Red Cross builds 30,000 houses for tsunami-affected

Hiran H. Senewiratne

The Red Cross movement has already spent US $220 million to build 30,000 houses, upgrade healthcare centres, revamp water supply and drainage facilities in villages devastated by the tsunami in 2004, Red Cross officials said. "The tsunami was an unparalleled challenge to the Red Cross movement in Sri Lanka, which is now progressing well" Chairman Technical Support Unit Tissa Abeywickrama said.

The Red Cross has spent US $ 122 million on houses, US $ 39 million to build and upgrade 80 healthcare centers, US$60 million on water supply and drainage projects especially in the tsunami affected areas and US$ 1.5 million to construct 10 schools in those areas, Red Cross sources said. Sri Lanka Red Cross has a membership of 100,000 with 6,500 active members who have undertaken several welfare projects throughout the country to enhance the living standards of people, they said.