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Kalametiya Rehabilitation
and Development Programme
Overview |
The
tsunami that hit Sri Lanka’s coastal areas on the 26th
December 2004 has caused widespread destruction. The official
death toll to date is estimated to be over 30,000 and in many
cases entire families have been swept away to sea. The number
of people displaced by the tsunami is reported to be approximately
one million. The Sri Lankan Government declared a state of
national emergency and continues to struggle to cope with
the enormity of the destruction left behind by this natural
catastrophe.
Kalametiya is a coastal
wetland system on the south coast of Sri Lanka in the Hambantota
District.The communities in
Kalametiya, that consist of Kalametiya village and several
neighbouring villages, typically represent a poor rural coastal
community predominantly engaged in the fisheries industry.
Read
more for details on the impact in Kalametiya.
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| Damaged
house in Kalametiya |
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Kalametiya Rehabilitation
and Development Trust
The Kalametiya Rehabilitation
and Development Trust (KRDT) Fund was
set up to initiate activities for the rehabilitation and reconstruction
of villages in the Kalametiya area that were affected by the tsunami.
It will also continue to support these villages in meeting their
aspirations in a sustainable manner beyond their recovery from the
tsunami. The KRDT was established in accordance with Sri Lankan
law under the Trust Ordinance No. 9 of 1917 (as amended) by a group
of residents from Kalametiya and individuals who have been working
closely with the communities in Kalametiya over the last few years.
The KRDT will be managed by a Board of seven
Trustees who are professionals from diverse backgrounds. This group
of individuals, together with other partners, will utilize their
professional skills, understanding of the local community and social
networks in Kalametiya to ensure that relief is directed towards
those that need it the most.The KRDT proposes to work through the
local village societies such as the fisheries cooperatives to assess
the scale of the damage and determine thereafter what is realistically
achievable through the Trust Fund.The KRDTwill work closely with
community members to ensure transparency right down to the grass-root
level.
For more information on the relief efforts at Kalametiya, please
contact: krdtrust@gmail.com
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