The U.S. Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Pacific Command yesterday commenced to renovate and expand five schools in Trincomalee District and one hospital and two schools in Batticaloa District.

With funding from the U.S. Pacific Command, part of the U.S. Department of Defense, USAID is rehabilitating these facilities as part of the U.S. Government’s humanitarian outreach to improve stability and quality of life in the region.

“Altogether, we are constructing 64 new classrooms and renovating more than 13 damaged classrooms in seven schools, providing more space for hundreds of students and their teachers. And, building three new wards at the Navatkadu Hospital will ensure there are 63 beds to take care of local residents when they need medical attention,” said USAID Mission Director Rebecca Cohn.

These efforts support the U.S. Government’s wider goal of helping to stabilize and develop Eastern Sri Lanka so terrorism can never take root in the region again, the US Embassy said.