Caritas Sri Lanka is addressing the needs of approximately 37,900 Internally Displaced Persons (IDP’s) in the districts of Vavuniya and Jaffna and planning to address the needs of 1700 IDP’s in Trincomalee and 1500 IDP’s in Anuradhapura with Non Food Relief Items (NFRI) in hospitals.

With the end of hostilities, Caritas Sri Lanka is preparing for a huge influx of IDP’s from the ‘Safe Zone’ areas. The new arrivals are expected to exacerbate the existing situation since most of the IDP’s are in an extremely poor condition; malnourished, traumatized and wounded.

Caritas staff and animators are organizing the cooking and distribution of food to the IDP’s. To date they have set up 12 community kitchens in Menic Farm Zone 1 in Chettikulam and the process is operating well.

Community support for the IDP’s in Zone 1 has been remarkable with the active involvement of local parishes that have provided up to 10,000 food parcels a day.

Caritas Anuradhapura has provided basic hygiene items and clothes to over 1750 patients in 5 hospitals.

Caritas Mannar, ZOA and the government are bowsering and storing 3,000 litres of water per day to supply the communal kitchens with water. Caritas Mannar has also started building gender segregated bathing spaces in Zone 1.

A team from Caritas Sri Lanka including Fr. Damian, Fr. George and Mr. Quintas visited Vavuniya to discuss the situation first hand. They also visited Mannar for discussion with the relevant authorities.

Caritas Mannar is planning to mobilize parish volunteers to prepare food parcels and to set up temporary kitchens. They are also looking into establishing pre-schools for children aged 3 -5 in Zone 1.

The newly established Bishop’s Task Force on the War Victims Met on Monday 11 May to guide the relief operations.