BUDS-UK is delighted to announce the completion of 12 permanent, low-cost homes for war-widow families in the Kattankudy area of Batticaloa District. The keys were officially handed over in a small ceremony attended by BUDS-BT committee members, the divisional secretary, and the beneficiary families.
Each home is a single-storey, two-bedroom structure built to local standards, with a kitchen, separate toilet, and protected rainwater drainage — a significant upgrade from the temporary palm-thatched shelters most of these families had lived in for over a decade following the end of the civil conflict and the 2004 tsunami. Materials were sourced locally and the labour was provided by local builders, ensuring that the project also injected income back into the surrounding community.
Project lead Leonard David coordinated build supervision with Roshan Rajaratnam and Suresh Senathirajah, with multiple oversight visits by President Dr Alan Kangatharan during the construction period. The total construction cost averaged just under £4,500 per home — a figure made possible by direct community partnerships and the absence of intermediaries.
The transformation for the families has been profound. Several of the mothers, who are the sole providers for their children, told the BUDS team that the security of a permanent address has already enabled them to register children for school more easily and access services they had previously been turned away from.
This is the second cohort of housing completed under the 2024/25 low-cost housing project. Foundation stones for the next phase have already been laid at Savukady Village, with construction expected to begin in mid-2026.