24 Mar, 2016
John Keells Foundation and World Vision Lanka recently launched a collaboration to uplift and rehabilitate the livelihoods of communities in Northern Sri Lanka. Through this collaboration, several development interventions such as livelihoods assistance programmes including enhancement of women entrepreneurship opportunities, infrastructure and skills development for the benefit of school children and youth and provision of water and sanitation facilities for schools and communities will be implemented in selected villages within the Mullaitivu district.
John Keells Foundation (JKF) is the Corporate Social Responsibility entity of the John Keells Group. One of its focus areas is community and livelihood development under which the Village Adoption Project is a key initiative aimed at poverty alleviation at village level through a sustainable and integrated development programme planned and implemented in partnership with relevant stakeholders. The villages previously undertaken under the Village Adoption Project are Halmillewa in the Anuradhapura District and Mangalagama in the Ampara District.
World Vision Lanka (WVL) has been operational in Northern Sri Lanka for many years and has been assisting returning communities to start life over, providing them with livelihood support, nutrition feeding programmes for preschool children, assistance in education sector, psychosocial support through its mental health project and disaster risk reduction programmes.
The collaboration provides both organizations an opportunity to work together to improve the lives of communities in the war affected North through sustainable development programmes.
Two villages in the Mullaitivu district – Iranaipalai in Puthukudiyiruppu DS and Puthumathalan in Maritimepattu DS – were selected after a lengthy assessment and clearance process.
Under the first phase of the project, selected members of fisher societies were provided with fish nets and tools while members of Women’s Rural Development Societies were assisted to start a savings scheme and provided with bicycles. To mark the completion of these activities, a handover ceremony was held in Iranaipalai with the participation of Mr. N Vethanayagam, Government Agent of Mullaitivu, Divisional Secretaries, Security Forces representatives, religious leaders and school principals as well as representatives of the village communities.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. N Vethanayagam, Government Agent of Mullaitivu, said “Iranaipalai was one of the conflict zones that was severely damaged during the last phase of the war. Almost all infrastructure and facilities were badly affected. Given that this is one of the most needy areas where the livelihood of families depend largely on fishing, I am very glad that John Keells has come forward to assist these people to restore their source of income.”
Speaking on behalf of John Keells Foundation Ms. Carmeline Jayasuriya, Head of Operations, CSR said that John Keells was very pleased to partner development in an area long affected by the conflict. “We have been able to engage with the relevant stakeholders in planning preliminary development activities in the two villages, thanks to the collaborative support of WVL, Government officials, security forces and community based organizations. We look forward to working closely with all stakeholders in planning and implementing future activities”, she said.
Meanwhile, infrastructure development undertaken under the first phase includes construction of permanent double unit toilets for the two schools in the selected villages (Mu/Iranaipalai R.C.M.V., Mullaitivu and Mu/Mathalan R.C.G.T., Mullaitivu) and the cleaning and renovation of community wells in Puthumathalan. This work too has been completed and handed over to the respective beneficiaries. More development work being planned under the second phase of the project.
The project envisages a larger collaboration between the two organizations with JKF funding and implementing initiatives which have been identified through needs assessments and stakeholder engagement and WVL providing ground support, particularly in relation to assessment, implementation and monitoring aspects.
Commenting on the collaboration, WVL National Director Suresh Bartlett said, “This is an important collaboration as we intentionally look to partner with corporates in development. We believe the synergies that this creates will help us maximize opportunities and bring about greater innovation in delivering sustainable development outcomes for the people of Sri Lanka.”
Picture Captions
A cleaned and renovated community well in Puthumathalan. |
Representatives of John Keells Foundation hand over a bicycle to a member of the Women’s Rural Development Society of Iranaipalai in the presence of Government Agent Mullativu, security forces personnel and community leaders |
Government Agent Mullativu hands over fishing nets to a member of the Fisher Society of Iranaipalai, Mullaitivu |
Representatives of John Keells Foundation and World Vision Lanka together with Government Agent Mullativu, security forces personnel and community leaders of Iranaipalai and Puthumathalan, Mullaitivu District. |
Handing over of a Bicycle to a member of the Women’s Rural Development Society |
A Member of Women’s Rural Development Societies who was assisted to start a savings scheme |