Kalutara Bodhi Trust provides aid for flood victims; Tamils in London also contribute
Financial assistance for 112 families affected by the 2017 floods was handed over at the Kalutara Bodhi premises yesterday.
The event was jointly organised by the Kalutra Bodhi Trust, the Ratnam Foundation and National Savings Bank (NSB). The two associations provided Rs. 1 million each while the NSB provided Rs 500,000.
The selected families were those of teachers at Sunday Dhamma schools and parents of monks from the Kalutara District. All families had been affected when the overflowing Kalu Ganga damaged their homes and destroyed their furniture.
The welcome speech was made by Kalutara Bodhi Trust General Manger Janath Gunaratne, on behalf of President Ajitha De Zoysa. Mr Gunaratne also explained the objectives of the event.
He said the groundwork for the initiative had been made in London where the Kalutra Bodhi Trust President was during last May, when he learned of the disaster which severely affected the Southern part of the country.
“Meanwhile his friend Dr Vidya Harischandra ( a member of the Ratnam Foundation, which consists of members of the Tamil community resident in London) met him in London and promised to provide funds to help the affected people. Accordingly, the foundation donated Rs. 1 million which it had collected,” he said.
Mr Gunaratne explained that due to the assistance of the Ratnam Foundation they started the programme and expanded it by adding another million rupees from their organisation and also received Rs 500,000 from NSB.
Delivering the keynote oration, Venerable Thebuwana Piyananda Nayaka Thera stressed the importance of reconciliation and thanked the Ratnam Foundation for providing financial assistance for the programme.
Disaster Management Minister Anura Priydharshana Yapa who took part at the event as Chief Guest said Kalutara was one of the areas most severely affected by the floods.
He said the Ministry also was building 500 houses for the victims.
" T here are mat t e r s the Government alone can handle and matters that cannot be handled alone. Therefore we are thankful for the communities for gathering to help each other during difficult times,” he said.
The minister said that there could not be any issues and obstructions if the people were united.
He handed over financial assis- tance to 15 affected families afterwards and promised to provide a house for two visually handicapped Dhamma School teachers who claimed that their house was under the threat of landslides.