CARE in Sri Lanka

We began working in Sri Lanka in 1950, initially providing food to those most in need, and working with mothers and their children on health issues. Now we focus on managing agriculture and natural resources, developing small businesses, and relief and rehabilitation projects.

In Sri Lanka we:

build houses
support small businesses for example giving them access to cheap loans
improve agriculture, for example teaching farmers new farming techniques

We have established 30 schools for farmers where we are teaching better farming techniques and 28 savings and credit schemes, which villagers use to buy tools and set up small businesses.

CARE in action:

Post tsunami
The Boxing Day tsunami struck the northern, eastern, and southern coasts of Sri Lanka, claiming the lives of more than 30,000 people, leaving more than 23,000 injured, more than half a million people homeless and a further 4,000 reported missing.

Many people lost their main means of earning a living. Fishermen lost nets, engines and boats. The sea water washed away farming equipment and contaminated rice fields, making the land too salty to grow food. Traders and small business owners saw their goods, tools and buildings destroyed.

We are rebuilding houses that were damaged in the disaster and we are also still providing people with the clean water and toilets they so desperately need.

Earning a decent living

We are also helping people back on to their feet by getting them back to work. CARE offers loans to small businessmen and women, fishermen and farmers; we give fishermen boats and fishing equipment; and we provide what we call ‘psycho-social’ help for the most isolated communities who have lost their entire families.