To celebrate 20 years in the retail and fashion industry, ODEL partnered with Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka in mid 2010 to help build 20 houses for those who live in sub standard and inadequate houses. 10 of these houses were funded by the ODEL Foundation, while the other 10 houses were volunteered on by the staff of ODEL. ODEL, which was founded by Otara Gunewardane, Goodwill Ambassador for Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka, is one of the leading retail and fashion stores in the country.

Of the 10 houses that were funded by the ODEL Foundation, one house is located in Ampara, in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka, while the remaining 09 are located in Millenniya, Bandaragama, in the Western Province of Sri Lanka. These 10 families live in the country’s coastal cities which were greatly affected by the tsunami of 26 December 2004. Their homes were completely destroyed and, with no place to live, the families were placed in various refugee camps until they were eventually closed down. HFHSL identified the ten families in question and the houses were given to them under the Disaster Response program.

The handing over ceremony for houses was recently held in Bandaragama with members of all the families as well as dignitaries from ODEL, HFHSL and the YWCA present. Everyone present at the ceremony was given a true Sri Lankan, warm welcome, and was treated by the aesthetic talents of the young ones from the families.

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