Two Water For Life Projects spearheaded by the Social Services Committee which commenced in 2020 were completed in 2021. This was mainly thanks to the generous donations from SLMA members and well-wishers.

A tube well, a tower for the water tank, water motor and pipes connected to the tank, and taps installed at the base of the tower were constructed through the project in the village of Kammantaluwa belonging to the Anamaduwa Electorate in the Puttalam district.

These facilities are benefitting a total of 25 families in the Kammantaluwa village who now have access to clean drinking water.

“The support given to our village is a great source of strength. Everyone in the village has clean drinking water now. Jazakallahu khayran to all the kind donors who helped to give water to our families,” stated N. Raisdeen, a resident of the Kammantaluwa Village.

Under the Water for Life Project a large well that could store almost 50,000 liters of water per day was constructed in the Madawakkulam village which is also located in the Anamaduwa Electorate in the Puttalam district. A water motor to pump water from the well to the tank was also installed. These facilities are serving approximately 500 families in the Madawakkulam village.

A total of seven Water For Life projects have been completed by the SLMA thus far in villages located in dry and arid parts of Sri Lanka including in Puttalam, Anamaduwa, Nikeweratiya and Hambantota.

Aragoda a deep rural setting 10 km from Anamaduwa, lies a small village surrounded by paddy fields and virgin forest. The village earlier bore the fruits of a rich harvest, however in the recent past was starved of water.

The shortfall of rain over many years, forced the farmer to abandon the fields and seek other sources of income to keep the home fires burning. Many small reservoirs spread to serve the fields, but now hold no water. The villagers trek miles to source safe drinking water. Opportunists exploit these conditions and sell water at various points.

It was these conditions that prompted the Incumbent Ven. Pankaduwe Gnanakithi of Sri Priyarathnarama Viharasthanaya, to contact SLMA in 2018 to bring about relief to the villagers. Partnering with the Kuwait Fund and the ‘Families Relief Sri Lanka Trust’ a project was launched to build a deep well kit and connect to a large storage tank, and  thus provide a safe drinking water system at a mutually agreed location.

Water being a precious resource was soon provided, only for drinking and cooking and the system was commissioned by Ven. Pankaduwe Gnanakithi in the presence of a large gathering of a grateful and deserving community.