World Vision relief distributions begin in response to heavy rains

Colombo - 20 May 2016 As the number of people affected by the severe weather conditions increases, World Vision has declared the situation an emergency and is responding accordingly.

World Vision aims to help some 5,000 families with relief and recovery assistance, and another 3,500 families after the initial relief response.

"Our goal is to ensure that children and their families affected by this disaster are supported with life-saving assistance."

"Our goal is to ensure that children and their families affected by this disaster are supported with life-saving assistance and their dignity restored as they return home,” said Amenthi Jasinghe-Dabare, World Vision Sri Lanka’s Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs Manager.

“Immediate relief will include non-food relief items, personal and community sanitation and hygiene, drinking water, child protection and education provision, and assistance in search and rescue operations,” she said.

World Vision Lanka in coordination with Divisional Secretariat (DS) officials in 6 locations including Wattala and Aranayaka have utilised prepositioned stocks and National Emergency Preparedness Relief Funds to conduct immediate responses.

Already relief items including 565 hygiene kits, 300 tarpaulins, 50 baby kits, 1,440 cooked food packs, 200 water bottles, and 250 jerry cans have been distributed.

“We as a nation have faced disaster in the past but we are resilient and together we will face the challenges and rebuild lives of the affected people,” said Jonathan Johnson, Interim National Director of World Vision Sri Lanka.

“We appeal to everyone to join us to support the relief and recovery of the affected areas. World Vision is working collaboratively with the government, the police, the donor communities, and the private sector, in this endeavor,’’ he said.

World Vision has already set-up Child Friendly Spaces in identified camps to provide a safe place for children. The Spaces are equipped and managed in tandem with the DS officials on the ground to assist children’s lives return to normalcy and to offer them necessary psycho-social support.