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BENEFICIARY: Soodin Family

LOCATION: Hambantota, Sri Lanka

PROJECT: New Home Construction

PROJECT DATE: April, 2010

ORIGINAL DISASTER: House destroyed, December 2004 tsunami

In Hambantota, a town in southern Sri Lanka which was very hard hit by the tsunami in 2004—fifty thousand were killed, with hundreds of thousands displaced, and thousands of orphans created—MicroAid built a house for the Soodin family. They were very poor to begin with and over the years, many an INGO had promised to help, but never came through. Mr. Soodin is an industrious brick maker, but is living hand-to-mouth as he supports his wife, three sons, and three daughters. All the kids are going to school, except for one of the sons who works at the salt factory.

As a humanitarian project, the measure of this one will not be in how we helped “build capacity” or “affected productivity,” it will be in how many nights this family lives under a real roof, surrounded by solid walls, with a modicum of privacy, rather than living in a cramped, corrugated-tin shanty!

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BENEFICIARY: Thaya Family

LOCATION: Kallady, Batticaloa, Sri Lanka

PROJECT: House Completion/Security, 3 Doors & 2 Windows

PROJECT DATE: March, 2010

ORIGINAL DISASTER: House destroyed, December, 2004 tsunami

MicroAid provided windows and doors to two tsunami families who, after their homes were washed away, were just handed money to rebuild. Well, needless to say, most of these simple people did not know how to budget for construction and were targeted by unscrupulous “contractors,” so most were left with half-completed and inadequate homes. The international agencies that gave them the cash (and you would recognize the big names) never did any follow-up to see how the money was spent, or if the people were OK. Until MicroAid showed up last year, no one had checked in on them.

Mrs. Thaya has three sons and tries to make ends meet by running a “boutique.”  When I asked where it was, she pointed to the hut in the corner of the compound.  The place does a brisk business with locals stopping by to pick up odd and ends.  Mrs. Thaya also supports her husband who was disabled in an accident when he was working at a bakery.  He lost an eye and was dismissed because he could no longer do his job.  There is no workman’s comp here.

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BENEFICIARY: Nagakanni Family

LOCATION: Kallady, Batticaloa, Sri Lanka

PROJECT: House Completion/Security, 2 Doors & 4 Windows

PROJECT DATE: March, 2010

ORIGINAL DISASTER: House destroyed, December, 2004 Tsunami

Mrs. Nagakanni’s husband, a fisherman, had been abducted by the LTTE and then imprisoned for seven years.  He was away when the tsunami struck and destroyed their home.  They have a son and four daughters.  Their uncompleted house was designed with expensive, fancy arched openings for the front doors and window—a ridiculous design element given the circumstances and budget.  There are no standard sizes here; each opening is a different dimension.  Consequently, every frame, window, and door has to be custom made by a mill, then installed by a mason, then finished by another carpenter (in addition to grillwork done by a welder), making this the most expensive part of the house.  Both families helped by providing their own labor, and meals for the workers.  MicroAid  provided them with the dignity of a house with some security, privacy, light and ventilation.  They now have a home and not a dark depressing cave!

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BENEFICIARY: Piumi Iniwinna

LOCATION: Siribopura, Hambantota, Sri Lanka

PROJECT: 3 year educational scholarship

PROJECT DATE: March 2010, ongoing for 3 years

ORIGINAL DISASTER: Mother killed, father paralyzed, December, 2004 tsunami

MicroAid will be supporting the education of this tsunami orphan for three years of primary school—otherwise it would have been a major struggle for her to attend. We will supply workbooks, transportation, lunch, additional tutoring, some doctoring (if needed), and shoes. Her father was paralyzed and her mother was killed at the Sunday market near the harbor, which was jammed packed the morning of the tsunami. She was taken in by her aunt, and wants to be a teacher when she grows up. She is 8 years old in the 3rd grade. Through our local partner, The Woman’s Development Federation, which runs the wonderful scholarship program, we will keep track of Piumi as she pursues an education and a brighter future. After three years, we can evaluate whether to support her academic efforts for another three.

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BENEFICIARY: Anukala Shashibani

LOCATION: Maurapura, Hambantota, Sri Lanka

PROJECT: 3 year educational scholarship

PROJECT DATE: March 2010, ongoing for 3 years

ORIGINAL DISASTER: Parents killed, December, 2004 tsunami

MicroAid will be supporting the education of this tsunami orphan for three years of primary school—otherwise it would have been a major struggle for her to attend. We will supply workbooks, transportation, lunch, additional tutoring, some doctoring (if needed), and shoes. Both her parents were killed at the Sunday market near the harbor, which was jammed packed the morning of the tsunami. She was taken in by her grandmother, and like Piumi, wants to be a teacher when she grows up. She loves to dance and is very talented.  She is 10 years old in the 5th grade. Through our local partner, The Woman’s Development Federation, which runs the wonderful scholarship program, we will keep track of Anukala as she pursues an education and a brighter future. After three years, we can evaluate whether to support her academic efforts for another three.