Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka

Contact information HFH Sri Lanka 22/5 Station Road Dehiwala 10350 Sri Lanka Phone: +94 0112714274 Fax: +94 0114202788 E-mail: info@hfhsl.org         Web site www.hfhsl.org				Sri Lanka News and Stories 1,000 Habitat For Humanity Volunteers Set To Take Part In ‘Big Build’ Events In South Asia GlaxoSmithKline Partners With HFH Sri Lanka In Flood Response HFH Sri Lanka Distributes Emergency Shelter Kits To Flood-Affected Families
Country profile

Habitat also partners with non-government organizations such as World Concern, World Vision, Tearfund and Christian Aid, local microfinance institution SEEDS, as well as the United States Agency for International Development, and church groups.

HABITAT HIGHLIGHTS

• To mark World Habitat Day in October 2010, HFH Sri Lanka partnered with the Stitch Movement, a local initiative to encourage youth volunteerism and activism in the country, to organize a one-kilometer barefoot walk. Held at Vihara Maha Devi Park in central Colombo, the walk served to create awareness of the poverty housing situation in Sri Lanka.

• Justus Gregory, manager of HFH Sri Lanka’s Habitat Resource Center in Batticaloa, received a government commendation award in March 2009. The citation from the Minister of Disaster Relief Services stated the award is “a token of appreciation for the social work and building houses to the poor people of Batticaloa and especially Eravur.”

• A group of Singapore photographers organized The Rice Project exhibition in Singapore in February 2009 to encourage renewed interest in Habitat’s ongoing work to assist tsunami-affected families in Sri Lanka. Funds raised from the sale of photos went toward Habitat’s post-tsunami reconstruction in eastern Sri Lanka.

• In January 2009, HFH Sri Lanka held a ceremony for partners, donors and potential supporters to mark the 10,000th family served to be served. The family came from Moratuwa.

COUNTRY FACTS

Population: 21,513,990 (July 2010 est.)

Capital: Colombo

Area: 65,610 sq. km.

Ethnic groups: Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, Sri Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)

Languages: Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8%. English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population

Religions: Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian

6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)

Literacy: 90.7% (2001 census)

Urbanization: 15% (2008)

Population Living on US$1.25 a Day: 14% (2005)

Access to Improved Water Sources: 90% (2009)

Access to Improved Sanitation Facilities: 91% (2009)

Sources: CIA World Factbook, World Bank

Updated January 2011