Thursday, 25 December 2014 00:42
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Reuters: Seenigama village in Sri Lanka’s popular tourist district of Galle was one of the areas worst-hit by the 26 December tsunami which struck 10 years ago, killing one person in every four.
109 kilometres from the island nation’s capital of Colombo, Seenigama villagers did not believe they would ever recover from the misery, death and destruction that the tragedy brought.
Hopes were shattered and hundreds of families mourned the deaths of their loved ones.
Tens of thousands of homes, schools and local businesses were devastated and the livelihoods of poor fishing communities were lost. But Seenigma residents were luckier than many in Sri Lanka; they had a small local based charity that was intent on changing lives.
The Foundation of Goodness was founded by Kushil Gunasekera, a businessman and manager of now-retired cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan, who comes from Seenigama.
“We were fortunate because we had the Foundation of Goodness up and running at the time. So, we were able to harness the wave of compassion to overpower the waves of destruction and rebuild better. So, what we have done here is establish a rural community, a holistic kind of model, that empowers rural, disadvantaged children, youth, women and the elderly,” he said.
At the charity headquarters there is a school, and free training is available, ranging from office skills to health and dental care. Many of the participants lost family members or their homes in the tsunami.
Some of the local youths are now employed in one of the foundation’s back rooms, working in collaboration with Sri Lankan investment company John Keells Holdings, and a major US firm.
A new housing estate has been built for those who lost their homes.
These houses are different. Built on two storeys, they give people extra safety in the event of another tsunami.
Deva Karunawathi lost seven members of her family in the tidal wave, including her mother, sister and grand-daughter. None of their bodies were ever found but still she is optimistic about the future.
“Can’t complain, things are good. We didn’t own a house to live in and we now have got one. The children have found employment,” said the 60-year-old, who lives in one of the Foundation’s houses.
The charity also has facilities to train children to play cricket and learn to swim and dive.
“There was no sports centre 10 years ago. When the tsunami struck on 26 December 2004, there was total destruction. Debris all over, although we are about 200 metres from the sea, there was five feet of water that came into these areas as well,” said the head of the sports centre Anura de Silva.
Bolstered by donations, the community rebuilding project is helping people from around 35 villages.
Already the sports academy has produced two national cricketers and another, who has made it to the junior level.
“Plenty of things we have achieved and a good example is here. You see at the back all the girls and boys who have achieved recognition at a national level,” de Silva added.
The non-government project costs one million US dollars annually and is funded by donors.
The cricket ground was financed by England’s Surrey Cricket Club, while the swimming pool was funded by the Canadian pop star Bryan Adams.
