FOUNDATION Newsletter

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1 Edition 18 / July 2008 SEWALANKA FOUNDATION Newsletter INSIDE: > Loans Create New Opportunities > Rebuilding Trincomalee Community > Songs for Change > Strengthening Disaster Preparedness > Learning Business 101

2 LIVELIHOOD DEVELOPMENT Loans create new opportunities From a small office in Weheragala, Polonnaruwa, two full-time Sewalanka staff and two volunteers are helping to make significant positive changes in the region. Under the direction of Mr. Bandula, and without any external funding support yet, Sewalanka s Polonnaruwa office has quickly established itself as a self-sustaining office. Right now, we mostly do micro-financing projects, says Mr. Bandula. In just two years, the office went from providing no micro-financing loans to administering Rs. 700,000 worth of loans, with one of the highest recovery rates among Sewalanka s micro-finance projects. The Polonnaruwa office works with 36 community-based organizations (CBOs) in the region to strengthen these local organizations and improve the livelihoods of people within their communities. Many of the CBOs are women s societies and farming societies. Once a CBO has been recognized by the local authorities, Sewalanka is able to lend money to the organization at low interest rates. The CBO then distribute loans to their members based on their own qualifying criteria. Above > A young entrepreneur demonstrates how she makes hats. With a microfinance loan, she has built a profitable business that employs one other staff member. The Arunalu Lanka Sewa Society became a formal CBO in 2000 with just 10 members. We came together to improve our livelihood, says Indrani, the CBO manager. Coming together was the only solution. Now with 37 members, Arunalu Lanka organizes health programs, shramadana activities and administers micro-financing loans to its members. Through a microfinance loan, one of Arunalu s members, Indrawathi, a rice farmer, has been able to buy fertilizer and seeds, rent a tractor and pay labourers. Her Sewalanka-funded loans have released her from a cycle of financial debt with black market lenders who required her to sell rice back to them at below-market rates. Now she has access to the legitimate marketplace and greater income. Eventually, with Sewalanka s help, the Arunalu society would like to build a full-fledged bank and community centre on land given to them by the Mahaweli Authority. Creating a real bank is the goal of another Polonnaruwa-based CBO that works with Sewalanka. This 30-member CBO has used its loans for such projects as purchasing a water pump, buying rice paddy, supporting a local retailer and rebuilding a home damaged by flood. A local hair dresser used his microfinance loan to purchase equipment to establish a nowsuccessful business. Every loan request is examined by a five-person committee and such things as attendance at the CBO s meetings, the loan s intended use and the individual s saving history are taken into consideration. This screening process has worked well and the CBO enjoys a 100 percent payback rate. With strong management and loan recovery rates, this small community organization has gone from a starting savings of Rs. 5 to Rs. 115,000 and is in a very strong position to move forward. The future looks bright Sewalanka s Polonnaruwa office has a number of other projects in the pipeline. We have designed a project to reduce electricity use called Climate Change Positive Action, says Mr. Bandula. The office is working with the electricity board to raise awareness of and distribute energy-efficient lightbulbs that will not only reduce electricity demand but save residents up to 60 percent on their bills. We are also working with an organization called IDEA to introduce energyefficient hearths that reduce wood use by percent. This will also have positive health benefits, he adds. The office is participating in a threeyear livelihood project funded by the UNDP to support communities in Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura. The two offices have also come together on a concept to improve CBOs in the region by linking them with their local Members of Parliament to access funding that is allocated to improving their districts. As part of this concept, SEDCO and Sewa Finance will join with the CBOs to help them identify opportunities to increase their financial independence. 2

3 CBO Profile: Prathana, Polonnaruwa In the region of Bimpocuna, a CBO that is a mere two years old boasts a large membership and successful micro-finance history. Prathana, which means wish in Sinhala, is a 60- member CBO that has administered Rs. 1.8 million in loans through Sewalanka. Above > This storeowner used her microfinance loan to diversify her inventory and provide one-stop shopping to the community. In June, Sewalanka will begin farming 500 acres of land to generate revenue and improve the livelihoods of families in the Mahawelli region. A 200 acre parcel of land will be donated to CBOs for home gardening projects and Sewalanka will plant sunflowers on the remaining 300 acres to produce sunflower oil for future sale. Lack of external funding has not deterred Sewalanka s Polonnaruwa office staff from pursuing exciting and innovative ideas. With creativity and an eye on the bottom line, it continues to support an array of communities in the region, while looking to a brighter, more project-heavy future. Below > A local farmer tends to his fields. Rice farming and seed paddy are primary income sources for many people in Pollonaruwa s rural communities. Sewalanka microfinance loans have provided the funding that has allowed many to break the cycle of poverty. A young hat-maker used her loan to purchase materials and transportation to diversify her business. Now, she is able to make an array of hats to appeal to adults and children. Her business success has enabled her to save Rs I now have one person working with me. I m the boss, she says proudly. Manel, a local retailer, used her loan to broaden her store s selection. The loan means that now people can get everything in one place, she notes. A couple who make their living through fish wholesaling were able to use a one-time Sewalanka financed loan to reserve more boats and increase their inventory for sale. The profits from their first large wholesale shipment was enough to pay back the loan and continue to reserve a larger number of boats than when they had to rely on their personal savings. Other Prathana members have used their loans to improve their rice mills or to purchase lumber for a carpentry business. Right now, our goal is to improve ourselves as an organization, says the CBO president. We like working with Sewalanka so we are going to continue giving loans as we do it now. But eventually we would like to form a bank. 3

4 RELIEF AND SUPPORT Rebuilding Trincomalee Community Katkulam is a small village on Sri Lanka s east coast in the Trincomalee district. Its residents have been among the worst affected by the 2004 tsunami and the country s ongoing ethnic conflict, losing their homes, businesses, crops and livelihoods. Sewalanka Foundation identified the town as a priority area and approached CESVI, an Italian NGO, to partner with us in a two-year project to deliver development support to the region. We sought to strengthen the community by bringing it together and mobilizing its members to make changes that would create long-lasting improvements in their livelihood and reduce dependence on outside resources. Using a range of participatory tools to engage all community members, Sewalanka and CESVI worked with the villagers to conduct a rural assessment and a needs assessment for the area. The analysis gave the stakeholders an opportunity to identify community assets and key needs that would assist them in improving their quality of life. As a result of these assessments, the villagers identified seven priority needs. Highest among them were permanent housing, rehabilitation and reconstruction of water facilities, capacity building for community-based organizations (CBOs) and livelihood activities. With these priorities in mind, a village development plan was created. From early 2006 through to the end of 2007, staff from Sewalanka Foundation and CESVI worked with villagers to complete a range of projects in the plan. Individuals from the community were identified to become social mobilizers and Sewalanka provided training in social mobilization and how to form and run self-help groups. Once these activities were completed, we guided members of the self-help groups in developing CBOs. Sewalanka delivered eight training programs that provided skills and information to improve livelihood activities and distributed microfinance loans to several community members to support their business activities and encourage savings. Housing was a pressing issue for residents, many of whom were living in makeshift huts. We constructed 100 permanent houses, dramatically improving living conditions for area families. The new homes feature indoor bathroom facilities and solar power units that are both environmentally friendly and cost-effective, says Mr. Nawas, who leads the project for Sewalanka. This way, the villagers can save on electricity bills and have more money in their pockets. Ten domestic wells and seven agricultural wells were also built, limiting the need for villagers to travel to obtain vital water for individuals and crops. Forty fishing nets, 60 cows, 100 seed packets for agriculture activities, planting materials, a milk collecting bowser (a mobile tank) and 27,500 kg of seed paddy were all provided to Katkulam villagers as part of the project to improve their income generation potential. In addition, infrastructure improvements were made, including laying three kilometers of new road and adding 40 water pumps. These activities were successfully completed amidst many difficulties, says Mr. Nawas. From time to time, transport of goods for construction was banned. There were road closures and hartals (strikes) at intermittent times. Sewalanka and CESVI overcame these challenges through our wellconnected network of staff and partners. Our locally based field officers, who have in-depth knowledge of the area and have established strong relationships in the region, contributed significantly to finding solutions to problems and helping to overcome difficulties to complete the project successfully. Left > Community members inspect new farming equipment used to support livelihood development work led by Sewalanka and Italian partner CESVI in the Katkulam region. 4

5 PEACE AND RECONCILIATION Songs for Change Above > Local songwriters and Sewalanka staff gathered to discuss how music can have a positive impact on the peace process in Sri Lanka. Thirty songs for peace were subsequently written by the local artists, with 12 songs shortlisted for the project s next phase, recording an album. Some of history s most popular music has been music with a message. From the civil rights refrain of We Shall Overcome to the collective chorus of We Are The World, in times of war and tragedy, musicians have used their talents to express the feelings of the people and convey messages of peace, healing and change. Music s ability to unite and motivate is the inspiration behind Sewalanka s Songs for Change program, which aims to continue the tradition of music with a message within the Sri Lankan context. In Sri Lanka, our songs are dreamy, about romance and love. But we are dealing with many real and difficult issues war, gender inequality, violence and we want to see some music that reflects that, says Mr. Nalaka Weerasuriya of Sewalanka s Peace and Reconciliation Team. Through connections with youth at Visual and Performing Arts University Colombo, the team invited songwriters to Unawatuna in Sri Lanka s Southern Province this spring to participate in a one-day workshop. Among the 35 attendees were international music experts academics and leading composers who shared their perspectives with the songwriters on how music can challenge perceptions and influence change. They talked about what [the attendees ] responsibility was as music writers, says Chandana Mallawarachchi, coordinator of the Songs for Change program. At first, the attendees felt that we in Sri Lanka have our own style but after the international presentations they realized that music is universal. The workshop began with an overview of songs that had messages against social injustice and war. Sewalanka compiled 80 such songs and distributed translated lyrics for 11 of them. The group discussed the structure of the lyrics and the power of the songs. Inspired by what they had read, the young songwriters were sent away to write songs that address issues of violence, misunderstanding and war as experienced in Sri Lanka. The final product of Sewalanka s Songs for Change program will be a CD of locally made songs. We are now gathering support from wellknown artists who can inspire Sri Lankans, young and old, with messages of peace and reconciliation. It s very difficult to find popular Sri Lankan singers to sing. Most are singing romantic songs and may not go into the subject of social change, observes Nalaka. When all of the talent has been secured, the music with a message will be ready for them. The songwriters who originally gathered in Unawatuna have produced enough material to fill a great CD. The group reconvened in April with 30 songs for peace. Three or four of the writers produced songs on the spot, says Chandana. They read their lyrics to each other and discussed the positives and the weaknesses of the songs, suggesting ideas and providing constructive criticism. In the end, 12 songs were chosen to be recorded. In June, we ll get together with music composers, musicians, singers and the songwriters to discuss the CD with everyone, says Nalaka of the project s next steps. Eventually, the musicians need to distribute their songs to radio stations and abroad so that everyone understands that we have common futures. 5

6 LIVELIHOOD DEVELOPMENT Towards Sustainable Livelihoods 6 Above > A community member stands in his new home garden. Home gardening and large-scale agriculture projects are one of the elements of the Towards Sustainable Livelihoods project in Galle and Matara. The project is intended to move communities away from dependence and toward sustainable development. In the wake of the 2004 tsunami, many national and international agencies poured funding into Sri Lanka s tsunami-affected communities for a range of projects. Most of the families living in the coastal areas developed a dependence mentality as they received everything from dry rations to permanent houses during the relief and rehabilitation period. We felt it was important to focus on sustainable development, says Mr. Y.W.J. Jagath, Sewalanka Galle District coordinator for the Towards Sustainable Livelihoods project. Sewalanka has partnered with two donors, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Canadian Hunger Foundation (CHF), on this project to address gaps in the services and programs delivered to the coastal communities while also addressing largely ignored interior communities. Many interior villages are in abject poverty and they lack community infrastructure, says Mr. Jagath. Towards Sustainable Livelihoods focuses on improving communities economic situation, their general well-being as well as taking measures to preserve the environment. The two and half-year project involves 4000 families in the Galle and Matara districts in Sri Lanka s Southern Province. We are working with 70 percent coastal and 30 percent interior communities to increase the real incomes of these areas by at least 30 percent through enhanced sustainable livelihoods for extreme and ultra poor households by the end of the project, says Mr. Jagath. The project also aims to strengthen CBOs, local government and Sewalanka s capacity to support gender sensitive sustainable livelihood development. Working with the private sector we hope to increase the productivity and profitability of medium, small and micro enterprises, he adds. The project also aims to increase dialogue and cooperation among target communities to prevent and mitigate conflict. The project participants were chosen through a Participatory Rural Assessment (PRA) that was done in each village and involved all families. The PRA included a wealth ranking to identify the poorest and most disadvantaged households, enabling Sewalanka to determine the number of families that would be eligible for the project. After the wealth ranking, Sewalanka and CHF conducted Household Investment Plan (HIP) assessments with the selected families. The HIP assessment examines the family s assets in five areas: human, social, natural, physical and financial capital. Once concluded, we worked with each family to develop a Household Operation Plan (HOP), which aims to improve their lives in each of the five areas.

7 By gathering this information, Sewalanka established a baseline measurement for each family. We can now monitor the project s success by doing periodic HIP assessments, says Mr. Jagath. Sewalanka field staff provide relevant training to help the families achieve the goals in their HOPs and regularly monitor their progress against the plan. In all, 96 Sewalanka staff and volunteers are involved in the project. This project is totally different from other tsunami-related relief and rehabilitation projects, says Mr. Jagath. It represents the first time in the south that this type of a household level development project has been implemented. Initially, it was very difficult to raise awareness and understanding of the importance of the project goals but the families now understand that all the relief and rehabilitation work is finished and that they have to get rid of a dependence mentality in order to go back to where they were before tsunami, he says. To support this transition, Sewalanka has established home gardening and larger scale agriculture projects, constructed several marketing and vocational centers in Galle and Matara and supported the formation of village-based producer groups. The project has completed its first year and the data from our evaluations has revealed that the participants have understood the importance of the project to better their livelihoods. The families are gradually getting used to recording all their day-to-day expenses and income in the cash books given to them by Sewalanka, and they are able to see where they actually are in terms of development, says Mr. Jagath. By seeing their progress, and having access to new facilities and training through Sewalanka, CIDA and CHF, we hope that families will be further motivated to achieve the livelihood goals of the project and their personal plans. Below > A micro-enterprise owner organizes his products for sale. The Towards Sustainable Livelihoods project aims to help local entrepreneurs increase their productivity and profitability. 7

8 RELIFE AND SUPPORT Safe Haven in Saththurukkondan-II On April 26, 2006, Tharmalingam Yokarasah, his wife, Yogeswari, and their three children woke to the thundering noise of artillery shelling. The couple, who lived in Kadatkaraichchenai in Sri Lanka s eastern district of Trincomalee, were at first unsure what the chaos was about but soon knew they had to act quickly. The villagers were running here and there with whatever belongings they can carry, says Tharmalingam of that fateful morning. We also followed with the little clothes and some rice and dry fish which we could carry. Thus began a harrowing seven-day journey. They walked for miles as the sound of artillery fire from security forces followed them. We walked first to Pattalipuram, then to Verugal but shelling was intense. We went further downstream and camped in the Verugal Aru Bank. We were hungry and tired but even here the firing continued and it was becoming worse so we had to be on the move again, he recalls. The families were trying to get to the safety of the neighbouring district of Batticaloa and had to trek through forests away from roads. It was very tedious and treacherous but we had no choice. We had to go through thick jungle for miles and miles, crossing streams and rivers in an unknown territory, explains Tharmalingam. We carried the sick, old and children, all the time avoiding falling shells. All over we can hear and shell fire, and we had to lie down for several minutes before we could proceed. This was the most dangerous and difficult part. Eventually, the group reached Welikande, a government-controlled area. Armed forces arranged for safe travel to an IDP camp in Batticaloa run by Sewalanka Foundation. When they arrived, the villagers and Sewalanka provided us with cooked meals, says Tharmalingam. Earlier that month, with funding support from our Danish partner DanChurchAid, Sewalanka Foundation had taken responsibility for food, health, security and other requirements in the Saththurukkondan-II camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs). Sewalanka has extensive experience working with IDP camps across Sri Lanka, providing emergency assistance, shelter, food, clothing and sanitation services. Below > Members of the Saththurukondan-II IDP camp participate in the distribution of household products. The IDP camp s residents are actively involved in the management of all aspects of the camp, from meal distribution to education. 8

9 NEWS AND EVENTS Saththurukkondan-II houses 493 people who have been displaced due to conflict and natural disasters. Sewalanka Foundation provides a range of supports to the IDPs as well as activities to improve quality of life in the camp. Education, psychosocial services, health programs and special attention for pregnant women are just some of the services that Sewalanka staff and DanChurchAid offer in this temporary village. They provided these services very well and our worries were greatly reduced, says Tharmaliungam. Soon after their arrival the family was moved to temporary shelters within the camp, where they were able to begin to settle again and resume some normalcy in their lives. In keeping with Sewalanka s community development approach, we engaged members of the IDP camp in such activities as meal distribution, environmental cleaning, education and water and sanitation. An administrative committee was also formed. Sewalanka made links with other organizations to build shelters and tube wells to provide pure drinking water. At the request of the IDPs, Sewalanka also arranged for assistance with important events such as funeral rites, child birth and age attainments. The camp management was well organized and we were part of the management structure, comments Tharmalingam. Our worries were very much reduced and a peaceful atmosphere prevailed. The Saththurukkondan-II is a well run camp, but it can never replace the comforts of a real home in one s native village. This is a virtual homely atmosphere, but we hope and pray some day we can go to our own village and restart our livelihoods. Children s Home Opens Doors For the past few months, Sewalanka Foundation has been reporting on the progress of the Hari Children s Home in Batticaloa. We are pleased to announce that the new building was formally opened at a ceremony in June. The home, found itself struggling to cope with scores of new arrivals following the 2004 tsunami. Facing the termination of its lease in 2006, the home was in urgent need of new premises. While it had received a private donation of land, it lacked the funds to construct a new building. After the administrators approached Sewalanka in December 2006, we undertook to help secure a donation for construction of a suitable new permanent residence. Sewalanka put the home in touch with a U.S.-based donor, Mr. Abhishek Jain from Tsunami Relief, whose gift of $100,000 allowed construction work to commence in May. Facilities at the new Hari Children s home include modern bedrooms and kitchen, specialized study areas and a small multimedia room.the new building will provide the orphans with stability and security and will serve as a permanent home until they complete their education. Below > Students at the Hari Children s Home make their way to class. The new building opened this spring. 9

10 CAPACITY BUILDING Improving Disaster Preparedness The Indian Ocean earthquake that caused the devastating tsunami in December 2004 left 230,000 people dead and missing in Sri Lanka, Thailand, India and Indonesia. Many people believe that the lives lost could have been reduced if the affected areas had received adequate warning of the impending wave. With this in mind, the Indian Ocean Early Warning System was established in Three deep ocean sensors and 25 seismographic stations relay information to 26 national tsunami information centers in the region. With financial support and leadership from USAID, Sri Lanka, The Maldives, India, Thailand and Indonesia have collaborated to design an end-to-end Tsunami Preparedness System that addresses the coastal communities that would likely be affected by a tsunami. Sewalanka specifically has been funded by USAID to work directly with local communities to strengthen their capacity to respond to a natural disaster, mitigate the loss of life and improve their resilience. Sewalanka staff received training in disaster preparedness and are now sharing that knowledge with local communities. Our focus is on mitigation, preparation and recovery, says Mr. Ajith Tennakoon, Sewalanka Field Director for the South region. Sewalanka has selected two areas that were hit by the tsunami one in Hambantota (Kirinda) in the country s Southern Province and one in Kalutara (Payagala) in the Western Province. Sewalanka staff have been working with people in the communities to prepare contingency plans, local warning systems and disaster mitigation measures. Disaster probability is very high in these areas. It is the main threat to the communities livelihood. Since these people have experienced a very bad disaster, they are motivated and proactive about preparation, says Mr. Tennakoon. The project began with formal and informal meetings with local residents with the purpose of mapping the community s assets. Critical information, such as where the safe places in the village are, Below > Sewalanka s disaster preparedness work in Kalutara and Hambantota is helping communities avoid the loss of life and property, as experienced here in 2004, in the face of a natural disaster. how information could be communicated efficiently in the case of a disaster, and the locations of vulnerable community members, were identified at this stage. We created response plans that address these issues. We identified places to store food and other important items in a disaster. We linked the villagers to the district, provincial and national level disaster management program so that warnings are communicated to them immediately. When they get a warning, their plan is set into action, says Mr. Tennakoon. The villages use local assets like temple loud speakers and church bells to alert residents of danger. When the early warning system registered a seismic event in March 2008, these two villages did not panic. They had processes in place, Mr. Tennakoon notes. Neighbouring villages were chaotic. With an intention to roll out similar projects in other villages, Sewalanka is taking lessons from these two pilot experiences to improve the program. We are a learning organization, says Mr. Tennakoon. Each village is different and we have learned that we need to adapt the program to fit the people s livelihood and attitudes. He notes that the two pilot villages were fisheries based. As a result, the men were out in the boats and it was mostly women who participated in the plan. We now know that in future, we will have to make a seasonal plan. So in this case, we would work around the fishing schedule to get participation from men as well. 10 Sewalanka staff are also committed to regularly reviewing and retraining villagers so that they do not lose the knowledge and processes they ve gained. Our goal is to strengthen the village institution so that they can carry out training themselves. Then our involvement will no longer be necessary.

11 CAPACITY BUILDING Strengthening the Fisheries Sector Above > A fisherman stands beside his catch, which is being dried in preparation for sale. Fishing is a critically important livelihood sector for many Sri Lankans. With its concentration along the coast, the sector and the individuals who work in it were devastated by the tsunami. The Icelandic International Development Agency (ICEIDA) specializes in projects focused on capacity building in selected sectors, including fisheries, and began constructing fisheries facilities in tsunami-affected villages to help the communities rebuild. The buildings are very useful. They have a large hall on the ground floor that can be used for community meetings, repairing nets and as a recreation centre. Upstairs, there are five rooms that serve such purposes as the CBO office, the fisheries inspector s office, and safe storage for outdoor motors, says Mr. T.N. Newton, Director of Sewalanka s Research and Development Unit. It soon became apparent, however, that villagers would need some assistance to come together to maintain and operate these facilities and ICEIDA approached Sewalanka for community mobilization and capacity building support. The first phase of the project focused on seven villages in four coastal districts, Kalutara, Matara, Negombo and Puttalam. Sewalanka s local staff, who have been well trained in social mobilization, identified the existing CBOs and conducted basic assessments to gauge how well they were functioning. Sewalanka has a five-point assessment system that examines financial management; leadership, participation and group dynamics; planning and implementation; administrative capacity and the CBO s existing linkages. CBOs receive a rating of one to five in each category and mobilizers focus on building capacity in areas where the CBOs score less than three points. We bring members together to discuss various issues that affect their sector, such as how the external market works and what are the market demands. In some cases, we arrange training if they need it and bring in external experts on specific subjects, says Mr. Newton. The project was initially slated for one year, but Sewalanka staff approached ICEIDA to extend it a second year. One year was not enough to fully strengthen the societies. In the next stage, we can focus on enterprise development, collective purchasing and marketing, investments and microfinance. They need more support in these areas, Mr. Newton observes. Sewalanka s work is also being extended to similar ICEIDA projects in the island s eastern provinces. We have started in six villages in Ampara, eight in Trincomalee and four in Batticaloa, says Mr. Newton. ICEIDA has finished the buildings. They have been handed over to the CBOs who are doing the maintenance and operation and our mobilization work is happening with them. The mobilization has been very helpful to the societies. Before, they didn t know how to function as a group. Now they know what the purpose of the society is, what they have to do, how the members can benefit and they can see what bigger tasks they can reach in the future. 11

12 NEWS AND EVENTS Global Exchange for Local Farmers The Multinational Exchange for Sustainable Agriculture, or MESA, program is a U.S.-based exchange program that provides farmers from across the developing world with the opportunity to spend extended internships living and working on leading organic farms in the U.S. Sewlanka staff have participated in the MESA program for four years and the opportunity has always proven to be of great benefit to the interns, who return home with new experiences, ideas and skills. This year, four of Sewlanka s development staff will spend eight months in farms across the U.S. All of the partner farms are certified organic and are committed to sustainable agriculture. By living and working on the farms they will get first-hand experience of how successful farms in the U.S. are managed, the techniques they use, what they grow and how they market their produce, said Sewalanka Program Director Amanda Kiessel. A key part of the MESA internship is working with the host farm to adapt the techniques and ideas that are used in the U.S. to agricultural projects in Sri Lanka. The hosts also arrange visits to neighbouring farms, markets, conferences and lectures so that interns receive a comprehensive overview of modern agriculture. But the program is not just about farming. Interns experience a new culture and way of life, have a great opportunity to practice their English and are able to share their own culture and experiences with their hosts. Before setting off for the U.S., the four Sewalanka staff members participating in this year s MESA exchange took part in a two-day orientation workshop organized by the previous year s MESA alumni. The 2007 MESA team described their experiences in the U.S. and explained the agricultural terms used on farms in the States. Participants also got hands-on agricultural training and spent the second day preparing cabbage beds and weeding a warm up for their internships. Name: Susantha Galkaduwage Sewalanka office: Ampara Host Farm: Anchor Run CSA Location: Newtown, PA Above > Putting their agriculture skills to work, two MESA interns warm up for their trip abroad by preparing a cabbage bed at an orientation given by Sewalanka. Susantha will work 48 hours a week at the Anchor Run farm. During her stay there, she will learn Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) management as well as organic techniques for managing pests and weeds. She will also learn how to market the produce of a small farm. Name: Suleka Paulahewage Sewalanka office: Galle Host Farm: Dripping Springs Garden Location: Huntsville, AR Suleka s internship will cover organic green house production and techniques for bio-intensive production. Bio-intensive production is the most efficient method of organic production, combining irrigation, crop rotation and soil management. During her training she will be in regular contact with the farm s owners and, with them, Suleka will take part in a broader discussion of the importance of sustainable agriculture across the world. Name: Prasad Nuwarapakshage Sewalanka Office: Kalutara Host Farm: San Pasqual Academy Location: Escondido, CA At the academy, Prasad will learn endto-end management of a diverse and sustainable medium-sized organic farm. In addition to bio-intensive vegetable production, he will learn how to cultivate and sell flowers and use the latest post-harvest techniques to ensure produce stays fresh. Postharvesting techniques are particularly relevant to Sri Lankan agriculture as a large proportion of our crops are lost at this stage. Name: Keerthi Hatharasinghe Sewalanka Office: Hambantota Host Farm: Synergy Farm Location: Friday Harbor, WA During his time at the Synergy Farm, Keerthi will study aspects of biointensive vegetable farming and learn techniques for successful organic poultry farming. He will also work on low-cost mobile green house and low tunnel technology and take on a direct sales role in marketing the farm s produce to local chefs. 12

13 IN BRIEF Giving Peace a Home Above > Mr. Manfred Hochwald (left) and Ms. Ute Rossing, both from the German NGO WeltHungerHilfe, stand beside the plaque commemorating WHH s support of Sewalanka s Islander Center at the center s opening ceremony. Since their minds are filled with compassion for all people, they will make no distinctions among them but will treat all alike, and since their minds are free from likes and dislikes it will be pure and equitable. These words from the Pali Canon were recited by Ute Rossing from WeltHungerHilfe (WHH) at the ceremonial opening of Sewalanka s Islander Center. The passage perfectly encapsulated the hopes of everyone present for the future of the center. does not mean wrong, echoed Mr. Manfred Hochwald of WHH, whose organization funded the construction of the center. The Nippon Foundation s donation supplied all of the furniture, including computers for a state-of-theart training room. This center is the symbol of what Sri Lanka hopes to become. I believe it will play a big role in the realization of peace in this country, said Mr. Takeju Ogata, president of The Nippon Foundation s board of trustees. The multi-building Islander complex is located on beautifully landscaped grounds in western Anuradhapura. It features indoor and outdoor dining halls, conference rooms, male and female dormitories for 40 to 50 people and 50 acres of functioning paddy fields. Below > Mr. Takeju Ogata stands next to one of the computers funded by his organization, The Nippon Foundation. Representatives from donors WHH and The Nippon Foundation were on hand to officially open the facility on June 15, 2008 and unveil plaques in their honour. Islander Center will promote peace and coexistence, focusing on uniting diverse youth in Sri Lanka as well as clergy. A centre where people from north, south, east and west can live together and talk together, said Sewalanka chairman, Mr. Harsha Navaratne. People of different ethnic roots living together and accepting that different 13

14 CAPACITY BUILDING Learning Business 101 Forty directors in total participated in the training session. Over the two days, Sewalanka staff delivered lectures that were translated into Sinhala, Tamil and English. Attendees were stimulated by enthusiastic stories on business opportunities by Mr. Deepal Chandrathilake, Sewalanka Field Director for the East. Mr. Deepal stressed that it is now up to the community to take responsibility for the businesses. The participants worked with Sewalanka staff to identify challenges and set short-term objectives and goals for their businesses. Above > Attendees at a Sewalanka business skills workshop in Ampara discuss their company challenge and work with Sewalanka staff to build a business plan. The workshop was intended to help move the companies from development projects to successful profit-making enterprises. The success of microfinance projects throughout the developing world has demonstrated that starting even a small profitable business can lead to dramatic improvements in family and community livelihoods. There are many elements to building a successful company, especially when the roots of the organization are in community-based development projects. Sewalanka Foundation in Sri Lanka s Ampara district in the east has been involved in the creation and running of five companies: three seed paddy production facilities, an ice plant and a curd factory. With the projects off the ground, Sewalanka has turned its focus on supporting the long-term viability of the companies through strengthening the business skills of their leaders. Sewalanka handed control of the businesses over to local CBOs that were involved in the projects and asked them to choose a board of directors to manage the factories and facilities. While control of the companies rests entirely with the stakeholders, each board includes a Sewalanka staff member who serves as link to Sewalanka s resources and ensures our continued support for the businesses over a period of time. It was apparent, however, that CBO members and the involved Sewalanka staff did not always have the necessary business skills and knowledge to effectively manage a small business. In response, staff in our Ampara office organized a two-day business development workshop. The objective of the workshop was two-fold: to impart fundamental business skills to senior staff from the five companies so that these directors are motivated to take ownership of and run the companies successfully; and to support them in developing business plans. The workshops were designed to support the transition from donor-funded project to functioning business. There is a real need to teach people basic business skills. Without the relevant skills, the previous project investments by the community and Sewalanka will not be used to a full extent and the transition from development to a profitable business will be very difficult, said Rita de Jong of Sewalanka s Ampara office. Rita is working at Sewalanka as a management advisor on a volunteer basis through our partnership with Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO). VSO is very supportive in the work of Sewalanka and supplied a grant to organize this workshop. Lack of capital was the principle problem confronting the businesses. Other shortterm difficulties included a lack of knowledge regarding legal matters, problems with human resources and poor market linkages. Mr. K.D. Liyanage, the general manager of Cey- Nor Foundation, which manufactures aquatic and fishing products, shared his long-term business experience with the participants. He covered aspects of registration, organization, bookkeeping and marketing. There is a huge difference between running a business and running a development project. We hope trainings like this can help bridge the gap, said Mr. Mahinda DeSilva, a Sewalanka consultant who delivered lectures on strategic planning. Sewalanka staff and the directors discussed different methods for raising capital and, with the training received over the weekend, attendees felt better equipped to face the challenges of the business world. There was a great response to the meeting, said Ms. De Jong. Participants were pleased with the new gained knowledge and started using it immediately: Business plans were completed very shortly after the workshop. Follow-up meetings will be scheduled to support the Boards of Directors with preparing profit/loss and cash flow statements. These meetings will also be used to review the process and identify further support needed. It takes years to build a profitable business, but this workshop was a good start: the business feeling is there! 14

15 REHABILITATION Peace Through Sustainable Development The north of Sri Lanka has seen two decades of conflict. Amid the violence, many communities in the north have ceased to effectively and independently care for themselves. Dependence on assistance from NGOs and the government has become ingrained and communities often find themselves trapped in a cycle of conflict, displacement, dependence and poverty. To help break this cycle, in October 2007 Sewalanka, together with the European Union and Germany s WeltHungerHilfe, launched a comprehensive poverty reduction program in the north. The project emphasizes participatory development and, over the next three years, will work to strengthen civil society and individual communities to a point where they are able to work independently towards improving their living conditions and reducing poverty. The project is particularly comprehensive and encompasses every aspect of community development beginning with social mobilization and infrastructure development and progressing through the establishment and strengthening of community-based organizations (CBOs) to peace building. Once CBOs are established technical training and skills development allows them to effectively increase their revenues. In addition to income generation, work will begin to raise awareness of issues regarding the environment and emphasizing and promoting the role of women in development. Finally, successful CBOs will participate in community exchange Below > A local farmer cultivates onions to supplement his income. Above > Women in the community attend a food processing training program to gain valuable livelihood skills. programs that will help foster tolerance and understanding between neighbouring communities, laying the foundations for respectful coexistence and eventual peace. Over 4000 families from Vavuniya and Mannar will be involved in the project, which began in 2007 and will continue until Following the successful establishment of CBOs the project has now moved to its second phase during which CBOs are given the training, equipment and skills to significantly increase their income. At present, successful CBOs are being encouraged to form farmers companies/ cooperatives that will allow them to share resources and increase their profits. In the Vavuniya district, CBOs have begun an onion cultivation scheme to supplement their income. One hundred families received loans and training, allowing them to supplement their usual income with revenue from intensive onion cultivation. Given rising prices and relatively low overhead required for onion production, the project was a success, generating significant extra income. The farmers involved were able to pay back a portion of their profits to the CBOs ensuring that the funds will be available to expand the scheme. Encouraging saving and investment is a crucial part of the project s overall poverty reduction strategy. The money saved by CBOs will, in addition to being reinvested in livelihood activities, be spent repairing and refurbishing community infrastructure, including schools and community centers. Through the investments of CBOs, modern sanitation and toilet facilities have been installed in 75 homes. People in the conflict area have welcomed the transition from dependence to participation and Sewalanka staff are confident that the peacebuilding aspect of the program will be equally successful. Given the growing strength and effectiveness of the CBOs established under the program, project staff expect to be able to start community exchanges within the next few months. 15

16 Farm a Model for Success Sewalanka s latest model farm opened in Batticaloa on April 22, Situated in the village of Thalankudah, the farm features five acres of land, a guest house with two beds to accommodate visitors from Sewalanka s regional and head offices, a solar fish drying complex and a store that markets the farm s produce to the community. The farm, which is run by six volunteers, grows cashews, perennial fruit-bearing crops, manioc, sweet potatoes and other vegetables. Many of the prevailing plants are common in ayurvedic treatments and are in high demand for this use. The community store sells a range of consumer items for day-to-day use. Crops grown on the farm, fish imported from nearby Vaharai, milk items such as curd from Paddipalai D. S. Division and broomsticks from handicraft centres in Eravur Paththu D.S. Division are among the items for sale. The store is ideally located along a main road to attract local village customers as well as travelling business. The business portion of the project was created in partnership with SEDCO, Sewalanka s enterprise development company. SEDCO staff support the farm s volunteers to improve the community store s performance by providing skill development training to them and thus helped with a business plan and with creating links to various marketing initiatives. At present, the business earns approximately Rs. 2,000 a day with a goal to earn Rs. 5,000 per day. Profits from the model farm are being directed toward other Sewalanka programs in the region. Plans are in place to start additional farms in the region and to promote home gardening as well. Looking Back for the Future Staff of the Our Home psychosocial support centers held their first annual review from April 28 to May 2, As part of the review, an award ceremony was held to recognize the achievements and dedication of staff at the centers. Six Our Home centers opened in January to provide psychological and social support to communities affected by the 2004 tsunami. Since then, the centers have been treating people suffering from a range of disorders associated with the stress, trauma and loss they experienced during and after the disaster. More than 100 volunteers work at the centers and it is only through their service and dedication that the homes are able to function. Awards recognizing exceptional effort and achievement were given to individual staff members as well as outstanding homes. Categories included Best Psychosocial Worker, Best Volunteer, Most Effective Center and Most Environmentally Friendly Center. Above > The staff from the Hambantota Our Home display their award for Best Environmentally Friendly Center. The review was not exclusively about winning awards but also about sharing ideas to take the project forward. Our Home centers now serve more than 100 people a day. Those involved in the review discussed plans for the construction of more centers and for expanding the range services offered by the existing ones. Our centers have made a real difference in reducing the stigma associated with mental illness and offer treatment in areas where people would otherwise not have had access to help. That s why we think it s important to expand the scheme, said Ms. T. Thamilamuthan, Director of Sewalanka s Psychosocial program. Sewalanka Foundation Post Box No.3, Colombo Road, Boralesgamuwa p: +94 (0) f: +94 (0) e: headquarters@sewalanka.org w: Sewalanka newsletter To subscribe to Sewalanka Foundation s newsletter by post or , or to send comments regarding the publication, contact Sewalanka s Communications Unit at media@sewalanka.org