The Tsunami of December 2004 caused destruction and loss of life on an unprecedented scale in Sri Lanka. In the wake of this disaster, there was a genuine outpouring of concern from the people of Sri Lanka who responded to the need to feed, cloth and provide medical attention to the victims during the crucial first days after the Tsunami.

LOLC played an active role during this period by providing dry rations, medicines and clothing to the affected people. Soon thereafter, the management decided that it would be most appropriate to participate in the longer term task of the recovery effort and rebuilding the lives of the affected communities by gifting 25 houses under the Corporate Social Responsibility program and the 25th Anniversary of the company. On communicating this decision to our shareholder, ORIX Corporation of Japan we received a magnificent response indicating their keenness to extend financial assistance towards this program.

Due to the delays experienced in obtaining government land, LOLC in collaboration with KPMG Ford Rhodes decided to purchase 2 acres of land bordering the villages of Seenigama and Thotagamuwa in close proximity to Hikkaduwa in the Galle district. The construction of the 25 houses funded by Orix Corporation and LOLC was handed over to Mr Kushil Gunasekera of the Foundation of Goodness and was coordinated by a committee of the LOLC staff to ensure the corporate objectives of the project was achieved.

Each house consisted of 2 bed rooms, living area, front and back verandas, kitchen and toilet built on 6 perches of land. Houses were fully furnished with beds, tables, chairs and other essential requirements. The housing scheme provided for a community centre, children’s park, grocery store and was landscaped beautifully to provide for internal tarred roads with provision for garden space. The beneficiaries were carefully selected from a list obtained from the Government agencies.

At a simple ceremony held on 10th April, the houses were gifted to the 25 beneficiaries by handing over the gift deed and the keys to the house. Two Directors of ORIX, Japan namely, Mr Y Oshima, Executive officer, International Headquarters and Mr Shioda, Country Director, Singapore who are also Directors of LOLC flew down especially from Japan to participate in the ceremony.

Mr Ishara Nanayakkara, Deputy Chairman of LOLC said that the company has a long history of working with and assisting the local community in many ways. He expressed his appreciation to ORIX Corporation and the Foundation of Goodness for the splendid gestures on their path to fund this humanitarian project as well as undertake the construction to completion.

Mr Oshima was particularly distressed to see the devastation caused by the Tsunami and said that he was grateful to LOLC for the opportunity given to participate in this project which was the first CSR project carried out by the Corporation outside Japan.

LOLC has also decided to set up voluntary committees to work closely with the Rideegama community in the next few years to ensure that the beneficiaries enhance their quality of life through education, sports activities and suitable livelihoods.