Sri Lanka - December 2005

Click Here to read daily updates and photos from the event.

Click Here to meet the 11 women who participated in this adventure.

Sri Lanka is a tropical paradise ranked by Conde Naste Traveller as the top 6th island destination in the world. Over the last 30 years, the country has achieved first world literacy and health rates leading many countries in the Asia region.

Behind the glamour of the sun and the beach resorts, a harder life exists for many Sri Lankans. In the capital Colombo, 51% of the population lives in slums and shanty towns in appalling conditions.

In the Henamulla Navanivasa Housing Complex, 150 houses accommodate 160 families, all of which lack plumbing and electricity. The houses share 12 toilets, 6 of which are unusable as the doors have been removed. These 6 toilets have to cater for 1,500 people in the complex. There are only two public water taps for the entire population in the area.

Overpopulation in the complex was worsened in 1996 when residents from Crow Island were relocated to the city garbage dump and were given a 100 square ft area and Rs 1000/- ($12) each to build a shelter, further increasing stress on the area.

These "houses" are simple one room timber shacks built right on top of the former dump. In the torrential rains of the monsoon season water pours inside and the narrow dirt alleys between the buildings become a muddy, polluted slush.

Our Mission

The Amazon Heart Odyssey Team will work with international charity the Lasallian Foundation to build 6 simple houses for poor families in the shanty town of Henamulla.

Each member will raise funds before the trip to pay for the materials for the houses, as well as to support basic health and nutrition programs for women and children in the shanty towns.

The Lasallian Foundation and local agency Lasallian Community Education Services will run the project in Sri Lanka.

Working in teams of three under the supervision of local tradesman our group will complete 6 basic one room houses with concrete floors, brick walls and a weatherproof roof in just 4 days!

At the end of the construction, the team will enjoy several days of reflection on their achievements, bonding and sharing of their experiences with breast cancer with local survivors, and to plan for future Amazon Heart adventures!