Nazlia (3^rd from left – Mother of this family) is a housewife with 3 children.  Fathima is one of them who is a 12 year old girl with a learning difficulty. She follows the special education programme at Chitra Lane School for the Special Child. She travels to school from her home in Paliyagoda. Nazlia’s husband works as a labourer and doesn’t have a permanent employment. Shamila’s elder sister is employed at a garment factory and the younger sister is 2 years old. Shamila’s grandfather also lives with them.

When disaster struck Sri Lanka with unprecedented floods,   their house was filled up with water upto 4 feet and they had to find shelter at a camp for 5 days. When they returned the house had partially collapsed and all the belongings were soaked with water.

This is a family with many financial difficulties. Shamila’s special needs itself is a great burden on them, hence, renovating a house is a far away dream for them.

It is at this juncture that The Ahava Foundation stepped in to help this family.  The Foundation took upon itself to repair and restore their home by lifting the walls of their home and constructing a new roof,

Extending  the kitchen roof to make it more comfortable for cooking for Nazlia (whose head almost touched the roof earlier!!!).  Installing a brand new door and raising the floor of the house (as a prevention against future flooding. The works done were:

• Filling the floor level and raising it higher.
• Extending the walls of the house higher, so that the kitchen area too had a reasonable height.
• New roofing sheets were installed ( where the roof was blown off in the toilet and kitchen areas).
• New door was installed.