Explore's Fabio Perselli reports from the heart of the relief effort in Colombo:

'Tsunami was problem,' quips the venerable Podi Hamuduruwo in his broken English, marching past pallets of corrugated roofing sheets, stacks of girders and - rather incongruously - boxes of exercise books. 'But what happened after was much, much more of a problem!' If there's anyone who can see the lighter side to a tragedy of such magnitude, it's unsurprisingly the Chief High Priest of the Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo.

A figure internationally respected by politicians and senior Buddhists alike, he is at the helm of a temple complex which includes a home for disabled children, several printing presses, a museum, the Sri Jiratana Vocational Training Institute, a monastery and, for good measure, a vintage steamroller, which the neighbourhood's children love climbing on.

With decades of experience battling with social deprivation, ethnic strife and institutionalised corruption, Podi Hamuduruwo has the no-nonsense approach of a monk who has little time to mope about in the face of disaster - or worry about shunning controversy. Within two hours of the tsunami hitting the island, he was seen choosing between different varieties of dhal (lentil) which, by 6pm on the same day, three lorries had already despatched to the stricken area along with drinking water: 'We know from experience that the priorities in such situations are 1) dried food and water 2) first aid medicine 3) shelter 4) rebuilding your life.'

If Explore had no hesitation in channelling its Sri Lanka Tsunami Relief funds through the Gangaramaya (an institution recommended by our own agent in Colombo), it's precisely because this temple's reputation and experience in dealing with refugees go back a long way - back, in fact, to Explore's own early days here on 'Buddha's Island'. When the civil uprising in the northern provinces in 1983 generated a backlash against the Tamil minorities here in Colombo, thousands of families were dispossessed overnight.

Podi Hamuduruwo was able to offer refuge to over 2,000 Tamils on a small island in the middle of Lake Beira, whose shore is just a short walk from Gangaramaya. Tamils are of course Hindu in the main, 'but we also gave shelter to Muslims, Christians and Buddhists', he is quick to point out: 'There is no room for distinction here, not with orphans, not with young people training for a vocation, not with refugees.' One distinction he does make, however, is to ensure that generosity and help do not perpetuate dependency. And this is a bitter lesson he learned from experience in 1984: over a year into the Tamil crisis, the island where he had created a safe refuge for hundreds of families still housed most of its original refugees.

So although the Family Shelters provided by Gangaramaya (on behalf of Explore's donors amongst others) are available to anyone left homeless after the tsunami, the Selection Committee will only consider applications endorsed by the claimant's own local temple, church, mosque, or Hindu kovil, and certified by his or her Village Elder.

Crucially (and, for some observers, controversially), the applicant must also prove that they own the plot of land where the shelter is to be erected. Why? 'Two reasons:

1. Because of the squatters. Look at the problems in Thailand, with Burmese illegal immigrants. The international aid organisations and governments are better equipped than us at dealing with illegal squatters, and hopefully with this tsunami crisis they too can break free of their cycle of dependency. But here at Gangaramaya we can only help those who can help themselves.
2. Because we want to keep track of the shelters and ensure that the building materials don't disappear into thin air'.

The rationale certainly appears to work: the homeless will typically have their shelter delivered and erected within a day and a half of applying. There are no administrative overheads (except for the delivery of materials to the disaster area), and not a single bolt is wasted. Each prefabricated basic unit measures 20ft x 16ft and comprises:

• A frame of L- and T-shaped steel girders
• Sheet Hooks, Welding Rods & other materials
• 12 x 8' Mascon Roofing Sheets

The recipient is expected to contribute too by providing the outer walls, usually resorting to salvaged or recycled materials - used metal sheets from printing presses, for instance. Not only is this the first step towards turning the temporary shelter into a permanent home; it also makes the occupant eligible for electricity and water supply from the local authority, fostering a mindset of self help.

Annexes can also be adjoined onto them or, in the case of large extended families, two units can be joined up together. Their flexibility also enables them to be disassembled and reassembled elsewhere, or even erected up against a partially destroyed building, providing it is sound and safe.

The Explore Tsunami Relief Fund has paid for 60 such shelters, and we are now looking at supplying a number of new fishing catamarans to some of the worst hit villages along the eastern coast - again, a project designed to help communities to rebuild their own livelihoods.

Fabio Perselli is the Explore Horizons magazine editor and a member of the Explore Responsible Tourism Forum. Don't miss the Summer 2005 edition of Horizons for more on our Indian Ocean Tsunami Relief Effort, including a feature on the Kandegedara family now living in an Explore shelter at Ambalangoda near Galle,Sri Lanka.

Find out more by visiting www.gangaramaya.com