Supporting the temporary shelter for the May 2016 flood-‐affected communities in Meethotamulla, in Colombo district Project implemented by: Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement Supported by: Give2Asia Duration: From 01st August to 31st December 2016 Date of final reporting: 31st January 2017 1. Background Meethotamulla is one of the major slum areas inside the capital of Sri Lanka. Open dumping of the Colombo municipal garbage in this area in un-‐engineered manner and the repercussions of the open dumping on the lives of people living in the surrounding areas are usually hot topics with the local politicians and the media. It is really hard to believe that there are approximately 1,500 families living under these harsh conditions, and at least 147 families were identified in the low-‐lying Nagahamulla area, in the marsh, along the canal that discharges the highly polluted leachate of the garbage dump. Time to time the governments and the politicians are suggesting solutions, sometimes expensive engineering solutions to overcome the problems and suffering of the affected people, often on the political stages and in media, but unfortunately nothing much has been really done to benefit the lives of the people living in this area. Time to time, the governments have selected some people from this area, and with some compensations they have been relocated to elsewhere. But other less fortunate people still living in the area has to bear the fate with their children, until the government selects them for relocation someday. When the May 2016 floods hit the Sri Lankan capital Colombo, Meethotamulla was one of the areas worst hit by the floods, especially due to the vulnerability of the people living in the area. All most all the families in the low-‐lying areas of Meethotamulla were displaced, and they were temporarily sheltered in the Umagaliya playground. When the floodwater receded the people went back to their