Caritas gives new home to 76 tsunami families
Receiving the keys of her new home, Fathima Sithtthi, a 55-year-old Muslim widow, told AsiaNews: “I live off the pension of my husband. I had a house but it was destroyed by the seaquake. I had to move to a shelter with my daughter.” Three of her children are already married but her youngest daughter is still single because she does not have a proper home: “Now I have a house and I am happy: at last I will be able to marry my daughter off.”
T.H. Nelson de Silva, a 49-year-old Buddhist and father of seven, also thanked Caritas Sri Lanka and the local branch for donating houses to needy families.
The celebration was presided over by the bishop of the diocese, Mgr Harold Anthony Perera, and the Apostolic Nuncio, Mgr Zenari. The director of Caritas Sri Lanka and many other political leaders and representatives of the local Church were also present.
After two minutes of silence to commemorate victims of the seaquake and those who died to save survivors. Fr Damian Fernando, director of Caritas, listed all projects undertaken to date.
Fr Fernando told AsiaNews he was happy Caritas would offer aid across the country, irrespective of religion, caste, creed or race, through its unique vision based on universal values of love, peace, unity and equality. The director also thanked the government for giving Caritas land to build the houses.
Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle expressed appreciation for the rebuilding effort by Caritas Sri Lanka and promised on behalf of the government to complete the streets in the housing scheme.
Nisansala Gamage, head of the Caritas communication sector, thanked the local branch of the organisation and praised the quality of construction of the dwellings, saying they were much better compared to many others built by other organizations in recent months.
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