In the wake of the 26 December 2004 tsunami, the Hambantota District Chamber of Commerce (HDCC) became the key player in a district-wide SME rehabilitation effort. The private sector was underserved in the wider relief effort; HDCC initiated one project and worked on a number of others to try and tackle this issue. This article describes the Chamber's experiences of these attempts to support the recovery of the private sector, and the limitations and successes of the efforts. Overall, the article argues that much more attention should have been given to the SME sector in the greater recovery efforts, and concludes that there is still much to be done; finally it offers some lessons from experience that could contribute to future challenges involving SME rehabilitation.

Department of Census & Statistics (2005) Impact of Tsunami, Department of Census & Statistics, Colombo, www.statistics.gov.lk/Tsunami/sunami.htm [accessed 28 March 2009]. www.statistics.gov.lk/Tsunami/sunami.htm

Department of Census & Statistics (2008) Sri Lanka Labour Force Survey Third Quarter – 2008, Printing Division, Colombo.

HDCC (2007) Post Tsunami Rehabilitation of SME Sector in Hambantota District: Project Completion Report, HDCC, Hambantota.

HDCC (2008) Economic Development Survey, HDCC, Hambantota.

FCCISL (2008) Post Sanction Follow Up Feed Back Reports on Grants Disbursed for Tsunami Affected Livelihood/Micro/Small/Medium/ & Large Enterprises/Conflict Affected Livelihood & Micro Enterprises, FCCISL, Colombo.

Official Report of Hansard (2009) Parliamentary Debates, Official Report, Tuesday 17th March, Government Publications Bureau, Colombo.

Jirasinghe, R. C. (2007) Rhythm of the Sea, HDCC, Hambantota.

Miehlbradt, A. O. and McVay, M. (2006) The 2006 Reader – Implementing Sustainable Private Sector Development: Striving for Tangible Results for the Poor, International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization, Turin.

Nourse, T. Gerstle, T., Snelgrove, A., Rinck, D., McVay, M (2007) Market Development in Crisis-Affected Environments: Emerging Lessons for Achieving Pro-Poor Economic Reconstruction, The SEEP Network, Washington DC.

Sweeney, N. M. (2003) Private Sector Development in Post-Conflict Countries: A Review of Current Literature and Practice, Donor Committee for Enterprise Development, Cambridge.

Department of Census & Statistics (2005) Impact of Tsunami, Department of Census & Statistics, Colombo, www.statistics.gov.lk/Tsunami/sunami.htm [accessed 28 March 2009]. www.statistics.gov.lk/Tsunami/sunami.htm

Department of Census & Statistics (2008) Sri Lanka Labour Force Survey Third Quarter – 2008, Printing Division, Colombo.

HDCC (2007) Post Tsunami Rehabilitation of SME Sector in Hambantota District: Project Completion Report, HDCC, Hambantota.

HDCC (2008) Economic Development Survey, HDCC, Hambantota.

FCCISL (2008) Post Sanction Follow Up Feed Back Reports on Grants Disbursed for Tsunami Affected Livelihood/Micro/Small/Medium/ & Large Enterprises/Conflict Affected Livelihood & Micro Enterprises, FCCISL, Colombo.

Official Report of Hansard (2009) Parliamentary Debates, Official Report, Tuesday 17th March, Government Publications Bureau, Colombo.

Jirasinghe, R. C. (2007) Rhythm of the Sea, HDCC, Hambantota.

Miehlbradt, A. O. and McVay, M. (2006) The 2006 Reader – Implementing Sustainable Private Sector Development: Striving for Tangible Results for the Poor, International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization, Turin.

Nourse, T. Gerstle, T., Snelgrove, A., Rinck, D., McVay, M (2007) Market Development in Crisis-Affected Environments: Emerging Lessons for Achieving Pro-Poor Economic Reconstruction, The SEEP Network, Washington DC.

Sweeney, N. M. (2003) Private Sector Development in Post-Conflict Countries: A Review of Current Literature and Practice, Donor Committee for Enterprise Development, Cambridge.

Department of Census & Statistics (2005) Impact of Tsunami, Department of Census & Statistics, Colombo, www.statistics.gov.lk/Tsunami/sunami.htm [accessed 28 March 2009]. www.statistics.gov.lk/Tsunami/sunami.htm

Department of Census & Statistics (2008) Sri Lanka Labour Force Survey Third Quarter – 2008, Printing Division, Colombo.

HDCC (2007) Post Tsunami Rehabilitation of SME Sector in Hambantota District: Project Completion Report, HDCC, Hambantota.

HDCC (2008) Economic Development Survey, HDCC, Hambantota.

FCCISL (2008) Post Sanction Follow Up Feed Back Reports on Grants Disbursed for Tsunami Affected Livelihood/Micro/Small/Medium/ & Large Enterprises/Conflict Affected Livelihood & Micro Enterprises, FCCISL, Colombo.

Official Report of Hansard (2009) Parliamentary Debates, Official Report, Tuesday 17th March, Government Publications Bureau, Colombo.

Jirasinghe, R. C. (2007) Rhythm of the Sea, HDCC, Hambantota.

Miehlbradt, A. O. and McVay, M. (2006) The 2006 Reader – Implementing Sustainable Private Sector Development: Striving for Tangible Results for the Poor, International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization, Turin.

Nourse, T. Gerstle, T., Snelgrove, A., Rinck, D., McVay, M (2007) Market Development in Crisis-Affected Environments: Emerging Lessons for Achieving Pro-Poor Economic Reconstruction, The SEEP Network, Washington DC.

Sweeney, N. M. (2003) Private Sector Development in Post-Conflict Countries: A Review of Current Literature and Practice, Donor Committee for Enterprise Development, Cambridge.

Department of Census & Statistics (2005) Impact of Tsunami, Department of Census & Statistics, Colombo, www.statistics.gov.lk/Tsunami/sunami.htm [accessed 28 March 2009]. www.statistics.gov.lk/Tsunami/sunami.htm

Department of Census & Statistics (2008) Sri Lanka Labour Force Survey Third Quarter – 2008, Printing Division, Colombo.

HDCC (2007) Post Tsunami Rehabilitation of SME Sector in Hambantota District: Project Completion Report, HDCC, Hambantota.

HDCC (2008) Economic Development Survey, HDCC, Hambantota.

FCCISL (2008) Post Sanction Follow Up Feed Back Reports on Grants Disbursed for Tsunami Affected Livelihood/Micro/Small/Medium/ & Large Enterprises/Conflict Affected Livelihood & Micro Enterprises, FCCISL, Colombo.

Official Report of Hansard (2009) Parliamentary Debates, Official Report, Tuesday 17th March, Government Publications Bureau, Colombo.

Jirasinghe, R. C. (2007) Rhythm of the Sea, HDCC, Hambantota.

Miehlbradt, A. O. and McVay, M. (2006) The 2006 Reader – Implementing Sustainable Private Sector Development: Striving for Tangible Results for the Poor, International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization, Turin.

Nourse, T. Gerstle, T., Snelgrove, A., Rinck, D., McVay, M (2007) Market Development in Crisis-Affected Environments: Emerging Lessons for Achieving Pro-Poor Economic Reconstruction, The SEEP Network, Washington DC.

Sweeney, N. M. (2003) Private Sector Development in Post-Conflict Countries: A Review of Current Literature and Practice, Donor Committee for Enterprise Development, Cambridge.