Country Progress Report Compiled by Plan International 

Sri Lanka 2005

Sri Lanka 

County Update 2005

Sri Lanka continues to be beset by problems of internal security. The 20-year civil war between the Government and the rebel 'Tamil Tigers' - a Hindu separatist group in the north fighting for independence from the Buddhist Sinhalese majority - was brought to an end with the 2002 ceasefire. However, the fragile peace has been jeopardised by recent internal division in the Government. President Chandrika Kumaratunga declared a state of emergency in November 2003, suspending parliament while the Prime Minister - her political rival - was in America. The emergency law allows the President to control the Government, arrest and detain people without trial, and suspends freedom of the press. It has been reported that many people are too afraid to leave their houses or send their children to school, and the peace process has been left in doubt.

  Although the economy was showing signs of growth earlier in the year, when trade relations were improving, it is likely that the political situation will have a negative impact. Whilst structural reforms introduced have improved the nation's economy, the benefits have not filtered down to the poorest families. Indeed, the reduction of subsidies on agriculture and basic services, such as water, electricity, and transport, have actually made many poor rural families worse off.

Furthermore, the worst flood since 1947 hit Sri Lanka during May 2003, and particularly affected the southern coastal belt. The flooding, and subsequent landslides, displaced over 175,000 families, and cost the Sri Lankan Government more than US$32 million. Although Plan is not a relief organisation, we Provided emergency food, cooking utensils, and clothing to flood victims, in partnership with other .

  international organisations and the United Nations. Some sponsorship funds were diverted to help with the emergency. We will be embarking on a rehabilitation programme with affected communities next year, helping repair houses and schools in particular. Although a number of Plan affiliated communities were affected, we did not receive reports of individual children sponsored through the UK/lreland office being particularly adversely impacted.

Growing Up Healthy

Malnutrition is one of the most serious health issues in Sri Lanka, acceding almost 40% of children.

Supplementary feeding programmes in the past mainly helped families direcly, and children identified as severely malnourished were given special food packs. However, recent evaluations of this strategy have shown that the entire family consumed the food, especially fathers and boys, and the children most in need often received very little. Plan has therefore introduced a different strategy to address malnutrition.

ln Kurunegala, Matale (both in the centre), Monaragala (south-east), and Wellawaya (south), we worked with pre-school teachers and community health volunteers, helping them understand the causes of malnutrition. We provided training courses on nutrition and growth monitoring, and encouraged health volunteers to visit families and schools to talk to about children's diets and hygiene practices. In addition, we supported pre-schools to provide undernourished children with extra meals while they were at school, rather than through their families.

Another major health issue, particularly among adolescents, is reproducing health. There is very little

awareness of sexual health problems in rural areas, so Plan organised a number of activities coinciding with World AIDS Day, distributing posters and other materials to rural communities. As adolescents are among the most vulnerable, we also worked with youth groups, or Junior Citizen Groups', to raise awareness of reproductive health in their schools and villages. Through school plays, street drama, and poster campaigns, teenagers spread messages about the dangers of childhood marriage, early pregnancies, and unsafe sexual behaviour among their peers and families.

Some key successes'.

. 2 health centres built, 39 furnished 25 workshops held, training health workers and volunteers 26 people received medical or surgical treatment 31 school hygiene sessions organised 265 campaigns held on recognising and treating parasite infections

Learning

In order for children to realise their full potential, they must be given the opportunity to develop basic learning and life skills. One of the most critical learning periods is before the age of five. It is during this 'stage that children begin to acquire the cognitive, social, and language skills that they will need for the remainder of their lives. However, in Wellawaya, Kurunegala, and Monaragala, there are not even basic childcare facilities.

Plan therefore supported communities to build and renovate pre-school classrooms, providing safe and stimulating environments for children while their parents are working. Thailanka, a four-year old from Kurunegala told Plan staff about the problems of her old school: ''In my old pre-school the floor was dirty.

We got wet when it rained, and we didn't have anything to play with. Now' we have lots to do " Another pupil, tirasha, is also pleased with the new school. "I like coming to the pre-school, because there is so much to do said the four-year old. ''We have toys to play with, and the sun and moon are drawn on the walls " As well as improving infrastructure, we also trained volunteer teachers, many of whom were local mothers. The workshops focused on the importance of recreation and healthcare in early childhood development, and utilised training materials approved by the Sri Lankan Government. Plan implemented similar programmes for the construction of primary and secondary schools, and trained teachers at each level. We also trained school committees and parent-teacher associations, giving them the tools to successfully manage local schools, and monitor teachers' and pupils' progress.

Some key successes'.

59 pre-school classrooms renovated 80 volunteer pre-school teachers trained 3 primary schools built, 2 renovated - 3 secondary schools built 6 playgrounds built 296 girls and 198 boys awarded secondary school scholarships 105 libraries set up in primary and secondary schools 12 education awareness campaigns organised habitat Recent consultations with many rural communities highlighted the serious health problems caused by the lack of sanitary latrines. Many people defecate in public spaces, which pollutes water sources and provides a breeding ground for bacteria and parasites, making people susceptible to waterborne and gastro-

intestinal illnesses. V. Subramaniyam told Plan staff about the additional dangers of not having - proper   toilets: ''Very often, when we had to run into the jungle to go to the toilet, wild animals used to chase after us''     To improve the situation, Plan supported over 3,000 families to install latrines in their homes. Plan engineered a basic design, and purchased cement and tin-roofing sheets. The communities provided local materials and helped build the toilets. Latrines were also installed in pre- and primary school buildings, with separate cubicles for boys and girls, providing more privacy, a particular concern of many girls we spoke to. Following construction, local health staff and children talked to families about the importance of using the latrines, and of adopting good hygiene practices.

As well as problems with sanitation, many rural communities lack access to drinking water. For women and children, those usually responsible for fetching water, the lack of water does not just have health implications; it also has social and economic ones. Many spend up to five hours a day collecting and storing water. This means that women don't have time to earn money or look after their children, and very rarely participate in important community matters. Similarly, children who help their mothers, usually the girls, are often forced to miss school, or drop out altogether. Supporting communities to dig welts, and install water pipes has therefore had a huge impact.

''We helped our parents dig trenches and dear paths for the water system. We did it because we wanted water closer to our homes. I used to spend at least two hours a day fetching water, longer during the dry season. Now I have an extra two hours to study."

Madurangi, 14, from Kandy (central Sri Lanka).

To ensure the sustainability of these water systems, communities elected water committees who were trained by Plan, and are now responsible for the ongoing management and maintenance of each source.

Some key successes: . 3,048 domestic latrines installed . 56 open welts built or repaired, 13 tube welts with hand-pumps built, . 12 new community water systems constructed . 274 homes built or improved, 6| houses connected to electricity . 20 workshops held on hygiene and water use . 12 kilometres of rural access roads laid, 95 project management training workshops run

Livelihood

The majority of families we work with are dependent upon agriculture for their survival. However, an influx of cheap imported food from other South Asian countries means that small family farms are becoming increasingly marginalised. Without a secure source of income, families cannot guarantee their children the basic necessities needed for their growth and development.

To improve farmers' productivity, Plan ran a number of agricultural training workshops, introducing improved agricultural techniques. We also distributed tools, high-yield seeds, and farm animals. The increased production not only boosted farmers' incomes, but also improved the food intake and nutrition of their families and children.

However, women in Sri Lanka continue to face difficulties in securing a source of income. In rural areas, women's main economic activity is (unpaid) labour on family farms. Furthermore, women who work on

other farms to supplement their incomes are often exploited, and paid far less than men doing the same work. To empower women to take greater control of their incomes and finances, Plan awarded startup grants' to several mothers, helping them establish or expand family businesses, such as grocery and clothes stalls. In partnership with the National Youth Council and the National Apprenticeship Board, we also organised a series of vocational training courses. The skills acquired at the courses allowed families to diversify their incomes, and reduce their reliance on farming.

Some key successes: . 203 families received animals and poultry, 1.004 families received farming tools . 22 agricultural training workshops held . 2 vocational training centres built, 159 men and women received vocational training . 24 families awarded business Start-up grants

Building Relationships

The understanding and acknowledgement of children's rights are fundamental to the development of both children and their communities. However, in Sri Lanka, these rights are widely unrecognised.

Over the past year. Plan worked closely with the Child Protection Agency, the Sri Lankan Police, and the Child Probation Authority, holding a number of community presentations on children's rights issues. Local Junior Citizen groups also played a major role in promoting a number of specific issues affecting children in their communities. Through plays, sports competitions, and writing short stories, children openly discussed issues such as child abuse and labour, raising their own self-esteem, and the awareness among adults of their needs and concerns.

Another means for children to use their voices is through the 'Wilaya' children's newspaper. With our support, a hundred schools across Sri Lanka each receive four weekly editions of the newspaper, which' include children's poems, essays, experiences, and drawings. They also provide resource material for school curricula. Following media workshops organised by Plan and the Department of Education, some of the children are also responsible for compiling and editing the articles. ''We used to roam around the school and the village during our leisure time said Gayan, a 15 year-old pupil at Thalpathwewa School in Kurunegala. ''Now we can read the newspaper, and do other games and activities included in it'' In some areas, however, many children are still the victims of domestic violence, particularly alcohol- related abuse, and economic and sexual exploitation. In Hasalaka, Minipe, and Ududumbara (alI in central Sri Lanka), for example, almost half of pre-school children revealed that they suffered from some form of abuse or neglect. To protect these children, and help resolve family conflicts, Plan trained teachers and leaders of community-based organisations to raise awareness of children's rights within their communities.

They also learnt how to identify children at risk, and to persuade them and their parents to visit local, and confidential, family counselling services.

Some key successes-' . 23 children's and youth dubs supported, 107 children's events organised . 17 editions of children's newspapers distributed . 19 sessions raising awareness of children's rights, 1 5 family counselling workshops held . 2 community centres built, 2 more under construction

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