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| Thursday, 20 January 2005 |
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by Nadira Gunatilleke World Vision Sri Lanka (WVSL), has reached an agreement with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse to build 104 houses for families who had lost their homes in Kirinda, National Director, World Vision Sri Lanka, Yu Hwa Li said. Addressing a press briefing held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, Colombo 7 yesterday, Li said that the Prime Minister has also requested them to build an additional 300 houses in the Hambantota district. The WVSL has planned to spend USD 10 million for the first phase of its relief program to be implemented within 3 months and USD 30 million will be spent over the second phase of the relief program to be implemented within one year. The emergency response and rehabilitation work of disaster affected areas and communities will significantly increase WVSL's country program which already consists of 21 long-term development programs in 12 districts and the ongoing rehabilitation in the conflict hit Northern and Eastern provinces. WVL pays special attention towards the children and WVSL projects cover about 49,000 Sri Lankan children. WVSL has received 50,000 mt. tonnes of Taiwan rice as tsunami relief and the rice will be given to the affected families without causing a problem in the local rice market. Low cost houses will be provided to tsunami victims without creating problems for the local cement and brick industry. The WVSL hopes to demonstrate its transparency in the handling of funds and the public will be made aware on this regularly. Responding to a question Li said that the cricket match held between the Asian team and the World team has raised around 14 million Australian dollars and Sri Lanka Cricket will receive about 500,000 Australian dollars. But Sri Lanka Cricket has demanded 30 per cent of the total proceeds. A decision will be taken shortly regarding the issue. The rest of the funds will be used through WVSL, he added. Vice President, Asia Pacific, of World Vision, Lynn Arnold, said that World Vision will allocate 120 million USD to provide relief for tsunami victims in the region for the next 12 months and 35 per cent of the total amount will be used to provide relief for Sri Lanka. Responding to a question posed by a journalist he said that the WVSL uses only four per cent of its funds for administration activities. |
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