Sri Lanka

J560 Kantha Shakthi

Kantha Shakthi is Currently in the process of implementing the final stages of self-reliance and self-sustenance of women affected by the tsunami in six selected Grama Niladhari (GN) divisions of the Matara and Hambanthota districts of Sri Lanka, marking the end of a five year long process of empowering women.

In its present state, these women are in the process of building three strong and independent women’s organizations at village level. The leaders of these independent organizations are the rural women themselves. During the course of the past five years, these women have built a collective fund that exceeds LKR 2.9 million, and within this period Kantha Shakthi has succeeded in facilitating and directing 348 women (out of a total 498) into self-employment ventures. Their own savings in terms of a collective fund is utilized to strengthen and develop their income generation activities. The current stage of the process on self-reliance seeks to further strengthen the group fund and their income generating activities. Providing business development initiatives, training on skills development, and developing women’s skills and abilities to answer to the needs and requirements of their area, ultimately uplifting rural women to leadership is inclusive in this process of empowerment.

Kantha Shakthi’s objective is to mobilize and empower these women as those suitable to be community leaders, having considerable representation in the process of decision making to see that rural women’s freedom and rights are won.

J133 Bethel Children’s Home

The Bethel Children’s Home was established to provide total care for children displaced and/or affected by the civil war and/or tsunami. Their aim is to provide a ‘home’ environment for needy children, including food, clothing, education and medical assistance. Currently they have one home for boys and one home for girls.

J215 Agribusiness Training Project

Despite Sri Lanka’s recent economic development, the increasing revenue is not used to relieve poverty. Unequal income distribution means that essential services such as road maintenance, reliable electricity, and educational facilities do not attract necessary funding from the federal government.

The aim of this project is to establish a training centre for agricultural development, English tuition and IT in the Sabaragamuwa Province. This project will provide a means of employment and training for the local community. This project is expected to operate profitably with the net gain being used to establish further poverty relieving projects for the region.

J705 Vocaid International (previously J105)

This project is providing vocational training in Sri Lanka coupled with poverty alleviation initiatives.
The three facets of Vocaid are:

• Vocational training centres – set up small technical training centres of up to 20 students focusing on different trades within the building industry.
• Child education scholarships – provide education opportunities for disadvantaged children and will include school fees, books, tuition, transport costs, uniforms and equipment.
• Material aid – in the form of clothes, food, equipment to be given in particular to the poor, elderly, disabled, disadvantages and victims of natural disasters.

Project Manager: Genevieve Brown 

J341 Home of Hope in Jaela

In January 2006 HelpKids Centre was opened and is now completing its second year. The centre has helped many children and their families through education and vocational training. This project will be expanded in Ja-ela about an hour north of Colombo. 

J347.1 Skill Training Centre

Sri Lanka is a lower-middle income developing country with about one quarter of the population living below the poverty line. Two decades of civil conflict between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE have exacerbated poverty and resulted in major inequities between regions.
The perceived root of the issue is lack of income. While health and nutrition are important, the imperative is to help eradicate poverty in the long term. It is our opinion that the best way to eradicate poverty is to provide opportunities for skills training and income generation.
The intention is to set up and run a Skills Training Centre for 12 months initially teaching women to sew cloth bags which they can sell for profit. If all goes well we will advance to further skills training such as literacy and computers.
The centre needs to be furnished and equipped, and markets obtained for the cloth bags.