Sri Lanka was one of the countries hardest-hit by the December 26, 2004 tsunami. Over 261,000 families were personally affected—losing a loved one, a home or a business—and more than 30,000 people died. Entire communities were destroyed, causing millions upon millions of dollars in damage. The east coast of the island faced the initial impact and bore the brunt of the wave.

Batticaloa district is located on the eastern coast of Sri Lanka. Thousands of its residents were killed by the tsunami and thousands more were displaced. Children were among the most vulnerable to the disaster; not only did many perish in the wave, still more lost parents and caretakers. Few families were spared the loss of a home or school. One in every ten schools in Batticaloa district was destroyed by the tsunami—more than in any other part of Sri Lanka.

Unfortunately, even before the tsunami hit, the people in Batticaloa district was recovering from twenty years of conflict in Sri Lanka. Like the tsunami, the fighting displaced thousands of people and left thousands of children as orphans. After years of fighting, schools and orphanages were already badly rundown and stretched to their limits. Landmines dotted the landscape, making travel extremely precarious and claiming hundreds more children as victims. The tsunami only aggravated these difficult conditions.

In the time since the disaster, various organizations have responded to the humanitarian crisis in Batticaloa district by focusing on the needs of children. Gradually, they are helping rebuild the lives of children who, even before the tsunami, were struggling to survive. However, some groups have still not received the assistance they need to live with dignity.

Working together with local government officials and other nongovernmental organizations in Batticaloa district, the Sewalanka Foundation has identified some of the most vulnerable groups in the area, such as displaced families and orphans, and is working to help them and the communities who traditionally support them. NetAid World Schoolhouse funds raised in the Asian Tsunami appeal have supported in these reconstruction efforts.

The process of reconstruction will be a long one, supported throughout by the Sewalanka Foundation.

Project images provided by the Sewalanka Foundation.