6-month project
Target areas
The 6-month project is targetted at the following three areas:
- Two subdivisions (Galvonore Kotasa and New Forest) of the six on the Pupuressa Levollon Tea Estate. The estate is managed by the management board of government (Janatha Estates Development Board). In total on the estate there are 1098 families with 90% of the population being Tamil speaking. There are eight Hindu temples in the area. There are 1077 houses (line rooms) in the area but there are only 643 toilets.
- The Ulapane School and the adjoining Denmark Village. The total population is 1367. 90% of the population speak Sinhala and are Buddhist. The rest of the population are Tamil speaking from Hindu and Muslim communities. 627 children from the area are studying in the Ulapane School. 41 staff work in the school. The percentage of students who get through GCE O Level is around 12%.
- the Kadugannawa Tamil School and a section of the Nawula village. 61 children are studying in the primary school (31 Male, 30 female). There are 5–10 children in each class with 9 teachers are in the school. There are 48 families in the Nawula area targeted by the project. The majority are Tamils who have been resettled in the area. The main source of employment for both men and women from the community is working as cleaners in the Kadugannawa Municipal council. 65% of the students from the school are from this village.
Objectives
The objectives for the six month project are as follows:
- To develop a detailed analysis of the problems that affects the lives of children in low income families in the identified villages in Pupuressa, Ulapane and Kadugannawa. This will aid the implementation of any longer term project and expand on earlier PRA activities.
- To build links between the target groups in the identified divisions and other civil society and to identify available resources to enable successful implementation of future programmes.
- To mobilize the community and responsible officer through knowledge, skills, attitudes and capacity to intervene in problems that affect children and to identify response to problems that affect the communities at large.
- To build a network of trust and establish mutual links of respect between WDC, SLCT and the local communities.
- To develop and explore avenues for improvement from the 6 month project to any future long-term project.
Activities to be undertaken in the 6-month project
Detailed study on child abuse and problems
The study will serve as a baseline survey that will gather accurate information needed for the main project. This activity will also provide a comprehensive understanding about the target group and the target location.
Community groups
The state bodies responsible for the target communities will be identified and information shared with regard to the project and its objectives. All community societies that are active in the area will be identified and introduced to the project and its objectives.
Existing groups will be strengthened and new groups started in areas that do not have active groups. It is anticipated that at least youth groups, community development societies, women’s societies and children’s societies will be established in each area.
Intervention in identified problems
The following general interventions are proposed for all three areas.
- Address health, nutrition and other health problems, attitudes and improve healthy habits among the target groups in Pupuressa.
- Set up a workers rest room where women working in one division of the estate can take their lunch. Vocational, nutritional, rights and health information for women will be provided in the rest room, while also providing a safe communal area for women to gather.
- Awareness workshops on primary health care and nutrition for pregnant mothers and women groups, youth groups.
- Primary health care training for children
- Training workshop on HIV/AIDS and other STDs for the youth groups.
Programmes for knowledge, development on rights, ethic and values of the target groups
- Awareness workshops on child rights, women’s rights and disable persons rights for community members and youth groups
- Programmes for parents on ethics and values and value of children’s education
- Roles and responsibilities of the teachers to create a child friendly school environment.
Child development
Programmes to create a child friendly school environment:
- Thirty teachers will be selected from the schools in Pupuressa, Kadugannawa and Ulapane will be trained to function as student counsellors.
- Training workshop on child psychology and early childhood development for the parents of preschool children
- Provide sports items and other necessary assistance for children’s clubs.
Capacity building
- Training and awareness of leadership qualities among youth leaders, women‟s leaders and community leaders.
- Listening skills development training for community leaders.
- The project will identify estate-linked small capital required enterprises such as soap making, candle, home gardening which are suitable for income generation. Some programmes will be started during the 6 month project.
Ulapane and Kadugannawa Schools
The following activities will be implemented.
There will be small scale renovations and maintenance activities (e.g. toilets, dilapidated buildings) which will be implemented with the contribution of parents and community. Additionally, the project will support activities such as sports activities, drama and painting of walls.
Children will be given awareness on primary health, importance of education, values and duties of school children and other issues that concern their wellbeing. School based children’s societies will be established to develop leadership skills, support healthy extra curricular activities and organise various competitions (e.g. debates, speech, sports, singing, art, music, essay writing.) to highlight children’s talents.