Since
2006, the escalating conflict in the north and east of Sri Lanka
has led to various disruptions in post tsunami reconstruction
efforts. The conflict has displaced thousands of people from
their home areas, building contractors have struggled to reach
construction sites and the movement of building materials between
government and LTTE controlled areas has been restricted.
Under such circumstances rebuilding homes lost to the tsunami
hasn’t been easy. But the Red Cross has adapted to these
constraints by giving individual families responsibility for
managing the reconstruction process. This ‘owner driven’
approach has made significant progress.
Fifty year old fisherman Antonypillai Sebastiankurus and his
three sons are among 162 families in Mullaitivu district who
have now moved into houses that they helped to build under a
joint Sri Lanka Red Cross Society and the German Red Cross programme.
Anthonypillai took charge of hiring contractors and workers
who built the house while he and his family members chipped
in by helping to carry bricks, mix cement and plaster the walls.
In total almost 1,000 families in the district are being supported
under the project.
Adapting to circumstances
The German Red Cross initially provided construction material
to each household and helped to top up the government base grant
received by each family. But as Mullaitivu falls within territory
controlled by the LTTE government restrictions on bringing in
construction materials meant that a new approach was needed.
“It has been one of the most challenging projects for
us,” says Alfredo Melgarejo, the German Red Cross’
country coordinator. “The changes in the security situation
meant that we had to be pragmatic if we wanted to get the job
done.”
So, instead of bringing in the supplies the Red Cross decided
to support people to purchase wood, bricks and other construction
material themselves from the local market.
“We were worried that the Red Cross would pull out when
the security situation became bad but they have stuck by us
even though many other projects in the area have been suspended,”
says Antonypillai.
Further south in Batticaloa district the Austrian-Swiss Red
Cross has also been supporting an owner driven housing programme
in Kattankudy. Families in this neighbourhood are receiving
top up grants and technical support to rebuild their original
homes. Project manager Marianne Pecnik, feels that community
empowerment has been the key to the project running so smoothly.
“We know all the families and hold regular meetings with
them. Our engineers on site make daily visits to each house,”
she explains. So far 320 of the 370 houses in the project have
been completed.
A.L Ashraff’s home is testament to the success of the
programme. Despite running a small grocery business it has only
taken him four months to build his home with the help of local
masons and carpenters.
“I’m proud to have done this with the Red Cross.
They gave me the funds and advice but I was able to build the
house to my own design,” says Ashraff.
Seventeen kilometres south of Batticaloa the Irish Red Cross
is taking a twin track approach - building 50 houses using a
local contractor while giving a further 50 families cash grants
to rebuild the houses themselves. According to Irish Red Cross
construction delegate Nikhil Khanna, progress has been faster
on the owner driven sites.
“Rebuilding yourself gives a greater sense of ownership
and the quality is usually better,” he says. “It
also gives people greater flexibility and allows them to add
personal touches.’
Significant progress is also being made under the Community
Recovery and Reconstruction Partnership (The Partnership). The
Partnership was set up in 2006 by the Sri Lanka Red Cross and
the International Federation together with UN Habitat. The aim
is to provide financial and technical support to families who
are rebuilding. Approximately 60 million Swiss francs ($50 million
USD/ €36 million) has so far been committed by Red Cross
Red Crescent partners to The Partnership. These funds are being
used to provide base grants to approximately 12,000 families
while a further 6,000 families will also receive top up grants.
Across the north and east of Sri Lanka the Red Cross Red Crescent
is contributing to the construction of over 15,000 homes through
a variety of owner driven housing projects that involve collaboration
between the Sri Lanka Red Cross, the International Federation
and 11 Red Cross Red Crescent national societies. As of June
2007, Red Cross Red Crescent partners have either fully funded
or co-financed the construction of almost 10,000 houses in Sri
Lanka. By 2008 it is anticipated that the Red Cross will have
built, fully-funded or contributed co-financing to an estimated
26,500 homes.
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The
conflict in the north and east of Sri Lanka has led to
various disruptions in post tsunami reconstruction efforts.
The conflict has displaced thousands of people from their
home areas, building contractors have struggled to reach
construction sites and the movement of building materials
between government and LTTE controlled areas has been
restricted. But the Red Cross has adapted to these constraints
by giving individual families responsibility for managing
the reconstruction process. Photo: Robert Go/International
Federation (p16180)
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Family
members assist workers involved in the construction of
houses under a joint German Red Cross and Sri Lanka Red
Cross Society owner driven housing programme in Sri Lanka's
northern district of Mullaitivu. In total 979 families
in the district are being supported under the project.
(p16163)
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owners stand in front of houses constructed under a German
Red Cross project in Sri Lanka's northern district of
Mullaitivu. Mullaitivu falls within territory controlled
by the LTTE, so there are government restrictions on bringing
construction materials into the region. So, instead of
bringing in the supplies the Red Cross has supported people
to purchase wood, bricks and other construction materials
locally. (p16164) |
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workers build a unique house on columns in Puthukudiyiruppu
in Sri Lanka's eastern district of Batticaloa. The Irish
Red Cross is constructing 100 houses in the area, involving
a mix of houses on columns, and single story houses depending
on beneficiary selection. (p16165)
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