Leo Burnett Hands Over 69 Houses
To Tsunami Affected Families

 

Leo Burnett Solutions Inc (LBSI) - the Sri Lankan office of Leo Burnett Worldwide handed over 69 completed houses to the tsunami affected people of the Hiddoruwa hamlet of Kosgoda. This village is situated in one of the worst tsunami affected areas of Sri Lanka's southern coastal belt.

Managing Director Leo Burnett Ranil de Silva and President Michelle Kristula Green at the handing over ceremony and a constructed house.
 

Managing Director Leo Burnett Ranil de Silva and President Michelle Kristula Green at the handing over ceremony and a constructed house.

This reconstruction project was accomplished with integral support from several key partner organisations including German Hands Helping, L'Association Martial Caillaud, ODEL and the International Advertising Association and over 250 individual well wishers through an initiative named Leo Hope.

At the handing over ceremony held in Hiddoruwa Ms. Michelle Kristula-Green, President of Leo Burnett Asia Pacific, who flew for the occasion to represent Leo Burnett's global network of over 100 international offices which contributed towards Leo Hope's endeavour to ensure the successful completion of this project.
Also at the event was Managing Director of LBSI Ranil de Silva, and representatives of L'Association Martial Caillaud and Odel along with many other donors.
 
 
 
 
  Leo Hope was initially started as a tsunami relief effort providing rations to affected persons and families in a small area. This task escalated in the weeks following the tsunami as the organisation identified the various needs of this hamlet of Hiddoruwa which had suffered immensely with almost all the homes in the area being damaged beyond repair. Soon after, the purpose of the project shifted to reconstruction as it was realised that a long-term solution had to be provided if the people of Hiddoruwa were to regain the dignity of life.

This humanitarian exercise got off ground in early February with the assistance of several local, regional and national bodies as well as governmental and non governmental organisations. Leo Hope, which is registered with the national tsunami relief agency, TAFREN, and is now a registered trust soon realised that the scale of work required to complete the project would be immense.

The people of Hiddoruwa who were subsequently provided with temporary shelters had no means of income. Since the livelihood of the areas was fishing, Leo Hope in association with the Sri Lanka Irish Trust Fund, donated several fishing boats in an initial effort to revitalise the fishing industry in the village. Financial resources here also provided to the villagers to start their own small scale businesses with small loans or aid which were made available to buy hand tractors, trishaws, sewing machines, and to set up coir weaving facilities.

On the housing front, several key issues had to be resolved before the construction itself could begin. Arranging for and obtaining building permits, clearing of land titles and getting the required clearances for the construction were some of the few issues that had to be addressed. In addition seven families who were living within the 100 metre buffer zone had to be addressed as well. Hence new land was purchased for these seven families further inland prior to constructing their homes.

This endeavour was strengthened and encouraged by the many donors - both local, but primarily foreign - who came forward with their contributions in kind as well as cash. The generous contribution of the agency clients such as Odel and Apollo Hospitals Colombo made it a client and agency partnership which worked towards the completion of this project.

This project, is an ideal example of cooperation by a multi national company supported by international companies and individuals that has relatively quickly achieved a goal that many international Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have not yet achieved.