Launching the operation that would assist in areas of health, water and sanitation, shelter and relief the Sri Lanka Red Cross aims to provide the means to the severely affected to get back in to their normal lives. Accordingly Rs. 57 m. has been allocated for the next four months in Puttalam, Kalutara, Kegalle, Ratnapura, Gampaha and Colombo districts. These districts were identified as the most affected from recent floods that was brought in by incessant monsoon rains.

“Every year the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society along with its partners launch recovery operations such as this, after floods” says President of Sri Lanka Red Cross Jagath Abeysinghe. “One thing we do constantly is to ensure that people affected have means of getting back on their feet after a devastating experience”.

The program will see the Red Cross support in essential household assistance via distribution of 2,800 households with unconditional cash grants of LKR 10,000, through a one installment bank transfer, to fulfill the basic needs such as buying back essential household items, medicine and other personal requirements.

The Red Cross will also assist in water, sanitation and hygiene promotion interventions focusing on improving access to safe water and hygienic behaviors by cleaning wells which was contaminated by flood waters. Volunteers and staff members will also work on holding hygiene promotion awareness programmes on safe water, food handling, cleaning campaigns and vector controls.

“We are also focusing on Health and care by providing basic First Aid, and holding medical camps and dengue prevention activities, which we believe is a need of the hour, considering past operations” President Abeysinghe said.