Highlights of the 7 months

Houses Completed - Over 90 homes have been rebuilt on existing properties and fitted with a beautiful garden and all essential furnishings. We have also provided 160 grants to families to fix their partially damaged homes, each grant is up to US$1,250. One hundreds homes have had electricity restored and 40 have been given permanent sanitation.

Housing Cluster Projects - We are currently working with the Victorian State Government, the City of Perth, WNS / AVIVA, LOLC, KPMG and other major donors to build over 200 new houses in modern style with all amenities from the families displaced by the 100m rule. For these projects the Foundation has purchased 2 lots of land in the village and is looking at more in the area.

Livelihoods - Over 200 individual requests have been met including sewing machines, carpentry tools, grocery stores, cows, coir machines, fishing equipment and many more. Two major clean up projects have employed over 300 villagers (funded by USAID and Mercy Corps), our cement block operation employs 10 people and a new coir and brush industry funded by Mercy Corps will soon being operation and employ 75 men and women.

Schools, Children's Needs and Sponsorships - We have facilitated the needs of the 05 damaged schools in the area as well as providing children with requirements from sports, musical and educational equipment. A beautiful children's library has been set up at the secretariat and around 90 children have been sponsored for educational needs.

Medical - the rainbow clinic see hundreds of patients each week and we have also reopened the maternity clinic for pregnant and Nursing mothers. We have also hosted international eye experts, pediatricians and homeopaths.

Staff and Volunteers - The Foundation employs 26 local staff at the Seenigama secretariat. These team members are mostly young men and women who have gained skills in computer use from taking Foundation of Goodness courses prior to the tsunami. They do an excellent job of working with the community to assist with the delivery of all projects. The tsunami has actually given them the chance to work in a productive and rewarding manner for the benefit of their friends and neighbors.

Sports - Regular volleyball and cricket matches have been facilitated and uplifted the spirit of the people. We have built a volleyball court in Seenigama and also sponsor the Seenigama team.

Community Activities - The Foundation hosted the amazing "Avurudu" Festival in April. The villagers absolutely loved the festivities which encompassed every age group in the village. We also celebrated Wesak Poya Day, hosted a concert by the legendary Gypsies Band and have other family activities hosted in the secretariat grounds. A monthly program ensures there are regular social events for children and all villagers.

Centre of Excellence - Plans continue to develop for the much anticipated Lahiru Centre of Excellence, which will be a state of the art Centre for learning, sports and vocational training for the young people of the area.

Handicrafts Centre - We recently opened a handicrafts centre of sell locally produced art, clothes and local gifts.

Computer and English Classes - These classes were key projects in the Foundation's pre tsunami work. They were re-established shortly after the event and we are still ensuring that hundreds of young people get access to English knowledge and Computer training. Sewing classes are also being undertaken.

Community Infrastructure - A full water and sanitation system will be designed for the village and all new clusters, a water purification system has been setup at the Seenigama secretariat and a Garbage disposal system is currently being designed. We have also rebuilt the children play ground.

Immediate Needs / Welfare - Twelve containers of goods have been delivered to the villagers. We also support individual requests for assistance which are assessed on a needs basis, including grocery packs for needy families.