PROJECT OUTCOMES: Disaster Risk Reduction

To strengthen capacity of local organizations and governments to prepare for and mitigate natural disasters

Disaster management sub-committees are in function in 12 villages (06 reformed and 06 established) under the guidance of Disaster Management Centre (DMC), Disaster management plans at village level were developed in consultation with stakeholders and were presented at the district coordination committees with the view to incorporate into district plans. Government authorities responsible for disaster management and mitigation were involved in planning and training workshops, so that their practices were changed and collaborations were established.

Committee members were participated at several training programmes related to disaster, such as first-aid, fire fighting, leadership, search-rescue with the collaboration of St. John’s Ambulance Society, Sri Lanka Air Force and DMC. With the capacity built, these sub-committee members were able to manage 11 floods since April 2007. The first comprehensive Disaster Management Training Module was developed for Sri Lanka as an outcome of the project in collaboration with DMC.

As a step to disaster management and mitigation, sub-committees took the responsibility in construction of flood control systems under the guidance of service providers – DMC, Practical Action, etc., with the participation of community: culverts, flood gates, side walls, gabion walls etc. as per the plans prepared. With community participation and collaborations with other service providers, technology demonstrations/research were done on drought related issues.

A web-portal linked to Sahana Disaster Management System was initiated to support the coordination during disasters, addressing the common problems such as finding people, managing aids, managing volunteers etc.

PROJECT OUTCOMES: Expand livelihood opportunities for women and other groups through access to information

To expand livelihood opportunities for women and other groups through access to information:

Findings of the baseline study guided the project team to follow the process in developing livelihoods: 1) Business Idea Generation [BIG]; 2) Participatory Market Chain Analysis [PMCA] for livelihoods sectors such as handicrafts, coir, handlooms, fisheries, paddy; 3) Business planning workshops and 4) Vocational/ Technical Training with the establishment of two trainers’ pools in South and East.

VDC being the boundary partner of the project, was more involved in livelihood development, with the assistance from 02 trainers’ pools organised: 600 community members participated at PMCA programmes; 200 at Business Idea Generation workshops; 200 in management training programmes. Participation at technical training programmes is as follows: Handicrafts (40); Home gardening (100); Boat Engine Repair (20); Food Processing (130) and Dress Making (40).

Cluster groups that were assisted by the project were from sectors of coir, handicrafts, handlooms, paddy/organic paddy, food processing, fisheries, eco-tourism, etc. Four VICs have been functioning as livelihood development centres linking with service providers directly (OXFAM-GB, REN, CARITAS). Practical Action collaborated with its expertise in DRSL, REN in marketing and SEEDS in business and technical training in designing specific livelihood interventions also accommodating the needs of most-marginalised members and low-income groups (66%) in the community. Home gardening and self-employment ventures were some interventions introduced to them through VIC. In addition, rural business centres were established in Wanduruppa and Karathivu. In Thalalla, 26-acre abandon land was able to re-cultivated as a result of infrastructure development intervention while in Andaragasyaya, the rehabilitation of an irrigation system/canal with community participation resulted in removing flood effects in 20 acre cultivation land.

Ensuring the accessibility to information, 04 tele-centres and 12 VICs were established in the 04 districts which are equipped with systems to support livelihood needs of the community members such as telecommunications, email/internet facility, photocopying and print media – newspapers, village. Newsletters, booklets and leaflets carrying disaster and livelihood related information. VICs also operate as the project office for village development activities and early warning centre on disaster/tsunami.

About 8000 users were reported as visited 12 VICs by the end of September 2008, and the majority were school children. The youth and adults were there for reading newspapers, e-magazines, photocopying, information on agriculture, health etc. VIC teams have organised promotional activities such as community newsletters and community outreach programmes, to increase its clientele. There is no distinct differentiation of number of women and men as VIC users, with more women participation observed in Galle and Ampara districts, and in the case of fishing community compared to other subsectors. The monthly average revenue generated was reported as Rs.5,500/- per VIC and 69% users were satisfied with their services.

OUTCOMES: Rehabilitate and improve mangrove and non-mangrove bio-shields

To rehabilitate and improve mangrove and non-mangrove bio-shields and introduce new village level management to share benefits:

Seven hundred and fifty six (756) community members participated at bio-shield awareness programmes conducted in 4 districts. 512 community members gained knowledge and skills on nursery planting and management through training programmes conducted with the involvement of technical officer of the departments of Agriculture and Forestry. 108 members took part in nursery management in 10 villages; 750 community members participated in bio-shield development activities including 225 low-income community groups who earned an income (Rs.600/- per working day), providing labour in the bio-shield management activities, and 70-80% of total involved were women.

More than 100,000 plants (mangrove & non-mangrove) planted on 42ha of coastal land in the East and along the coastal belts in the South. Studying different varieties of plants in bio-shield development 10 plant species were identified for having adaptable to disaster prone areas, with the average survival rate recorded as 80%.

VDC being the main body of planning and resource management of all the activities of the project in a village, eco-circles were established under VDC in 12 villages. They were trained and exposed to bio-shield management and coast conservation practices e.g. eco-tourism in other areas of the country, as a mechanism to facilitate their active participation of the community.

Several individuals/groups earned income from plant nurseries by selling their plants to the project and other organisations promoting bio-shield management, and 225 poor members gained an incentive for watering the plants and other labour work on temporary basis. No livelihood was evolved through bio-shield due to its slow growth and low quality.

Parts of the Coastal Resource Management (CRM) plans developed for each location have been implemented through the project due to budgetary implications. With the view to incorporate them into district and divisional plans, these plans are expected to be presented at district coordination meetings.