Quenching the thirst of many in Weheragala

18/03/2014 – Weheragala, Kandy: The Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) &  the German Red Cross  vested in the public a clean water management system ensuring that over 157 families receive fresh clean drinking water in the Weheragala village located in Pathadumbara electorate in Kandy.

The handover took place amidst the presence of  the President of SLRCS Jagath Abeysinghe and the Member of Parliament Lohan Rathwatte.

This water management project was part of the SLRCS Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction Programme (IDRR) supported by German Red Cross in Sri Lanka.

The Weheragala village consists of families with Sinhalese and Muslim backgrounds who have been living in harmony for over 40 years. Clean water has been an issue for villagers since 1979. Most of them walk over 4kms to the Mahawali river to get water.

“We continue to look for areas in Sri Lanka that are facing immense hardships” says the President of SLRCS Jagath Abeysinghe who addressed the gathering. “This is inline with our strategy to ensure that people facing hardships like this gets the immense support from an humanitarian organization such as ours”

Meanwhile addressing the gathering Member of Parliament of Sri Lanka Lohan Rathwatte thanked the Sri Lanka Red Cross for taking steps to help people in Weheragala. “This would have not been possible for the people of Weheragala if it was not for the Red Cross who took interest in this village and understanding the hardships of the people here”

Deputy Director General of SLRCS Sudath Madugalle, Representing German Red Cross Dr. Anthony Gnanamuttu, Chairman of the Pathadumbara Pradeshiya Sabha Sudarman Bandara, Chairman of the Kandy SLRCS Branch Ajith Jayarathne and villagers of Weheragala village were part of the programme.