Belgium's philanthropists assist tsunami hit fisherfolk
 

Wadduwa special correspondent

A Belgium philanthropist Maria Janssens who has visited Sri Lanka on more than thirty-occasions assisted the fishing community by constructing more than one hundred houses at Kalutara North closer to the sea-beach providing all basic needs.

Unfortunately all these dwelling houses were destroyed due to the tsunami tidal wave which struck the coastal areas on December 26, 2004.

When she saw the disaster on television in Belgium, the pathetic scenes and the destruction brought by the tsunami tidal wave, she visited Sri Lanka immediately to assist the affected people with a team of Belgium TV journalists and telecast to Belgium TV regarding the great destruction.

The people's sufferings on the coastal area specially to the fishing community were seen on Belgium TV. She was also surprised that the school building which she had constructed with her own efforts to impart English and Mathematics and to inculcate good health habits to children of the fishing community was completely destroyed and debris were to be seen in the area. However, she has collected sufficient funds from the philanthropists of Belgium, and returned to Sri Lanka to help the people and to reconstruct the houses once again away from one hundred meter buffer zone declared by the Government.

She has bought a block of land, four kilometers away from the sea-beach at Ethanamadala, Kalutara North. She intends to construct seventy five houses and the houses would be donated to displaced persons of the fishing community. She has also donated one hundred and fifty boats to the fishing community at Kalutara North from the funds she has collected from the philanthropists of Beglium.

Maria has also authored a book on Sri Lanka titled "Heaven and Hell" and said in conclusion that she has been deeply honoured and impressed by Sri Lanka and her people.

Gamini Ranasinghe and Ananda Ranasinghe the owners of Garden Beach Hotel, Kalutara North selected suitable persons who lost their houses in the tsunami catastrophe.