The Zakat Foundation of America

Zakat Foundation sponsored Home rebuilding project

Soon after the 2004 Tsunami in the Indian Ocean destroyed homes in the coastal regions of Sri Lanka, local and international govern- ments promised to aid the victims in rebuilding their houses and their lives.

Now, five years after the destruction, many of those who lost everything are still living in tents and refugee camps. The ongo- ing civil war between the Tamil Tiger movement and the Sinhalese government has made it nearly impossible for the government to provide any services to the Muslim minority in Eastern Sri Lanka.

In light of these circumstances, Zakat Foundation has helped some of the suffering families in coastal villages rebuild their homes as a fresh new start to life. In the southeast province of Bibile, Zakat Foundation has rebuilt the houses of three families who have been homeless for years, staying with neighbors in overcrowded houses or sleeping outdoors. The families were identified as being among the most needy in their towns, each having between five and ten members, some of whom are young children. The new houses have given these families shelter, protection, and hope.