Canada provides humanitarian support to ongoing relief efforts in Sri Lanka

Tuesday, 31 May 2016 00:34 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Government of Canada has provided CAD $310,000 (approximately Rs. 35 million) in support to humanitarian relief efforts in Sri Lanka in response to the May 2016 flooding and landslides.

This funding was disbursed through the Canadian Humanitarian Assistance Fund (CHAF) and the Emergency Disaster Assistance Fund (EDAF) of Global Affairs Canada and will support those most affected by the unprecedented rainfall and devastating floods in May 2016 which has resulted in tragic loss of life, injuries, missing, displaced and damages. Canadian funding will support up to 62,000 people.

From this allocation $150,000 will support Oxfam’s humanitarian response in Sri Lanka. The four month project (May 20-September 20, 2016) will focus on the sectors of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), non-food items, and cash transfers (cash-for-work for debris clearing) and will assist up to 2,000 families (IDP camps and host families) in the districts of Gampaha, Kegalle, Rathnapura and Puttalam. Oxfam Canada will implement the project with the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society and LEADS (Lanka Evangelical Alliance Development Service).

The remaining $160,000 has been allocated to support the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) appeal for Sri Lanka. Of this amount, an initial disbursement of $30,000 to the IFRC has supported the provision of emergency relief items, WASH, and school items to up to 4,000 families (20,000 people) in the immediate aftermath of the flooding and $130,000 has been provided to IFRC’s revised emergency relief operation to support approximately 40,000 people for 18 months through the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society.

The operation will focus on provision of shelter, relief items, livelihood recovery, preventive health, water and sanitation interventions, as well as community-based risk reduction and institutional disaster response capacity enhancement. Canada is supporting this emergency relief operation through the Canadian Red Cross Society.

“Canada and Canadians’ thoughts are with the people and the Government of Sri Lanka at this difficult time,” stated Shelley Whiting, High Commissioner of the Government of Canada to Sri Lanka. “I have been impressed and humbled by the response of friends, neighbours, coworkers, community organisations and the various levels of Government and communities to provide needed relief, assistance and comfort. I hope that this support from Canada, a longstanding friend and partner of Sri Lanka, will assist Sri Lankans who were most affected and contribute to efforts underway to begin the recovery process.”