On the 1st March ADRA and DFID started a livelihoods rehabilitation project in Tangalle District. This is for 6 months and will provide: animals and agricultural training and animal husbandry training to 1,000 households who have lost their livelihoods and their homes in the tsunami.

1200-15000 families provided with basic food, kitchen utensils and toiletries by WDC

HEALTH & NUTRITION
• Within 72 hours emergency health kits containing essential drugs and equipment capable of servicing up to 150,000 people for three months were provided to all affected areas.
• UNICEF immediately produced and distributed 200,000 leaflets in both Tamil and Sinhalese with health messages to mitigate the spread of communicable disease, accident prevention and safe hygiene practices
• An initial batch of water purification tablets, oral re-hydration salts and intravenous fluids were distributed to affected families to help prevent disease outbreaks in camps.
• 200,000 leaflets have been developed for the protection and promotion of breastfeeding.
• A nutrition survey has been developed and will be conducted in affected areas from the beginning of next week to understand the nutritional status of women and children and track subsequent changes and the effect of interventions.
• In order to improve referral of emergency cases and to provide outreach services, 19 double cabs and 7 ambulances have been ordered for the Ministry of Health.
• Restoration of the Cold Chain through provision of vaccine carriers, cold boxes, refrigerators and deep freezers as well as 5 vaccine transport vans and 3 drug/vaccine transport lorries.

WATER & SANITATION
UNICEF staff were immediately seconded to the water and sanitation desk at the government’s Centre for National Operations (CNO) to provide technical assistance for the government’s response to the crisis. UNICEF is also the lead agency for coordinating the UN’s water and sanitation response to the tsunami disaster. Key activities include supporting the construction of latrines in camps, schools and communities; providing hand washing facilities and hygiene education, and constructing bathing facilities in camps.

CHILD PROTECTION & PSYCHOSOCIAL CARE
The Government of Sri Lanka, UNICEF, Save the Children in Sri Lanka (SCiSL) and the ILO are working together closely to ensure that these children remain in safe environments, protected from violence, exploitation and abuse.
As one of the lead agencies for child protection and psychosocial care, UNICEF is supporting a national coalition to trace & care for unaccompanied and separated children; training psychosocial workers in 10 of the 12 affected districts and is procuring and distributing recreation kits for temporary camps so that children can regain a glimmer of normalcy.

A 2 day training conducted for the affected community from March 5th – 6th on road construction followed by the construction of a road in Kalametiyawa village, in Hambantota. The training was conducted with the partner organisation, Civil Service International (CSI).

Discussions were held with the AGA in Hambantota on the disaster preparedness plans that will be carried out at divisional level – ITDG, PLAN & NDMC are involved in this planning. Discussion held with the Director of National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) on this aspect too. Formal agreement on Hambantota district DDPP reached was reached. NDMC will have a discussion with the District Secretary – Ampara on this issue this week (7th to 11th of March 2005).
ITDG is carrying out research on gender concerns in the relief and rehabilitation process on the request of many organisations. This is being carried out in Ampara & Hambantota.
A policy brief on community based early warning systems was drafted and sent to LIRNE & Vanguard to incorporate in their national early warning system proposal.
The policy document on ‘Disaster Resistant Sustainable Livelihoods, 2005, has been shared among relevant authorities (ITDG led a session on this at the Kobe conference).