DanChurchAid
Sri Lanka
Improving living conditions in Sri Lanka
Title of the project: Improvement of basic living conditions and quality of life for the most vulnerable sections of the population in Sri Lanka.
What is the objective of the project? To improve the living conditions for some of the most vulnerable war affected persons living in Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts.
Where does it take place? Sadamnagar village in Trincomalee district and selected IDP camps in Batticaloa district, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka.
Why this intervention? The intervention is twofold and targeted two different groups: Former IDPs and new IDPs.
Many years after return to their own land the war affected communities still do not have the most basic amenities such as proper housing and easy access to clean water and safe sanitation.
The poor water and sanitation in the communities is mainly a result of chronic poverty that is exacerbated by multiple displacements and disrupted livelihoods due to the conflict. Earlier there was ample open space to use for open air defecation, but the villagers now say that they have no place because of the growing population. The forests are being converted to fields and the boundaries are going further away hence they have to walk a long distance to relieve themselves. Secondly, since there is no water draining facility the water gets stagnated causing a range of diseases.
It should be stressed that these former IDPs are often forgotten by the government and NGOs because the circumstances that made them IDPs are in the past and therefore their needs are not considered as severe and immediate as new IDPs.
The new IDPs need relief assistance to meet their most basic needs such as food, water and shelter. The government provide some assistance and NGOs fill the gaps.
Who are the beneficiaries? Some are war affected persons who have returned to their homes in Sadamnagar village (former IDPs) but the majority are new displaced persons (IDPs) living in camps in Batticaloa district.
Sadamnagar is located in the Thambalagamam division of the Tricomalee district. The community comprises of 207 families consisting of 129 Muslim, 54 Tamil and 24 Sinhala families. The settlement has grown to a village from a small hamlet.
The majority of the beneficiaries got displaced from their villages in early part of 2007 due to the military offences by the Sri Lankan army. At its peak there were more than 150,000 people living in IDP camps in Batticaloa district. They had to flee their homes and left everything behind. Initially 48 IDP camps were covered by the project in April 07 but due to the rapid resettlement the number has now been reduced to 7 camps accommodating 2,800 persons.
What kind of assistance do these families need most? The former IDPs in Sadamnagar need access to clean water and proper sanitation as one of the most urgent needs. Many of their houses are still not repaired or reconstructed.
The IDPs living in camps need food, water, basic relief items such as clothes, utensils to cook own food, and hygiene items.
What does DCA provide to meet those needs? 85 latrines are provided and will be utilized by the targeted beneficiaries at the end of the project. At the same time hygiene promotion is being undertaken by OfERR’s own health workers in co-ordination with the public health department. The awareness programme is carried out through small groups such as women’s groups, students associations and youth organisations. Four sessions per month is conducted by OfERR’s senior health workers, which includes preventive health care with special emphasis on personal hygiene.
- In April, roughly 41,000 IDPs living in IDP camps were provided rice and vegetables daily but the number has decreased significantly in June-July.
- Medical clinics, including HP awareness, were carried out in 10 IDP camps in April and gradually reduced to four camps in July.
- Hygiene kits are distributed to 696 families.
- Non-food relief items have been provided to 723 families who have not received such assistance by other agencies.
The beneficiaries have highly appreciated the assistance given.
Who is paying for all this? The European Commission Humanitarian Department (ECHO) has provided a grant to DCA who is responsible for the implementation of the project in partnership with a local NGO OfERR Ceylon. DCA contributes with a minor grant. The project is expected to be completed by August 2007.
Country Representative, Henrik Fosseldorff, hfo.srilanka@dca.dk
DanChurchAid has a Framework Partnership Agreement with ECHO enabling DanChurchAid to implement ECHO funded projects worldwide in a broad range of sectors including water and sanitation, food aid, shelter, non-food item to humanitarian mine action. Visit websites: ECHO and ECHO at work in Sri Lanka
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