Fishing Nets for Gurupokuna, November 2005
Gurupokuna is a tiny fishing settlement near the southern Sri Lankan resort town of Tangalle. It is close to Kalametiya wetland, a popular birding site. The local fishermen lost all their boats and nets in the tsunami. Charities supplied replacement canoes which are too heavy to row far from the beach.
Yala Fund provided the community with 39 sets of fishing nets to allow fishing closer to shore. It hopes to provide 39 outboard engines to give them complete mobility.
The charity further helped Gurupokuna by creating a shop for the village. Mawdasa, a local man, lost a leg in the tsunami. For £100, Yala Fund bought him supplies to open a shop. The charity also supplied large plastic water tanks to several homes which suffer from low water pressure. This allows them to top up their supplies at night when the pressure is stronger.