The COVID-19 pandemic has completely transformed our lives. The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) was quick to react to this unprecedented humanitarian crisis. The impact of the pandemic will have devastating effects on densely populated underserved settlements. UN-Habitat, as a partner of the GoSL is ready to support the COVID-19 responses of the Government to halt the pandemic, and socioeconomic recovery and building resilience of underserved settlements.

COVID-19 Response of UN- Habitat: Supporting the District Secretariat, Nuwara Eliya

3^rd June 2020, Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka: Today, UN-Habitat supported the District Secretariat, Nuwara Eliya with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency efforts in the Nuwara Eliya district. The funds for PPE were generated through UN-Habitat Sri Lanka Country Office staff donating part of their PPE entitlements, a gesture of goodwill initiated by Dr Chanaka Talpahewa, Country Programme Manager for Sri Lanka and Maldives.

UN Habitat has been supporting the communities in the estate and rural communities in the Central and Uva Provinces since 2016 and is one of the Implementing Agency of the Indian Housing Project funded by the Government of India. UN-Habitat has also successfully implemented the Human Development Initiative through Empowerment and Settlement Improvement in the Plantation Settlements in Sri Lanka (HDI Project) funded by Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in the Nuwara Eliya district.

The consignment of PPE consisted of reusable face masks, hand gloves, hand sanitizers and disinfection liquids. The items were handed over to Mr M B R Pushpakumara, District Secretary, Nuwara Eliya by Mr Zuhair Kariapper, Deputy Project Manager, UN-Habitat (District Office, Nuwara Eliya) in the presence of senior staff of the District Secretariat and UN-Habitat.