Case Study

The Tsunami disaster of December 2004 prompted grief in the UK – but also a desire to help. Here David Sargison talks about the Nabarro response

“There was a spontaneous reaction from all our people to pledge money to support the relief effort. Then we focused on the idea of finding a major long-term project that Nabarro could commit to that would make a real difference in Sri Lanka.

“By chance, one of our former senior partners came across the Hampton Village project – a plan to build a new model community in one of Sri Lanka’s most devastated areas. The project was the vision of one man – Dr Upali Wickrama-Sekera – and we decided that this was a cause that we could really get behind.

“The vision turned into a reality on 15 December 2007. Hampton Village was formally opened three years after the Tsunami by the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

“It was enormously rewarding for me to witness the culmination of a major building project and to join with so many families as they celebrated their move into new homes and the start of their new lives.

“One of the most moving moments of the day occurred at dusk when the candles on the Tsunami monument in the village were lit which provided us with a moment to reflect on the enormity of the tragedy that had occurred in 2004.

“Our help has enabled the building and equipping of the Nabarro Community Centre that will be the educational, cultural and sporting hub of the village. We are hopeful that generations of villagers and the wider community will enjoy and benefit from it.”