lived in Kalmunai by providing them with new homes on a large-scale permanent housing project in Ismailpuram with the necessary infrastructure such as water electricity access roads that would help these resettled communities return to lives of normalcy as soon as possible Families will also benefit from a pre-school, a community centre, commercial buildings
Addressing the handing over ceremony President of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society Jagath Abeysinghe said that the national Society in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and several Partner National Societies has contributed for construction of 28000 houses for tsunami affected families in the island and the majority of the beneficiaries are in the Eastern province. He also said Red Cross has become the largest organization that contributes for the development of the country.
Minister Ferial Ashraf in her address thanked the SLRCS ,IFRC and Partner National Societies including German Red Cross for helping the tsunami affected people in numerous way. She wished the growth of Red Cross from strength to strength to enable the Movement to work for more people.
National secretary of SLRCS S.H.Nimal Kumar Chairman of Ampara Branch Sunil Dissanayake Chairman.Red Cross Task Force Tissa Abeywickrama Head of delegation (IFRC) Paul Emes, and Andreas Lindner, country coordinator, GRC. were also present at the handing over ceremony.