A rare joint venture in post-tsunami reconstruction

by a special correspondent

In Duwe Modera in Kosgoda in the Galle district we came across a group of villagers keenly involved in post - tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation. This hive of activity we found was caused by the beneficiaries of a project initiated by a non-profit company called IDEAS. The prospective beneficiaries had been motivated by IDEAS volunteers to take responsibility and participated in the reconstruction of their own houses.

Beneficiary participation has become the bottom line to this project. Six months after the tsunami, the beneficiaries themselves have built eleven houses, with tiled roofs, electricity and well water supplies. Nine of them are occupied.

We found that IDEAS is an acronym for Initiatives in Development of Entrepreneur Approaches and Strategies" a non profit company registered under the Sri Lanka companies Act. Its members are Sri Lankan professionals who reached the highest levels of service in the local public service and private sector and senior levels in the international civil service. Pre-tsunami they were pursuing the primary objectives of the organization and promoting small prospective entrepreneurs to get off the ground. For these activities they have been generating their own funds through consultancy services through management training programmes run by themselves. IDEAS was not in the business of emergency relief operations. However, when we spoke to IDEAS Chairman Lalit Godamunne, he revealed how IDEAS came to be involved in tsunami rehabilitation. With the tsunami disaster, friends of IDEAS both local and foreign prevailed on the management of IDEAS to throw in their experience into the area of tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation with assurances of funding. The funds available to IDEAS was hardly sufficient to embark on such a programme. It is this spontaneous goodwill and trust demonstrated by friends of IDEAS both local and living abroad that encouraged IDEAS to start a project in a tsunami hit area.

Lalit Godamunne supported by his Council members Shakuntala Kuruppu, K. Gunaratnam, Ronni Weerakoon, Manel Abeysekera, Prof. K.K.Y. Perera, Nanada Abeywickrema among others decided thereafter to throw in their lot to tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation in addition to their regular programmes. To the flow of funds from both local and abroad must be added the free and voluntary support in time and energy thrown in by architects lawyers and young persons. Notably architect Chandra Gunewardene, Mahima Wijesinghe a young executive at Hatton National Bank, Dilip Jayawickrema a young entrepreneur and Anoja Seneviratne, fired by their desire to do their bit for our people.

With the outpouring of enormous goodwill and supported by this highly dedicated team of volunteers IDEAS decided to formulate an approach to tackling a difficult task. A two step plan was adopted. In the 1st stage, depending of fund availability, a housing programme was formulated where 10 houses would be built. In stage two, a livelihood programme very much on the lines of entrepreneur development would be introduced. Initially to those participating in the housing programme, and there-after spread to the rest of the village depending on availability of funds as we progress. In formulating its approach it was realized any intervention must be with the total commitment and involvement of those who were to benefit from such interventions.

IDEAS was not inclined to give hand outs or, in the case of housing, build houses and present them to tsunami victims. It had to be a joint effort with the major responsibility for field organization, site preparation and construction resting with the ultimate house owner. IDEAS would provide the funds with an upper limit in instalments as construction progressed. In addition, they would make available technical support by way of architectural expertise and site advice and monitor progress on a weekly basis in order to ensure that cash requirements were met without delay as work progressed. They would also use the weekly visits to obtain information to report to our various friends of how their money was being spent.

IDEAS management says the challenge was to motivate and excite the beneficiaries to commit themselves and take responsibility to the task of building their own house. This meant to a population devastated by the tsunami and left despondent, depressed and hopeless to pull themselves together and start rebuilding their shattered lives again. It is here the real commitment of our young volunteers came to play. Their enthusiasm was infectious and spread to the beneficiary participants. Soon each builder had mobilized his family both immediate and extended to make a joint effort.

Where carpenters and masons were required, the village found their own at reduced rates. Backed by the trust placed in them by giving each individual house owner cash installements to purchase their required building material, a level of confidence was soon built up, which we believe is the key to the speed and efficiency with which each beneficiary built his/her own house.