Have we Achieved what we expected in 2004, psot tsunami Development?

I was at SInhagama, Welcome village today, where we built up community with 31 houses at Beruwala, Kalutara district together with Kalutara District Fisheries Solidarity. Fr.Shantha, who bought and donated the Sinhagama land to NAFSO for build up 31 houses was also with us to meet the group.

Out of 31 houses, there were only 18 family members attended the meeting. At the begining of the meeting, I had to face some heat arguments with some community leaders including men and women.
The main complain of those were that my colleagues at KDFS are not attending their meeting on scheduled dates and even they attend rush to finish the meeting and go saying there urgency.

I did not expect such a situation as we did almost all the work in relation to their basic facilities including water, elctricity, transport facilities for the whole community.
We spent more than 12 million for the housing construction and 2.6 million for the electricity while there we provided 12 -15 perches slot of land with a well built house. Of course, Fr.Shantha [FMM] contributed to buy the land and provide water for the community.

After 5 years time of tsunami, we experienced that people are not united today. Some of the people wanted to send out the Muslim families living there and want to have their own territory. This is what we did not expect at all as an organization promote ethnic harmony among communities as well as at the country as a whole.
The other disappointment was, that the people have pasted some posters of the politicians who are running the election campaign. None of the politician helped the community to get the electricity, water or any other basic facilities to them. But, today, they are highly regarded those politicians in their life. At the same time, when the community members approached the politicians to get the road construction, the politicians and government officials have said the community is not belong to the government process as this scheme was built by us.

My frustration was so high after visiting the house of the cyclone victim in the community. Her house is fully damaged and the roof is totally opened. Unfortunately, she is the chair person of the community group, living with two children and her husband. None of the members talk about the pathetic situation of their family. The husband is a day labourer and he is temporary work in a canoe at Beruwala. So, they can not repair their house at all. Even today, he had gone to Beruwala and no fising trip as his boat owner is not ready to go to the sea today due to his own reasons.
When we estimated the costs of the repair of the house, it would be around 50,000-60,000 rupees for the work. Unfortunate situation is none of the community member raise the issue of this family and it was our volunteer involvement to seek the possibilities to support.

I have two things to say to my friends who read this message.

1. We feel we need to continue work with the community. So,we need to form their community organization.
2. We want to help the family who are really need a help from us. However, we appreciate any body volunteer to help the family. We are happy to intervene as we also will contribute to support the family as individuals.

We want to meet the community again on 8th May as NAFSO team. And plan for the next possible steps to build up the community.
We will not give up the efforts to build the community.
Herman KUmara