Humanitarian Response in Northern Sri Lanka - CHF 2010

The decades-long conflict between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and Sri Lankan government forces ended in May 2009. Approximately 300 000 civilians were displaced in the final stages of the conflict and most were placed in government-controlled camps. These internally displaced people (IDPs) are now returning to their home areas and are starting to rebuild their lives. However they continue to require humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs. In addition a number of IDPs remain in the camps where they are completely dependent upon assistance. CIDA's contribution is supporting CHF to meet the basic needs of returnees in northern Sri Lanka. Project activities include improving the health of returnees through rehabilitating wells providing hygiene and sanitation education establishing a cash-for-work scheme by which returnees receive compensation for work on community projects and distributing inputs for homestead kitchen gardens and shallow fishing to help returnees consume a more varied and nutritious diet.