Better Homes Programme

Sri Lanka's tea industry thrives on the dedication of its Malaiyaha community, descendants of those brought from India by British colonists in 1827. However, despite their vital role, these communities remain among the island's most disadvantaged, forced to live in dilapidated line- houses built during colonial times or newer but small houses. These dwellings lack basic amenities, denying residents essential dignity and hindering a healthy quality of life.

The Better Homes project seeks to address this critical disparity. By repairing roofs and restoring water supply systems, we aim to transform the living conditions of Malaiyaha families in dire need. The main purpose of the project is to provide: safe shelter, access to clean water, and proper sanitation – these basic improvements will have a profound impact on their well- being and sense of security.

SDGs the project addresses:

Roof repairs:

Line-houses are typically 30 metres long and divided into 12 tiny single room units. Each unit is about 10x12 feet and usually an entire family of between four to eight members reside in each unit. Serendip uses 0.47 millimetre Amona sheets which are the standard we use in all of our roofing projects.

Water supply:

Water supply to the settlements are as follows - water from springs and streams are collected in a small reservoir (small tanks of sorts) and then by way of small PVC pipes the water is transported to the settlements. At each settlement there is a large concrete tank where the water is collected and can be accessed by the people in that settlement.

��A single tank can support up to two villages; about 70 families��.

Serendip is dedicated to repairing broken or damaged water supply lines, such as replacing PVC pipes and taps and reinforcing the reservoirs and tanks. Additionally, Serendip is also involved in building new tanks for settlements/villages that have never previously had a water supply system. People from these villages usually had to travel long distances to collect water and bring it back home. This means they usually did not have enough water for their daily needs such as cooking and for hygiene purposes.

Latrines:

A latrine is a toilet, especially a communal one. It’s often a simple facility which can sometimes just be a hole in the ground.

At Serendip we have previously made dry latrines, but we would like to eventually provide beneficiaries with Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) latrines.