The township of Ambalangoda in the southern part of Sri Lanka between Galle and Colombo was, like many places, tragically devastated by the boxing day Tsunami in the early hours of Sunday the 26/12/04.

Many local people sought refuge on a stationary train some few hundred metres inland from the beach after the first of the three waves that hit this area initially carried away so many who had ventured onto the drained sea bed on market day that morning. As the first of the two next major waves could be seen rushing toward the hundreds, some say over a thousand villagers, clambered upon the heavy locomotive and carriages on the raised railway line. Tragically the reputed 10 metre high wave swept the train and so many of the villagers away.

This vitally important project to develop and construct the 2 bedroom, 2 story town houses in a village style environment is being conducted in partnership with the Rotary Club of Bendigo Sandhurst, the Rotary Club of Colombo Fort, and Sri Lankan Non Government Organisation, Unshaken We Stand, Reawaken Ambalangoda

The housing units will be granted via a ballot system to surviving local families, displaced by the tsunami that occurred in December 2004.

To ensure the construction complies with international standards and best utilisation of funds, Burns Bridge Australia has agreed to provide their professional services on a pro-bono basis..

The project has been made possible through the fundraising efforts of Bendigo Rotary, and a sizeable grant from the Bendigo Bank Community Enterprise Foundation.

http://www.burnsbridge.com.au/
http://www.bendigobank.com.au/public/foundation/index.asp

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