Flood victims given shelter
Nelsonian Jimmy Griffith has returned from a three-week trip to Sri Lanka to help victims of devastating floods and landslides.
Heavy rains from May 14 to 16 caused the worst flooding event to hit Sri Lanka in 25 years, triggering deadly landslides around the town of Aranayaka.
The heaviest rainfall was recorded on May 18 in Kegalle District of Sabaragamuwa Province, where 200 houses were thought to be buried.
Griffith went to Sri Lanka for three weeks as part of international disaster relief charity Shelterbox, to provide aid to those who had lost their houses, family and friends.
Shelterbox is called in to help out after a natural disaster, putting up tents and working with organisations such as World Vision and Red Cross.
The aid organisation provides those affected with a box filled with a range of equipment includ- ing a tent for an extended family, blankets, tools, mosquito nets, solar lamps, cooking utensils and even a children’s activity pack.
Shelterbox has been in Sri Lanka for a total of 11 weeks, during which 126 households comprising 395 individuals were given Shelterboxes in six camps in the town.
Griffith said it amazed him that the people they provided aid to had lost everything – homes and family and friends – but were very appreciative of a tent.
’’They’re so grateful because they’ve been living in schools, they’ve been in rooms with seven other families.’’
Griffith said the tents were strategically placed in their community, so that the inhabitants could still go to work and be surrounded by their family and friends.
‘‘It’s the first step to start rebuilding their lives.’’
In addition to being part of the Shelterbox response team, Griffith has set up his own charity, The Shortbread Trust, which helps Shelterbox with donations.
Shelterbox tents cost the charity $1500 to manufacture and are gifted to the families that will live in them.
The tents are meant to be a temporary solution, but can last up to several years.
In Sri Lanka, Griffith said he anticipated the tents would remain in the camps for other families to take over when the current occupants move into semi-permanent housing.