The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) announced the first stage of construction of 41 homes for female headed families in Sampur, Sri Lanka.
The area was badly affected during the war.
Tamil Canadian Walk 2015 in Toronto for Sampur housing project last September. (Picture by CTC)
Last August, the new Sri Lanka government released 818 acres of land in Sampur to its original owners.
367 families got their land back, their houses were completely destroyed during the war. Out of these 367 families, 41 families were women headed families.
“Canadian Tamil Congress with the support of Trincomalee Welfare Association (Canada) committed to build temporary houses for these 41 women headed families. A little over $100,000 was raised through the Tamil Canadian Walk-a-thon for the Sampur housing project which was held on September 13th 2015,” CTC said in a news release.
The new Sri Lankan government headed by President Sirisena handed over land to original owners in August 2015. (Picture by Sudath Silva)
The official handing over ceremony was a public event on March 25th 2016 presided over by TNA Leader and Opposition Leader of Sri Lanka Hon. R. Sampanthan who is also the local member of parliament for Sampur, Trincomalee. Sri Lankan government Minister for Resettlement Hon. D.M. Swaminathan, Governor of Eastern Province Hon. Austin Fernando, Chief Minister of Eastern Province Hon. Z.A. Nazeer Ahamed, Trincomalee MP Thurairatnasingham, Trincomalee Government Agent S. Pushpakumara, Eastern Provincial Education and Resettlement Minister S. Thandauthapani, Eastern Province Agriculture Minister K. Thurairajasingham and many other Eastern Provincial Council Minsters and Councillors also participated in this event.
Residents of Sampur at a ceremony to receive deeds to their land in August 2015. (Picture by Sudath Silva)
177 acres of land occupied by the Sri Lankan Navy in Sampur was released later on the same day.
The balance 23 houses out of the 41 houses committed will be built in second stage soon, the news release added.
