Sri Lanka
Formerly known as Ceylon, Sri Lanka has been renowned for centuries for its spices and precious stones. It gained independence in 1972 after colonial rule by the Portuguese, Dutch and British, with its first presidential elections held in 1982.
The majority of the population are Buddhist, though Hinduism, Christianity and Islam are also practised. Conflict between the Sinhalese majority and the Tamils, the largest minority group, is ongoing. Sinhalese is the official language.
Sri Lanka was one of the countries worst affected by the tsunami on Boxing Day 2004, with more than 30,000 killed and over 216,000 families displaced within the region. Since the disaster, Plan Sri Lanka has continued to assist communities with long-term reconstruction and rehabilitation.
Plan continues to help re-house homeless families, get children back to school, assist families in finding new ways of making a living and provide counselling and support to many, children especially, who are still severely traumatised. If you would like more information on Plan’s post-tsunami work, please contact us.
Some of the reasons why Plan works in Sri Lanka
- Nearly 30% of children suffer from stunted growth due to poor nutrition
- Around 15% of children do not enrol in secondary school
- Nearly a quarter of the population do not have access to an adequate water source
- 50% of the population live on less than $2 a day
Tsunami concert supports Plan's work
The English Philharmonia and Chorus are performing the concert Tsunami at the Royal Festival Hall on May 12 2008 in support of Plan's post-tsunami relief work in Sri Lanka |
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A third visit to Sri Lanka
Steve and Shelagh Doughty have sponsored children through Plan since 1998. They have visited all three of their sponsored children in Sri Lanka in the past and in August they made their third trip |
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Tsunami 24 months after
Plan, as part of a major disaster-response programme in the areas affected by the tsunami, has moved beyond humanitarian relief to focus on long-haul efforts to rebuild shattered communities |
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Microfinance for poor families
Plan is supporting the efforts of the Sarvodaya Economic Enterprise and Development Services (SEEDS) to provide savings and credit services to the poor in Sri Lanka’s Kurunegala district |
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Filming their courage
A year on, the Asian tsunami still haunts the lives of those who survived, Plan has been at the forefront of the effort to address these effects, through filming a documentary of responses from children who suffered |
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Kylie visits Children Of The Sea
During a recent trip to Sri Lanka, Kylie Minogue visited the local Sri Lankan theatrical troupe Children Of The Sea, sponsored by Plan. |
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The building of a school in Sri Lanka
In collaboration with School Aid UK, Plan needs your support to ensure that the children of Hambantota will one day be able to return to the safe haven that a school can provide |
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