International relief agency World Vision recently challenged television presenter Anneka Rice to visit Sri Lanka where people are still recovering from the impact of the Asian Tsunami, one of the world's most devastating disasters.

|PIC1|In Sri Lanka alone, 35,000 people were killed and thousands of families were displaced in the 2004 disaster.

The special hour-long "Challenge Anneka" programme was aired on Boxing Day.

For the last 30 years, World Vision has been working in the country and was able to distribute food and emergency aid on Boxing Day 2004 within hours.

In November, the team joined hundreds of people who have been working in Sri Lanka for the last two years to help local communities rebuild their world.

Chris Webster, World Vision's emergency communications officer, joined the crew for the five-day challenge to complete three projects, which included refurbishment of a maternity clinic, the building of a children's play centre, and fixing a cricket pavilion and pitch in time for a celebratory cricket match.

Webster commented: "It's been immensely hard work but the most amazing project to be involved in. This isn't like a DIY show - it will make a difference to thousands of lives."

Forty people flew to Sri Lanka at the end of November, including volunteers, a television crew and 15 builders from the UK.

Webster said: "One volunteer, a man called James, lost his fiancee in the tsunami and came to give something back to Sri Lanka because he was looked after so well by the people there.

"It's an amazing sort of journey, especially seeing the pregnant women using the clinic.

"It was a really emotional project and everyone was in tears at the end of it. It reminds people of the huge devastating impact but also of the possibilities for a brighter future."