The document discusses a visit by Johan Schaar, the Federation's Special Representative for the Tsunami Operation in Sri Lanka, to provide an appraisal of the Red Cross Red Crescent recovery operation. Some key points: 1) Schaar emphasized the need for humanitarian actors to be pragmatic and flexible to meet the changing realities on the ground and identify the most people-centered approaches. 2) He stressed the importance of advocacy to ensure the needs of marginalized people are heard. 3) The biggest challenge is delivering sustainable reconstruction projects that communities genuinely want and which will support livelihoods in the long-term. 4) Updates are provided on ongoing recovery efforts including temporary shelter upgrades,

1. Schaar also said that humanitarian agencies should not
be surprised at some of the problems and issues that
need to be overcome, given the scale and complex-
ity of the overall recovery effort. “The resources avail-
able for post-tsunami recovery do not make them go
away”, he explained. “The humanitarian community has
learnt a lot during the past year and as the Red Cross
Red Crescent, we need to look at
these lessons and be very open
to combining our resources within
the Movement as well as seeking
partnerships with others. The end
result will lead to greater impact in
our programmes.”
On a final note of caution, Schaar
stressed that while the post-tsu-
nami response is clearly into the
reconstruction and rehabilitation
stage, it is important to remember
that there are still people facing
emergency needs which should
not be overlooked. As well meeting long term targets
in areas such as housing and livelihoods, ensuring that
people who remain in temporary shelters have clean wa-
ter and decent sanitation, should be a priority.
Update
Update
The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement
Tsunami Recovery operation in Sri Lanka
ICRC
Issue 4: Jan 20th 2006 - Feb 20th 2006
The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement in Sri Lanka is comprised of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society
(SLRCS), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (Federation), the Inter-
national Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and 23 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Federation Special Representative urges
flexible approach to meet beneficiary needs
On a recent visit to Sri Lanka, Johan Schaar, the Federa-
tion’s Special Representative for the Tsunami Operation,
highlighted the need for humanitarian actors engaged in
post-tsunami recovery to be pragmatic in their efforts to
assist the most vulnerable communi-
ties. During his five day visit, Schaar
was able to visit Red Cross projects
in Trincomalee and Kilinochichi. In
his appraisal of the Red Cross Red
Crescent recovery operation he said
that programming should react and
adapt to the changing realities on the
ground without being constrained by
solutions that may no longer be rel-
evant or appropriate.
“We should be flexible and open to
change, this means identifying and
adopting the most successful, quick
and people-centred approaches in our programming.”
Schaar also stressed the need for greater efforts to be
made in advocacy. “We must remember the people who
are clearly marginalised and have little or no voice; the
Red Cross Red Crescent Movement should be prepared
to speak out on their behalf to make sure their needs
and rights are respected.”
According to Schaar, the biggest challenge currently
is to deliver the kind of sustainable reconstruction and
rehabilitation projects that people genuinely want. “We
cannot take short cuts however eager we are to help”,
he cautioned. “Our success will be judged five years
from now on whether there are people living in the com-
munities that we have built and whether those people
have secure livelihoods”.
Upgrading of transitional shelters continues P. 2
FOCUS on Community Based Health P. 3
Mushroom cultivation helps restore livelihoods in Kalutara P. 4
New unit to strengthen community participation P. 5
HIGHLIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS HIG
1
International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Federation Special Representative - Johan Schaar

2. Upgrading of WatSan facilities continues
at temporary shelter sites
Almost thirty short term projects across 7 districts are un-
derway or have been completed to assist in the task of
maintaining and upgrading water and sanitation facilities
in temporary camps. These works include the construc-
tion of bunds to prevent flooding at sites, construction
of toilets and drainage facilities and installation of water
storage tanks.
In Hambantota, the Australian Red Cross recently con-
structed a 20-meter long bund along the fence line at the
‘Muslim IDP camp’ site to prevent flooding. They have
also constructed toilets, installed water storage tanks and
showers and improved drainage facilities at the camp.
The Australian Red Cross continues to provide 11,000
liters of drinking water daily to tsunami-affected families
in the Hathugalle IDP camp, benefiting a total of 500 peo-
ple. In Trincomalee District, the Hong Kong branch of the
Red Cross Society of China has constructed toilets and
wells, and has installed storage tanks at 3 sites.
The French Red Cross is upgrading 120 latrines and
has cleared a 2km stretch of blocked drainage systems
in two camps in Kumari in Ampara District. The French
Red Cross is also establishing a water production plant
in Sammanthurai following an outbreak of Hepatitis A in
the area. The Federation is working in five camps in Am-
para where improvements are being made to sanitation
facilities, including the construction of waste soakage
pits, piping and provision of a water pump. Similar work
has been completed in the Al Bahriya Mosque, Dharul
Falal School, and Al Hijra School camps – benefiting 405
families.
Also in Ampara, the German Red Cross is active at 8
sites across the Addalachenai Division, where it has
cleaned a total of 244 wells, upgraded and reconstructed
98 shelters and provided repair kits to 220 families. The
German Red Cross continues to produce over 200,000
liters of water per day from two water production plants
in Ampara, most of which is taken by water bowsers to
supply temporary camps in the district. The German Red
Cross has also upgraded 194 shelters in Mullaitivu after
the flooding that took place in November.
In the Poduyaya camp in Angulana, the Federation has
completed construction of 2 new soakage pits and 2 new
water points. The improvements will benefit 170 families
living in the camp. At Dodalla camp in Galle District where
50 families presently live, a shower area and soakage
pits were constructed. Drainage facilities were improved
or constructed at the Morakola camp in Galle and at the
Gemunu camp in Matara.
The Canadian Red Cross and the SLRCS Colombo City
branch are undertaking an assessment of transitional
camps in Colombo city. The St-Meris’s, Bonvistar and
Vistwik camps built by the government and managed by
the SLRCS are hosting a total of 233 tsunami affected
families. The assessment team will determine the need
to continue distributions of relief items which are due to
end this month. As well as improving conditions in the
camps by installing additional water taps, showers, toi-
lets and sewage systems, the Canadian Red Cross has
provided families with hygiene kits, milk and sugar sup-
plements as well as sleeping mattresses.
Federation collaborates with IWMI on
WatSan training
On 2 February, the Federation co-sponsored a two day
training session on well monitoring theory and method-
ologies, undertaken in cooperation with the Colombo-
based International Water Management Institute (IWMI).
15 participants underwent the training including 6 Feder-
ation water and sanitation project officers from Ampara,
Galle and Matara. The training included sessions on mi-
cro-biological testing and instruction in equipment to test
water salinity and conductivity. Researchers from IWMI
also explained to participants how to detect the preva-
lence of mosquito larvae in household wells. The Red
Cross Red Crescent has an extensive well cleaning pro-
gramme that includes monitoring of water quality. This
programme has focused on the North and East and will
soon be expanded to include Galle and Matara districts.
2
A Federation WatSan engineer puts the finishing touches to an artificial
wetland that will provide natural treatment to camp effluent.
In the North and East, Red Cross teams have cleaned over 5500
household wells since the tsunami

3. Permanent Housing Update
The Red Cross Red Crescent permanent housing pro-
gramme is progressing well with close to 2000 homes
currently under various stages of construction. In Trin-
comalee, the Japanese Red Cross is near to completing
53 houses on the Ranjith Kodikara site where 60 homes
will be built. In February the Japanese Red Cross togeth-
er with the SLRCS held a ground-breaking ceremony at
the 5th Mile Post site where work commences this week
on a further 71 houses. In Batticaloa the Irish Red Cross
has begun construction on 50 houses at Arayanpathi and
the Federation has completed foundations for 16 houses
at Uriyankaddu where 58 homes will be built. The Irish
Red Cross is also working on the Janaraja Vidyalaya site
in Kalutara where construction has been completed up
to the first floor level on 64 two-storey apartments. At the
Lagos Watta 2 site in Kalutara, the Spanish Red Cross
is building 69 houses out which 20 have been completed
up to roof level. In Matara district the 18 houses being
built by the Federation at Kananke Watte will be com-
pleted by the end of March and at another site at Kon-
gala Hena, 24 foundations have been laid and block
work has reached up to roof level on 12 houses.
FOCUS on Community Based Health
The Red Cross Red Crescent Community Based Health
Programme (CBHP) is currently being implemented in 14
districts across Sri Lanka. Working mostly in rural areas,
trained Red Cross Community Health volunteers and
Community Health promoters are acting to maintain ef-
ficient health services through a variety of programmes.
Working closely with government health officials, the
CBH teams aim to reduce communicable diseases, pro-
vide maternal care and offer First Aid services.
‘The main aim of the project is to reduce vulnerability
to disease by empowering communities to achieve and
sustain good health’, says Dr.Lanka Dissanayake, the
Executive Director for Health at the SLRCS.
Districts and divisions targeted under the Commu-
nity Based Health Programme are carefully selected
through a process know as Participatory Rapid Assess-
ment (PRA) – followed by a baseline study prior to the
commencement of the project. A Red Cross community
based health framework has been developed for projects
across the island, to guide project implementation and
guarantee a standard degree of training for all involved
staff and volunteers, as well as ensuring the most effec-
tive, impact based assistance for local communities.
In the North and East alone, over 250 community based
staff and volunteers have been trained to provide com-
munity based health support through an integrated
project with ICRC (working in the region for over 20
years), SLRCS and various other components of the
Red Cross Red Crescent Movement.
The Japanese Red Cross is running a specialist eye-
sight restoration and vision correction programme in
Trincomalee, providing eye screening, issuing specta-
cles, and referring patients for cataract operations where
needed. So far, the medical team has held 20 eye camps,
and screened 3363 patients – 285 of whom underwent
3
Construction nears completion on 60 new homes built by the Japa-
nese Red Cross in Trincomalee
needed. So far, the medical team has held 20 eye
camps, and screened 3363 patients – 285 of whom un-
derwent cataract operations and 2,841 who received
spectacles.
In Ampara, Anuradhapura, Galle, Kalutara, Polon-
naruwa, and Puttalam the community based health
projects are underway with selection of candidates and
training of staff and volunteers. Another pre-tsunami
CBHP project in Kurunegala is currently being revised
to improve its effectiveness. In addition, assessments
and discussions with local health authorities are con-
tinuing to identify baseline indicators which indicate
current health-related issues and which will be used to
measure progress and impact of the projects.
Running in parallel with CBHP is the Red Cross first aid
programme. The plan for 2006 is to train or retrain first
aid instructors for each of SLRCS’s 26 branches. So far,
one course has been held in Sinhala with a second course
in Tamil planned for the end of February. Approximately
Building back buffer stocks
Between November and February, the Red Cross Red
Crescent responded to a variety of natural disasters
which included floods, landslides and urban fires. Emer-
gency relief stocks across the country were left severely
depleted. During February, non food relief items com-
prised of 10,000 hygiene kits, 20,000 hurricane lamps,
40,000 saris and sarongs and 1000 rolls of plastic sheet-
ing have been sent to replenish stocks in the North, East
and South of the country. In the South, the relief items will
be stored at the Federations regional warehouse in Galle
where the supplies can be easily distributed to SLRCS
branches in the South in the event of future emergencies.
In the North and East, supplies have been dispatched
to boost stocks held in Ampara, Batticaloa, Trincomalee,
Kilinochchi and Jaffna.

4. 50 first aid instructors will then train all SLRCS staff
and volunteers, including the Community Based Health
teams. SLRCS First aid volunteers provide vital services
at public events such as the Kandy Perahera and at poll-
ing stations during elections.
National Red Cross Societies working in the field of
Community based health and First Aid are: Australian
Red Cross, Canadian Red Cross, Finnish Red Cross,
Japanese Red Cross, Norwegian Red Cross, Spanish
Red Cross
SLRCS & Canadian Red Cross launch Com-
munity-Based Health Project in Vavuniya
An inauguration ceremony was held on the 10th of Feb-
ruary to mark the opening of the first SLRCS and Cana-
dian Red Cross Community Based Health (CBH) Project
in Cheddikulam, in the northern district of Vavuniya. The
ceremony was hosted by the Chairman of the SLRCS
Vavuniya branch, Dr. P. Satayalingam and was attended
by over 80 representatives of the community including
members of parliament and religious leaders.
The five-year joint initiative aims to develop and strength-
en the capacity of communities, families and individuals
to improve their health and living conditions through self-
help action, facilitated by the community, the SLRCS
and the government. The holistic approach will focus on
areas that include community health and psychosocial
support. The focal point of the community initiatives as
well as other CBH project activities will be the develop-
ment of Community Health and Wellness Centers. All
activities will be facilitated through SLRCS staff and vol-
unteers trained in psychosocial intervention.
The Canadian Red Cross is simultaneously developing
CBH projects in three other vulnerable districts, Tawala-
ma in Galle, Horowupotana in Anaradhapura and Alut-
Oya & Pimburattrewa in Polonnaruwa. The team for
each project will include one branch coordinator, up to
five community health promoters and up to ten SLRCS
volunteers. A total of 1000 families in each district will
benefit from the project.
The Canadian Red Cross has adopted a comprehensive
approach to providing assistance in Sri Lanka. It aims
to assist not only those directly affected by last Decem-
ber’s tsunami but also people indirectly affected in non-
coastal regions of the country
Temporary Nurse’s Training School inaugu-
rated in Ampara
On 11 February, the temporary nurse’s training school
erected by the Red Cross in Ampara was inaugurated by
the Deputy Minister of Health, Jayarathna Herath. The
fully equipped canvassed hall provided by the Norwegian
Red Cross will serve as an auditorium and is intended to
help the Ministry of Health in meeting its goal of training
15,000 nurses by 2015. The hall has been fully equipped
for training purposes with audio visual and IT facilities.
During his visit, the Deputy Minister also unveiled two
plaques. One marked the commencement of construc-
tion work on a permanent nurse’s training school that will
be undertaken by the Danish and Norwegian Red Cross
Societies. The second plaque marked the beginning of
construction of the new Accident and Emergency Unit of
Ampara Hospital to be built by the Federation.
Mushroom cultivation helps restore liveli-
hoods in Kalutara
Before the tsunami, Shamalie Dias was earning a good
living as an entrepreneur. She ran a small-scale mush-
room cultivation project which provided a steady income
along with the profits she made from the sale of cush-
ion covers and garments that she stitched with help from
four girls that she employed. But she lost everything to
4
Training Sri Lanka Red Cross volunteers in first aid will help save lives
in the event of future disasters
A new intake of trainee nurses gathers in the temporary nurse’s train-
ing school in Ampara donated by the Norwegian Red Cross

5. the tsunami including five computers that her sister used
for a small computer class that she ran.
A Spanish Red Cross supported mushroom cultiva-
tion project in her hometown of Kalutara just south of
the capital Colombo is now helping Shamalie regain
her livelihood through training, provision of equipment
and funding as well as identifying potential buyers of the
mushrooms that she cultivates.
A darkened room in her half built house doubles up as a
germination room for her mushroom spores. The neatly
wrapped plastic bags are then taken to a growing room
comprising a temporary shed made from wood and plas-
tic sheeting that sits on the incomplete second floor of
her house. The temporary shed will soon be replaced
by a permanent room that the Red Cross is helping her
to build.
Shamalie and her mother are content. “The training and
equipment we received from the Red Cross has helped
us increase the yield of mushrooms. I gather several
hundred grams which earns us about Rs.300 every day”,
says Shamalie’s mother Ariyawathi.
Shamalie is eager to share her knowledge and help oth-
er families affected by the tsunami. She is now training 3
neighbours on how to grow mushrooms.
21 tsunami affected families are being assisted under
the existing mushroom cultivation project. In addition, the
Spanish Red Cross is helping to train other beneficiar-
ies in a range of livelihoods support projects that involve
food processing, nursery management, family business
garden and cinnamon cultivation.
“We are encouraged by the progress of this project”,
explains Marta Alejano Monge, Livelihoods Delegate
with the Spanish Red Cross. “The next step is to pro-
vide training to beneficiaries on how to register their
businesses with the local authorities, how to maintain a
proper accounting system as well as providing them with
the basics of running a small business”.
5
TRCO provides over 100 boats to tsunami-
affected fishermen
On 2 February, the Red Cross provided 125 tsunami-af-
fected fishermen from Colombo, Kalutara, Matara, Putta-
lam and Trincomalee with boats, engines and nets. This
is part of a wider boat manufacturing and distribution
project being undertaken by the SLRCS and the Taiwan
Red Cross Organisation (TRCO) aimed at restoring the
livelihoods of coastal fishing communities. During 2006,
550 boats will be manufactured and handed over to ben-
eficiaries. The sea-going FRP boats will be distributed
to marginalised fishermen who, for various reasons may
not have been included in earlier distributions made by
other organisations. The project will also include training
in boat repair and some beneficiaries will be provided
opportunities to learn new livelihoods or to enhance their
existing skills.
The boats are being manufactured using local expertise
to standards stipulated by the Fisheries Ministry. The
TRCO is also supporting a SLRCS project to construct
around 400 houses for tsunami affected families in Rat-
malana.
On 19th February a handing over ceremony took place
in Addalachenai as the SLRCS and the German Red
Cross distributed 20 fishing boats and outboard motors.
Further distributions of similar fishing equipment will take
place in March in Thirrukovil and Komari. Other liveli-
hoods projects undertaken by the German Red Cross
in Ampara include permanent housing construction, re-
habilitation of health facilities as well as large scale con-
struction of water infrastructure schemes.
New unit to strengthen community partici-
pation in tsunami recovery programmes
The Federation has recently established a community
development unit to ensure the full participation of Red
Cross Red Crescent beneficiaries in programme plan-
ning, implementation and monitoring. A Coordinator and
3 Community Development Officers (CDO) have been
appointed to improve upon and secure communication
with beneficiaries in resettlement areas where Federa-
tion programming in housing, water and sanitation and
support to transitional shelters is underway.
The CDOs are currently working in Batticaloa, Matara
and Galle, where, together with Sri Lanka Red Cross
Society volunteers, they are undertaking a series of con-
sultations in order to verify beneficiary lists of the Fed-
eration’s permanent housing programmes. Their primary
role is to ensure that beneficiaries are active participants
in decision making processes that affect their future. The
CDO’s will be working with these same populations to
identify their livelihoods needs and the long term aim is
to assist with community development activity in all sec-
tors, including water and sanitation, disaster manage-
ment and community based health.Mushroom cultivation - a simple solution towards restoring livelihoods

6. SLRCS
307 2/1 T.B. Jayah Mw. - Colombo 10 - Tel. 2691095 - Fax. 2695434
nhq@redcross.lk
www.redcross.lk
IFRC
Movement Coordination Office
16/2 Gregory’s Road - Colombo 7 - Tel.4528698 - Fax 2682671
ifrc01@ifrc.org
www.ifrc.org
ICRC
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colombo.col@icrc.org
www.icrc.org
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is
the world’s largest voluntary humanitarian organisation, providing assistance
without any discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or po-
litical opinions. The International Federation’s mission is to improve the lives of
vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity.
National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are members of the Interna-
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vulnerable in Sri Lanka without discrimination. Originally established in 1936 at
the Central Branch of the British Red Cross, today, the SLRCS has developed
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