Rebuild Ampara Blog

Awareness on Violence Against Women

2008-08-08T20:04:00.005+05:30

Daily News (page 5) - July 7, 2008

An Awareness Creation Programme on ‘Violence against Women” organized by CASP (Canadian Agro-Sustainability Partnership) with the assistance of Mother and Child Social Welfare Association was held at RDS Hall Addappallam, Nintavur recently.

The programme, which was held under the chairmanship of Director of CASP’s Centre for Gender Studies Dr.Anuzsiya Senathirajah, was attended by a large number of women from all walks of life from Tamil and Muslim Communities in the village of Addappallam and suburbs in the Nintavur DS Division.

Gender Specialist K.Sri Chitra assisted by Nadarajah Nisahanthi of Crisis Centre played a major role in conducting this programme. Domestic violence, Street violence, Understanding each other, Give and Take Policy, Narrow down the Gap between the two and decency in talking each other were the main topics taken for the awareness programmes. Group discussions, group works question and answers were also held.

Directors of the Centre for Gender Studies along with President Dr.M.A.Ifthikar and Secretary M.P Suibaitha of Mother and Child Social Welfare Association played a major role in conducting this programme where Senior Female lecturers of South Eastern University of Sri Lanka actively participated in the programme.

Picture by MA Phakurdeen, Addalaichenai group correspondent

Certificate Awarding Ceremony of ACTC

2008-04-18T17:09:00.000+05:30

Daily News (page 3) - April 17, 2008

The first ever Certificate Awarding Ceremony of CASP (Canadian Agro-Sustainability Partnership) ACTC (Akkaraipattu Computer and Training Centre) was held at the Training Centre in Akkaraipattu Sulaiman Complex recently. CASP's Project Co-Director David Boyce who participated as Chief Guest at this ceremony is seen handing over a certificate of merit to a female who has successfully completed her course. ACTC Manager M.A.S Deen, Ampara Manager I.R. Mirzaa, General Manager Dr. Anusiya Senethirajah and the course co-ordinator A. R. Farzan were also present. Picture by M.A. Phakurdeen Addalaichenai group correspondent.

Picture by MA Phakurdeen, Addalaichenai group correspondent

Training should be continuous to fulfil needs of the people

2008-03-28T23:33:00.004+05:30

Daily News (page 3) - March 28, 2008

The Akkaraipattu Computer Training Centre conducted by CASP (Canadian Agro-Sustainability Partnership) held its first ever Certificate Awarding Ceremony in a grand manner at the ACTC hall on Saturday in the presence of a large gathering of youth of the district.

The ceremony was presided over by the Manager of the Centre M.A.S. Deen and was attended by CASP's Project Co-Director David Boyce as Chief Guest and Ampara Manager I.R. Mirzaa as guest of honour. Prior to the ceremony, the Guest David Boyce and Guest of Honour I.R. Mirzaa were garlanded by the students and were taken in a procession flanked by the students.

One hundred and twenty four students who underwent training in Certificate in Online Communication, Certification in Computerized Accounting, Diploma in Computerized Accounting, Certificate in Intermediate Diploma in Computer Hardware, Diploma in Graphic Design, Diploma in Office Management and Diploma in Leadership Management received their Certificates of Merit from the Chief-Guest David Boyce.

In his keynote address, David Boyce outlined the Master Plan which CASP has assigned to prepare and he was happy to say that they have completed this task and paid a glowing tribute to those who were extending their fullest support to complete this assignment. He said CASP is, however, determined to continue the demonstrations projects such as Centre for Gender Studies, Potato Cultivation and Computer Training Centre.

Touching upon the Computer Training Centre, he said the Centre has been going ahead with its task efficiently in consideration with the desperate need of the youngsters of the area. "I am happy to note that a group of youth is leaving us after successfully completing their courses in their respective fields. This is a great achievement and this trend should go continuously fulfilling the need and inspiration of the people. He also added that gaining knowledge is not a limiting factor so every one of us must be determined to gain knowledge not only to benefit for themselves but also the society they belonged to. Then only our goal can be achieved".

Manager M.A.S. Deen said that we must always be thankful to CASP and its President Douglas MacArthur for the smooth functioning of this Computer Training Centre. He also said that the Centre has made all arrangements to streamline its activities with the shifting of this Centre to a new place. Hence, he made an appeal to the outgoing students to take this message to the colleagues to enroll them to widen their IT and English knowledge.

Ms. Narjees, who spoke on behalf of the outgoing students, paid a glowing tribute to the President of CASP Douglas MacArthur and the Vice-President Jeff MacArthur for affording them the opportunity, especially the youth of the area, to widen their knowledge in the field of Information and Technology and English Languages. This was a rare oppottunity and we should always be grateful to you, she said.

Ampara Manager I.R. Mirzaa and Course Co-Coordinator - Administrative Officer A.R. Faizaan also spoke.

MA Phakurdeen, Addalaichenai group correspondent

CASP's Dr. Zheng examines Potato Cultivation in Ampara District

2008-03-14T00:51:00.000+05:30

Daily News (page 3) - March 14, 2008

Canadian Agro Sustainability Partnership's (CASP) Agricultural Specialist Dr. Zhiming Zheng was in Sri Lanka on the invitation of CASP's President Douglas MacArthur to assist in a research on Potato Cultivation Projects, specially the soil in which this cultivation is undertaken by the farmers of the District. Here, he is inspecting a snakegourd produced by a cultivator in his subsidiary food crops cultivation in Kuduwil. Deputy Director Agriculture P. Nimal Dayaratna, Research Officer Y. B. lqbal, Potato Specialist M. I. M. Nazeer and CASP's Ampara Manager I. R. Mirzaa were also present.

Picture by M. A. Phakurdeen, Addalaichenai group correspondent

CASP's David Boyce hands over Ampara District Master Plan to Government Agent Sunil Kannagara

2008-02-18T23:55:00.000+05:30

Thinnakaran (page 15) - February 18, 2008

CASP Potato Cultivation thrives despite floods

2008-02-12T00:25:00.002+05:30

Daily News (page 4) - February 12 2008

Potato cultivation undertaken by CASP (Canadian Agro-Sustainability Partnership) in the Ampara District has shown tremendous progress in spite of the recent floods in the area. An inspection tour was carried out by CASP's Manager of Agriculture Development, Dr. Zhiming Zheng. Here, Dr. Zhiming examines a potato plant which has developed with tubers shown by Potato Specialist M.I.M. Nazeer. Agriculture Deputy Director Ampara (Provincial) P. Uganathan, Agriculture Deputy Director, Nimal Dayaratna, Assistant Agriculture Director, A.R.A. Latheef, Research Officer, U.L. lqbal and CASP's Ampara Manager, I.R. Mirzaa were also present.

Picture by MA Phakurdeen, Addalaichenai group correspondent

Arugam Bay Tousist Association meeting [Daily News]

2008-01-03T02:04:00.000+05:30

Daily News (page 4) - Saturday 29 December 2007

CASP (Canadian Agro-Sustainability Partnership), which has undertaken the task of drawing a Master Plan to rebuild Ampara District, met the representatives of the Arugam Bay Tourists Association at the Star Dust Hotel, Arugam Bay. Here, CASP’s Project Co-Director David Boyce (centre) and Architectural Designer Robert Haggis (far left) are in discussion with the Vice-President William Perera and Executive Member MI Cader Mohideen as to how tourism could be developed and this area made into a tourist paradise.

Picture by MA Phakurdeen, Addalaichenai group correspondent

CIDA visits Centre for Gender Studies [Daily News]

2007-12-29T11:22:00.000+05:30

Daily News (page 4) - Wednesday 27 December 2007

CIDA representatives, accompanied by the First Secretary to the Canadian High Commission Calvin R Piggot, visited the Centre for Gender Studies housed in the South Eastern University of Sri Lanka at Oluvil to assess progress and look into future programmes. Here, Calvin R Piggot talks to students of the University while the CIDA Senior Developmemt Office Shahila Rodrigues and the Manager of the Centre for Gender Studies Dr. Anuzsiya Senathirajah (right) looking on. CIDA Development Officer HRM Shibly, CASP Director Hugh Fernando, and CASP Ampara Manager Ifthi Mirzaa were present.

Picture by MA Phakurdeen, Addalaichenai group correspondent

Top spot for potato cultivation

2007-12-28T18:20:00.000+05:30

Daily News (page 4) - December 28 2007

Potato cultivation has been given a place of pride in CASP's (Canadian Agro-Sustainability Partnership) development activities envisaged for Ampara district this year and all arrangements in these connections are ready.

On the advice of CASP's president Douglas MacArthur and the support given by CIDA CASP's Potato Specialist M.I.M. Nazeer has undertaken this project in Alayadivembu, Wangamam, Padiyathalawa, Safa Nagar, Kudtjvil, Samanthurai, Barakath Nagar and Wehetagama covering all three communities and it is a hive of activity at present. Potato Specialist Nazeer who was responsible for successful potato cultivation last year witnessed by Minister Ferial Ashraff has been visiting the Potato Cultivators and providing them with all assistance and giving them the technical know how.

The Canadian Agro Sustainability partnership is the lead organization to mobilize and co-ordinate Canadian interests and expertise in International sustainable agriculture. CASP is headquartered in Prince Edward Island and its founding members are PEI in its Institutional Organizations are active in International Agriculture. Other leading agricultural organisations of Canada are also members of CASP. It is also informed that CASP also focuses on Agricultural Development needs, opportunities including cropping systems, aquaculture, agro-process, food safety, agro forestry and related educational and environmental co-considerations.

Caption: Potato cultivation has once again been given a pride of place in CASP's (Canadian Agro Sustainability Partnership) programme envisaged in Ampara District. Here, CASP's Potato Specialist M.I. Nazeer (left) is giving instructions to the cultivators who are willingly engaged in this Project in Wangamam in Irrakkamam DS Division. CASP's Amapra Manager I.R. Mirzaa and Ampara District Forest Officer M.A.I. Suhood were also present.

Picture by MA Phakurdeen, Addalaichenai group correspondent

CASP delivers Master Plan draft to Minister Ashraff [Thinakaran]

2007-12-24T02:39:00.000+05:30

Thinakaran Tamil Daily - Friday 21 December 2007

Canadian Agro-Sustainability Partnership (CASP) has prepared a Master Plan while staying in Ampara District for more than a year. The Master Plan was prepared with the assistance of 17 Ministries, including Agriculture, Potato Cultivation, Fisheries, Health, Housing, Kalmunai Town Development, Vocational Training of Youth, Eduction, Road Development, and Technology, and will play a major role in developing this District. Above, the Master Plan is being handed over by CASP Project Co-Director David Boyceto the Minister of Housing and Common Amenities Ferial Ashraff.

Also present are the Ministry Secretary W.T. Ganagala (left), CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) representative and First Secretary to the Canadian High Commission Calvin Piggot (right), and Advisor to the Minister S. Lebbe (centre).

Master Plan handed over [Rupavahini/ITN]

2007-12-20T03:16:00.000+05:30

Rupavahini/ITN - Tuesday 18 December 2007

Sri Lanka national television news broadcast covering the handing over of CASP's Master Plan to Minister Ferial Ashraff.

Potato Cultivation continues [Thinakaran]

2007-12-10T07:58:00.000+05:30

Thinakaran Tamil Daily - Saturday 8 December 2007

Potato Cultivation has been given a pride of place in CASP's (Canadian Agro-Sustainability Partnership) development activities for Ampara District this year, with further arrangements already afoot.

On the advice of CASP President Dougalas MacArthur and with the support given
by CIDA, Potato Specialist MIM Nazeer has undertaken potato projects in Alayadivembu, Wangamam, Padiyathalawa, Safa Nagar, Kuduvil, Samnmanthurai, Barakath Nagar, and Weheragama which cover all three communities and a hive of activity is going on at present. Potato Specialist Nazeer, who was responsible for the successful potato cultivation last year witnessed by Minister Fariel Ashraff, has been visiting the potato cultivators and has been providing them with special assistance and technical know-how.

Shramadana environmental cleanup [Daily News]

2007-11-25T03:52:00.000+05:30

Daily News - Friday 23 November 2007

A shramadana was organised by the Central Camp Eastern Organisation for Democracy at Central Camp Colony 10 to clean the Salviniya weed spread all over the pond. A large number of villagers from all three communities who volunteered are engaged in their task (right). CASP’s Environmental Director David Boyce joined the volunteers in clearing the Salviniya (left). The highlight was the participation of a large number of women volunteers in the shramadana.

Pottuvil Traders Development Society meets with CASP [Daily News]

2007-09-28T23:11:00.000+05:30

Daily News, Thursday 27 September 2007

The members of the Pottuvil Traders Development Society met CASP's (Canadian Agro-Sustainability Parntership) Director of Environmental Services, David Boyce, at a hotel in Pottuvil (see map below) to discuss their future development programmes to include in the Master Plan CASP intends to draw. Here, Director David Boyce (third from right) in discussions with the President of the Society I.M. Rasheed, Secretary S.M. Muhseen, and members. Officials from CASP were also present.

Picture by M.A. Phakurdeen, Addalaichenai group correspondent

View Larger Map

EU-Ampara Parnership MOU signed

2007-09-10T11:36:00.000+05:30

Many significant Development Projects covering all sectors are to be implemented in Ampara District with the signing of an MOU by the European Union Ambassador in Sri Lanka, Julian Wilson, and the Ampara Government Agent, Sunil Kannanagara. The signing took place at the District Secretary’s Conference Hall in the presence of representatives from INGOs working in Ampara District who wish to move forward as partners to solve the major needs of the District.The EU-Ampara Partnership is funded by the European Union in the amount of EUR 78 million (approx. LKR 11,388,000.00), which will contribute towards the rehabilitation and sustainable development of Ampara District. The Partnership funds are delivered through eight partners working with local authorities and also with the National Ministries (RDA and Nation Building & Reconstruction) to ensure an integrated approach to the development of the entire district.

The EU-Ampara Partnership is comprised of the following programmes:

Reconstruction of Siyambalanduwa/Pottuvil/Akkaraipattu roads [EUR 13.5 million] co-financed by the ADB and Ministry of Highways;
Community Access Roads Programme (CAP) [EUR 30 million] implemented through IOM and local authorities;
Community Livelihood Support Programme (CLSP) [EUR 10 million] implemented through IOM and local authorities;
Livelihood Development Programme (LDP) [EUR 0.7 million] implemented through UNDP and local authorities;
North East Housing Reconstruction Programme (NEHRP) [EUR 13 million] co-financed by the World Bank and Ministry of Nation Building and Reconstruction;
Environmental Remediation Programme [EUR 10 million] implemented through UNOPS and local authorities;
Two environmental remediation actions under the ASIA PRO ECO HB – Post Tsunami programme in Kalmunai [EUR 1 million] co-financed with the City of Munich and Province of Modena and local authorities.

The EU-Ampara Partnership is committed to deliver aid to all vulnerable communities in the District and will ensure that the allocation of resources is strictly guided by the principles of equity.

Master Plan Transport and Traffic Workshop [Daily News]

2007-09-07T23:46:00.000+05:30

Daily News, 6 September 2007

CASP (Canadian Agro-Sustainability Partnership) has been conducting a series of workshops as a prelude to draw up a Master Plan for various sectors in order to improve the standard of the living of the people in Ampara District, especially in the tsunami-affected areas. Here, CASP's Director - Environmental Services, David Boyce is seen addressing the Transport and Traffic Sectoral Meeting at CASP's Ampara (see map below) conference hall. The officials from Transport and Traffic are seen on the right.

Picture by M.A. Phakurdeen, Addalaichenai group correspondent

Gender Sector seminar by CASP [Daily News]

2007-09-06T23:02:00.000+05:30

Daily News, 6 September 2007

The Canadian Agro-Sustainability Partnership, which has undertaken the task of drawing a master plan to rebuild tsunami-aftected Ampara District, has been conducting a series of meetings in different sectors. A meeting on the Gender Sector under its programme was held at the Akkaraipattu Computer & Training Centre's conference hall recently. Above left, CASP's General Manager Dr. Anuzsia Sonataraja with CASP's Director Administration/Finance M.M. Razeeen, and Gender Specialist Thilaka Pathmanathan at the seminar.

Picture by M.A. Phakurdeen, Addalaichenai Group Correspondent

District Agriculture Training Centre open at Palamuna

2007-09-05T08:28:00.000+05:30

A District Agriculture Training Centre constructed at Palamunai in the Addalaichenai DS Division was ceremonially declared open on Monday, September 3rd.

The Centre, which was built at a cost of Rs. 7 million provided by the European Union through the UNDP, is very well equipped and includes a demonstration plot consisting of one acre of land. It will cater to the needs of 60,000 farmers in improving their agricultural abilities in the Tamil speaking areas of the coastal belt.

The Ambassador of the European Union in Sri Lanka, Julian Wilson, participated as chief guest at this ceremony and declared the Training Centre open by cutting the ribbon following the hoisting of the National Flag. Government Agent Sunil Kannangara, Deputy Director of Agriculture P.T. Nimal Dayaratna, Assistant Director of Agriculture R.M. Latheef, as well as Agricultural Officers and Instructors also participated.Ambassador Wilson expressed his happiness to complete such a worthy project in this area where farmers are in the majority and appealed to them to make the maximum benefit out of the Centre. “We love Sri Lanka, and hence the people of European Union showed their kind generosity by voluntarily giving their financial assistance to uplift the standard of the common masses in the eastern part of Sri Lanka”, the Ambassador said. He further revealed that a large sum of money has been set apart for development projects in various sectors in Ampara District.

The UNDP’s Ampara Officer in Charge Z.A. Joufer, EU Coordinator Kiran Kothari, and many other representatives from interested INGOs attended the ceremonies. Also present in large numbers were the coastal area farmers wishing to express their gratitude to the EU and UNDP in implementing this project successfully and helping to solve some of their long-standing problems.

Akkaraipattu Seed Paddy Processing Centre nears completion

2007-08-26T15:54:00.000+05:30

On the initiative of Akkaraipattu Seed Paddy Producers Society, an outstanding problem of the farmers of the Ampara District is to be solved by the establishment of a full fledged Paddy Processing Centre along with a storage facility for seed paddy produced here in Akkaraipattu.

The work on this Rs. 15 million project commenced in November 2006, with funding assistance from the European Union through UNDP Ampara. Construction work is progressing quickly under the technical advises of the Department of Agriculture’s Extension, Seed Paddy, and Certifying Units, and is to be complete early next month.

Two important features of the project, a Seed Processing Machine and Seed Drier are to be brought down from Germany and India respectively. Once the project is complete, the Processing Centre will be in the position to supply 15,000 bushels of seed paddy after processing and certifying to the farmers of the District, helping to further facilitate their paddy cultivation.

A team of Officials from the European Union, headed by Ms. Merce de Torres and UNDP’s Ampara Chief Z.A. Joufer, visited the site recently and expressed their satisfaction after talking to the OIC of the Ampara Seed Paddy Processing Centre and members of the Akkaraipattu Seed Paddy Producers.It may be noted that Ampara District, the rice bowl of the Country, is the second largest paddy producing area in Sri Lanka, with 63,000 hectares of paddy cultivation fulfilling one fifth of the rice production in the Country. According to the Agriculture Department’s statistics, the farmers in the District produce 75% of the seed paddy required by the District themselves. Once this is more fully established, problems confronted by the farmers in the District in seeking quality seed paddy should be solved to a great extent.

Freshwater Fish Farming and more in Secretary's visit

2007-07-13T22:09:00.000+05:30

The Secretary of the Provincial Ministry of Land, Irrigation, Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock Development & Health and Cooperatives of the Eastern Province, A.R.M. Maharoof, together with the Director of Fisheries, S. Suthakaran,
recently travelled to the Ampara and the Batticaloa Districts.

As part of this trip, they met with individuals involved in agriculture, livestock, and freshwater fish farming in Illukkutchchenai on Sunday, July 8th. Discussions included matters relating to integrated farming and the ways and means to develop these sectors in Ampara District.

The following day, the Secretary was the chief guest at the first-year anniversary of the Kayalvizi Freshwater Fish Farmers Association at the 11th colony in Central Camp. In 1952, under the Galoya Scheme, 150 poor farmer families were settled at this colony on 600 acres of land, and the population has now grown to 2,300 families.

As part of the anniversary activities, the Secretary awarded prizes to the winners of a quiz competition conducted for schoolchildren by the Association. He also visited the sixteen freshwater fish ponds constructed there by the humanitarian organisation World Concern and inspected the condition of the fishes.

During subsequent meetings, the Secretary said that the Eastern Provincial Council hoped to renovate the three tanks [man-made lakes] in Annamalai, Panama, and Illukkutchchenai, for the benefit of Tamil, Sinhalese, and Muslim farmers and freshwater fishermen in the region.

On Tuesday, July 10th, the Secretary introduced 15,000 of the Thelapia Nirotika variety of fishlings at the Neelavanai Periyakulam tank in Ampara District.

UNDP's Sports for Peace

2007-07-09T20:43:00.000+05:30

The United Nation Development Programme (UNDP), with the assistance of the Affected Women's Forum (AWF) and financial support from AusAID, has organized 'Sports for Peace' at the Ampara Urban Council Grounds. The purpose of the event, which drew a large crowd, was to foster inter-communal harmony and peace among the people belonging to the three major ethnic groups in Ampara District.

The programme began with the hoisting of the National Flag by the chief guest Additional Government Agent, J.S.D.M.Asanka Abeywardena, while the UNDP, UN, Sports for Peace, and AWF Flags were raised by OIC-UNDP's Z.M.Jaufar, UNFP's Ms. Zarrina Kurbanova, UNDP’s Ms. Dinesha Suppiah, and Ms. Vaani Simon, respectively. Following this, several doves, symbolizing 'peace’, were released and the traditional oil lamp was lighted by the guests. Religious dignitaries representing Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity then performed their respective religious observances.

Invitation tournaments were arranged for Netball and Cricket and were actively participated in by formidable clubs from Sinhala, Tamil, and Muslim areas. The winners were rewarded with sports equipment. Chief Guest Asanka Abeywardena, Guest of Honour Zarrina Kurbanova, and UNDP O.I.C.Jaufer handed over the prizes to the winners.

Among those who participated in the programme were Director of Planning A.A.Bawa, Divisional Secretaries, Officials of the Zonal Education Office, and representatives of UNICEF, UNOCHA, UNCHR, ILO, IOM, UNOPS, UN-HABITAT, and UNFAO.

GOAL completes Al-Jalal School with Minister Ashraff at opening ceremonies

2007-07-04T18:41:00.000+05:30

The Sri Lanka Minister of Housing and Common Amenities, Ferial Ismail Ashraff, was the Chief Guest at the opening ceremony of Al-Jalal Viddyalaya school in Sainthamaruthu on June 25th. Students, teachers, and well-wishers of the school gave the minister an enthusiastic welcome on her arrival, followed by a large procession that included GOAL's Country Director, John Wain, and Team Leader, Stefan McEneaney, as well as the Divisional Secretary for Sainthamaruthu, A.L.M. Saleem.The new three-storey school building was constructed by GOAL Ireland and includes a computer room, a laboratory, and an assembly hall. Minister Ashraff declared the school open by unveiling the plaque on the building, while GOAL's Country Director and the school Principal, A.A. Rasool, cut the ribbons for the openings of the computer room and the school laboratory respectively.

Principal Rasool noted that "the cost of the building together with furniture, computers, sporting equipment, and land was around 110 million Rupees". At the meeting after the opening ceremonies, the Principal further explained that Al-Jalal Viddyalaya was established in 1951 as a mixed school and, after the destruction of the December 2004 tsunami, it was functioning as an evening school at Zahira College in Kalmunai. The current student population is 1,026.

The principal, teachers, students, and others gratefully acknowledged the work of GOAL's John Wain and Stefan Mc Eneaney and honoured them with the draping of gold shoals.Above (left to right): Stephen McEneaney (Team leader - GOAL, Ampara), John Wain (Country Director - GOAL), Minster Ferial Asraff, A.A. Rasool (School Principal), and A.L.M. Saleem (Divisional Secretary - Sainthamaruthu)

Out-Board Motor Repair training by Sewa Lanka and World Vision

2007-06-28T20:36:00.000+05:30

As part of its Livelihood Development for Tsunami-Affect Youth by Providing Vocational Training, the Sewa Lanka Foundation has trained twenty unemployed youths in Out-Board Motor (OBM) Repair and Maintenance.

The project, which cost roughly 1.1 million Rupees, was funded by World Vision. The participants were selected from the Muslim and Tamil communities living along the coastal areas of Ampara District and were provided with certificates and repair toolkits at a function held at the Sewa Lanka Foundation Hall in Thambattai, Thirukkovil, on Thursday June 21st.

World Vision District Manager, Nallathamby Nallarajah, along with Simmon Buller, a volunteer from the UK working as Management Advisor for Sewa Lanka, and A.L. Faleel, District Director of the Sewa Lanka Foundation, were present to award the trainees who successfully completed this three-month course.

Kadakkaraipalli Mosque receives NECORD Fisheries Community Hall and more

2007-06-19T01:44:00.000+05:30

The Minister of Housing and Common Amenities, Mrs. Ferial Ismail Ashraff, was recently the Chief Guest at a function for projects related to the Kadakkaraipalli Mosque.

The Minister handed over a Fisheries Community Hall, which was built at a cost of 3.5 million rupees on the premises of the Kadakkaraipalli mosque. NECORD (North East Community Restoration and Development Project) quickly constructed this building within a period of only four months at the request of Minister Ashraff. The other purpose of the function was the handing over of a burial ground boundary wall, constructed at a cost of three million rupees, to the Kadakkaraipalli Mosque. The Kadakkaraipally burial ground boundary wall is within the purview of the Kalmunaikudy Mohideen Jummah mosque whose Chief Trustee, Dr. S.M.A. Azeez, took charge of the wall.

Both the fisheries building and the boundary wall were handed over to the mosque before the annual flag hoisting ceremony on Saturday June 16th.

Vocational Training Centre in Sammanthurai by USAID and CH2M HILL

2007-06-17T02:28:00.000+05:30

Minister of Irrigation M.I. Anver Ismail was the Chief Guest at the foundation laying ceremony for a Vocational Training Centre in Sammanthurai on Tuesday June 12th. USAID and CH2M HILL are to construct this centre from their Sri Lanka Tsunami Reconstruction Project fund at a cost of 240 million rupees.

Mr. Ismail, USAID Project Manager Michael Gould, and Construction Manager Larry Belken laid the foundation stones for the construction of the buildings, which will be completed next year. The centre is aimed to benefit and develop the skills of tsunami-affected students in the coastal areas of Ampara District.

M.T. M. Saheed, Assistant Director of Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka, presided over the meeting after the foundation laying ceremony was over. The Vice-Chancellor of South Eastern University, Hussain Ismail, and the Director of Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka, Bandula Thilakasiri, were also present.

Governor announces new Office for Animal Production and Health

2007-06-15T02:10:00.000+05:30

Hon. Re. Admiral Mohan Wijewickrama, RSP, USP, Governor of the Eastern Province, was the Chief Guest at the opening ceremony of the Assistant Director’s Office of the Department of Animal Production and Health in Ampara on Tuesday, June 12th. The Provincial Director and Assistant Director of the Department, Dr. C.K. Sivapalasingham and M.C.M. Junaid respectively, and veterinary surgeons from the twelve D.S divisions were present along with their officers and livestock farmers.

The Governor cut the ribbon and lighted the traditional oil lamp to declare the office open. At the meeting held after this function the Governor said that the veterinary surgeons and officers of the Department of Animal Production and Health had been functioning from the Director’s office in Batticaloa while covering Ampara District, which is a very large area.The surgeons and officers had to travel a long distance to Panama, down south, and to Mahoya south-west of Batticaloa. This was quite costly and took several days to render their services to the poor and down-trodden livestock farmers of Ampara District.

“This office, opened under Mahinda Chintana, will help develop livestock farming in Ampara District and will benefit livestock farmers while reducing the difficulties of veterinary surgeons and other officers of this
sector who were operating from the Batticaloa district,” said the Governor.

Tamil and Sinhalese newspapers launched in Ampara District

2007-06-10T21:00:00.000+05:30

Eastern Publications (Pvt) Ltd has released a Sinhalese news weekly, Nagenahira, and a Tamil news weekly, Kizhaku Sooriyan, for the Sinhalese and Tamil reading public in eastern Sri Lanka. To mark this occasion, a launch ceremony was held on June 3rd in the Ampara Town Hall where journalists, religious dignitaries, NGOs, local politicians, and renowned businessmen were in attendance.The Editor of Nagenahira, George De Silva, said in his address that these papers are intended to create understanding, coexistence, harmony, and peace among the three ethnic communities living in the east that are now divided due the existing war. People living overseas and interested in bringing peace and development to a Sri Lanka that has been deteriorated by war and the recent tsunami are funding the publications.

The weekly papers are priced at Rs. 25/- and are now available in many shops in Ampara District. They carry stories and articles on politics, history, culture, science, education, and current events in the District. The weekly publications also carry a model question paper for the benefit of students studying in Grade V and hoping to participate in the scholarship examination in August this year.

Dr. Gary Morgan examines Livestock Sector

2007-06-05T05:40:00.000+05:30

After much work, including considerations of the Local Advisory Committee meetings conducted in the various livestock-producing areas of Ampara District, CASP's Master Plan for the livestock sector is nearing completion.

Dr. Gary Morgan, Vice President of CASP and an expert in livestock issues, travelled to Sri Lanka recently for this purpose. After meetings and discussions with the Ministry and Provincial Officials of the Livestock Sector in the Ministry, Dr. Morgan visited various dairy farms in places where dairy farmers have been actively engaged in livestock.

CASP Livestock Specialist, T. Chandrapragasam, then took Dr. Morgan to Pottuvil, Alayadivembu, Akkaraipattu, Addalaichenai, and Ampara to show him the current situation.Also on the agenda were discussions with NGO representatives who are very interested in expanding their livestock activities, which were inspected Dr. Morgan and who also investigated the feasibility of implementing these projects with funding assistance.

Oxfam Organic Agriculture Workshop

2007-05-28T20:17:00.000+05:30

Humanitarian organisation Oxfam GB recently held a two-day Workshop on Sustainable and Diversified Alternative Agricultural Technology in Ampara District. Attendees included government officers from the Department of Agriculture & Agrarian Services, NGO personnel, and local farmers.

The workshop was opened at the Kachcheri by the District Secretariat - Ampara Planning Director, A.A. Bawa. Mr. Bawa emphasised the importance of organic farming if farmers were to survive and stressed the need to minimise the costs to produce high agricultural yields not only in Ampara District but in Sri Lanka as a whole.Oxfam GB Programme Manager, Krishnaswamy Gopalan, explained that farmers have been looking for other jobs as agriculture is not viable given the high cost of production here and that correcting this situation was of paramount importance to the country.

The first day of the workshop focused on theory and was organised by Erangi Ruchini Fernando, Programme Coordinator of Oxfam GB. The Executive Director of the Tamilnadu Organic Farmers' Movement, Ms. M. Revathi, instructed participants on organic farming, soil nutrient management, seed selection, sowing and storage, treatment, and integrated farming. Her colleague, Ms. K. Rajalakshmi, then spoke to the audience about food security, economic matters, environmental preservation, organic awareness, the global scenario, the Asian context, challenges with organic farming, and opportunities for Asian agriculture.

The participants were taken on a field visit to Vangamam on the second day of the workshop where local farmers were involved in organic farming with the assistance of the Tamil Nadu Organic Farmers' Movement. These farmers demonstrated their manner of selecting seeds and how to prepare organic manure, organic insect repellent, and boosters to make plants grow well and produce high yields using only cow dung, cow urine, milk, curd, ghee, rotten fruits, and wild plants found in abundance.Oxfam GB personnel explained that the cost of paddy production could be reduced three- to four-fold and that the yield could be increased to 150-200 bushels per acre with only two kilograms of seed paddy. Presently, around 100 kilograms of seed paddy would be sown using fertiliser and chemical insecticides that applied to the crops.

Participants told the Daily Mirror that “if this organic farming is proven a success here, with reduced production costs and high yields, then there won’t be any need for farmers to look for other jobs or leave the country for greener pastures elsewhere”.

USAID on Media Freedom

2007-05-17T17:01:00.000+05:30

Officials from USAID visited Kalmunai on May 10 to carry out an on-the-spot survey on media freedom in the east.

The meeting was organised by Internews Network, which has set up training centres using USAID funds in Ampara and Kalmunai to instruct Sinhalese, Muslim, and Tamil media personnel.

The team, led by Mission Director Rebecca W. Cohn and including Economic Growth director Richard L. Edward and Country Representative Michael DeSisti, met with journalists from the coastal areas of Ampara District at the Sainthamaruthu Cooperative Union hall.

They discussed various matters at length, such as security problems, challenges faced by journalists, and relationships with editors.

The team also held a meeting with peace organisations in Ampara District to talk about various matters relating to promoting peace and development issues here.

GOAL from Ireland constructs Schools

2007-05-04T21:57:00.000+05:30

The GOAL organisation from Ireland has constructed a new school building for Al-Husain Viddyalaya, Maligaikadu, as part of the INGO's programme of constructing and rehabilitating schools.

The 2004 tsunami not only destroyed the buildings of Al-Husain Viddayalaya but also took the lives of 58 children studying at this school.

The new school building consists of an assembly hall, library, counselling room, computer unit, canteen, staff room, conference hall, sick room, administration office, and classrooms for students from grades one through nine. Including furniture and other equipment, the cost of the project was roughly 45 million ruppes.

GOAL handed over the school to S. Sivapragasam, Divisional Education Officer of the Department of Education, at a function on the school premises where the Divisional Secretary of Karaitivu, S. Ramakrishnan, was also present.
Teachers, students, parents, and well-wishers of the school garlanded and took on a procession John Wain (GOAL Country Director), Jonathan Edgar (GOAL - Dublin), Mark Ford (Schools Programme Coordinator), and Stephen McEneaney (GOAL - Ampara Team Leader).

GOAL has constructed 45 new school buildings and rehabilitated 17 schools in Ampara District, at a cost of 12 million US dollars. GOAL has already handed over 56 schools to the Department of Education and intends to hand over the balance of the schools before the conclusion of their efforts in Sri Lanka in July of this year.

FCE completes temple construction with Norwegian support

2007-04-30T23:52:00.000+05:30

The Foundation for Co-Existence (FCE), which has been promoting coexistence among the communities in the districts of Ampara, Batticaloa, and Tincomalee since 2002, has recently completed construction on six religious sites.

The FCE programme involves reconstructing religious sites in Ampara District that have been damaged or destroyed by the tsunami. The programme includes plans to construct eleven buildings: four Hindu temples, four mosques, two churches, and one Buddhist temple. Three mosques (in Akkaraipattu, Nintavur, and Kalmunai), two Hindu temples (in Thirukkovil and Karaitivu), and a church in Thirukkovil have already been constructed.

The FCE handed over the newest building, Karaitivu Kalikovil temple, to the temple trustees at a function held in Karaitivu. Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative, Oliver Watson, was present at this ceremony, along with S. Ramakrishnan (Karaitivu Divisional Secretary) and FCE representatives Dinidu Endaragala (Programme Director), I.M. Ibrahim (District Coordinator), Engineer Aakil, and Technician Saloofeen. Religious leaders from the Buddhist, Muslim, and Christian communities also graced this occasion.

The FCE religious sites reconstruction project is funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Karaitivu Kalikovil temple was constructed at a cost of 1.8 million rupees.

Buildings previously constructed by the FCE have already been handed over, and the balance will be handed over when the remaining buildings have been completed.

German Friendship Primary School Constructed

2007-04-23T23:53:00.000+05:30

The Centre for East Lanka Social Service (CELSS) has completed the German Friendship Primary School at Arasadiththottam, Nintavur, with funds obtained from the HELP Alliance of Germany.

The school was built at a cost of 9 Million rupees and consists of two buildings: a two-story block of classrooms for students learning from grades one through five and an administrative block with the Principal’s Office and adjoining computer unit. The CELSS, which took only three months to complete the construction of the school, organised a function to hand over the keys of the building to the Zonal Director of Education.

A three member German delegation, led by Rita Diop, from Help Alliance attended the function, and the Deputy Minister of Subsidiary Agricultural Crops Development, M.T. Hassen Ali, and Deputy Minister of Scientific Affairs, Faizal Cassim, were also present as guests.

The Deputy Minister for Science and Technology cut the ribbon and ceremoniously declared the school open. Ms. Rita Diop, Chairperson for the function, handed over the keys of the building to the Kalmunai Deputy Director of Zonal Education, Mrs. Anandarajah.

At the end of the ceremony, mementos were awarded to all those who assisted in the construction.

South Eastern University Centre for Gender Studies is Historic - Minister Ashraff [Thinakaran]

2007-04-18T21:48:00.000+05:30

Thinakaran, Wednesday 11 April 2007

Tamil daily newspaper, Thinakaran, publishes article on CASP's Gender Centre at South Eastern University, which Minister Ferial Ashraff calls historic.

[click on image above for full-size article in Tamil]

Rebuild Ampara Radio quiz winner!

2007-04-11T19:51:00.000+05:30

Ms. Kirupakaran Nagalogini of Old Post Office Road, Karaitivu - 5, is our Rebuild Ampara Radio quiz winner! Ms. Nagalogini visited CASP's Akkaraipattu office to receive her prize. She is seen here with her mother receiving the prize from Victor Petrescu (CASP Project Manager) while M.S. Deen (CASP Computer Centre Manager) and M.M. Razeen (CASP Director - Finance/Administration) watch on.To listen to CASP's Rebuild Ampara Radio Programme, simply visit the Audio section of the RebuildAmpara.com website.

Honouring women on International Women's Day [Thinakaran]

2007-04-09T22:03:00.000+05:30

Thinakaran, 7 April 2007

Thinakaran daily Tamil newspaper publishes story on the honouring of outstanding women for CASP's celebration of International Women's Day.

[click on image above for full-size article in Tamil]

Minister Ashraff attends opening of Computer Centre [Thinakaran]

2007-04-05T21:58:00.000+05:30

Thinakaran, 29 March 2007

Thinakaran Tamil daily newspaper reports on Minister Ferial Ashraff's attendance at opening of CASP's Computer and English Training Centre.

[click on image above for full-size article in Tamil]

Pottuvil Fisheries LAC Meeting televised [Rupavahini Eye Channel]

2007-03-31T16:10:00.000+05:30

Rupavahini Eye Channel, 28 March 2007

Click To Play

CASP-related Tamil language newscast of local advisory committee meeting in Pottuvil Fisheries Inspector's Office on fisheries sector issues.

Gender Awareness for University Staff

2007-03-28T19:35:00.000+05:30

CASP’s Centre for Gender Studies, located at South Eastern University in Ampara District, hosted a gender awareness programme for University staff at the Oluvil Campus Auditorium on Thursday, March 26, 2007.

Dr. Anuszia Senathirajah, a lecturer at the Oluvil Campus and CASP's Gender Manager, organised and conducted this programme. She explained to the audience the purpose of setting up the Centre at the Oluvil Campus, the programmes to be carried out, and the challenges facing the Centre in addressing women’s issues.

A.G. Husain Ismail, Vice Chancellor of the University, and Victor Petrescu, CASP Project Coordinator, were also present and addressed the audience. The Vice Chancellor stressed the importance of finding a solution for women’s issues and thanked CASP for setting up the Centre for Gender Studies.

Goods Exhibition for International Women’s Day

2007-03-25T18:33:00.000+05:30

Above: Dr. Anuszia Senathirajah & M.M. Razeen of CASP with the members of the Affected Women's Forum and their painted potteries.

The Affected Women's Forum of Akkaraipattu celebrated International Women’s Day at a ceremony held in the Cultural Hall of the Alayadivembu Pradeshiya Sabah on March 18, 2007.

The highlight of the celebration was the exhibition of goods produced by the tsunami-affected women of Alayadivembu in Ampara District. These included various food items, potteries, aluminium fittings, paintings, plants, and masonry goods created by the affected women of this area.

All the products were price-marked and sold to those in attendance. The organisers said that the exhibition was very successful and that most of the goods were sold to the people who visited this exhibition.
Above: More items made by the tsunami-affected women.

Project News Covered Externally (Feb/Mar)

2007-03-20T02:27:00.000+05:30

CASP's Rebuild Ampara efforts have been getting a great deal of press in the past couple of months. Below you will find a list of some of the articles published in non-English papers in Sri Lanka (and therefore difficult to reproduce here) in February and early March of this year:

03 Mar 07 - Sudar Oli Tamil Daily (page 6) - "Reception accorded to Hon. Minister Ferial Ashraff at Maruthamunai by Maruthamunai Development Company (Peoples) Ltd."
27 Feb 07 - Thinakaran (page 9) - "Long term plan will be drawn to develop Ampara District says Minister Ferial Ashraff"
21 Feb 07 - Thinakaran (page 8) - "Kilo of potatoes sells at Rs. 1500 in auction - Minister Ferial makes farmers of Akkaraipuattu happy"
21 Feb 07 - Lankadeepa Sinhala Daily (page 5) - "Minister Ashraff has potatoes at Rs. 1500 per kilo"
19 Feb 07 - Thinakaran (page 8) - "Minister Ferial inaugurates several development programmes in Ampara District"
19 Feb 07 - Thinakkural (page 12) - "Today in Ampara"
19 Feb 07 - Thinakaran (page 2) - "Computer Training Centre at Akkaraipattu"
18 Feb 07 - Thinakaran (page 2) - "Potato Cultivation success in Ampara"
02 Feb 07 - Virakesari (page 20) - "Actions being taken to modernise Handloom Industry for Maruthamunai announces Minister Ferial"

Scans of these articles are available in their language of origin for any interested parties through the contact information on our website.

CASP celebrates International Women's Day

2007-03-20T01:43:00.000+05:30

The Canadian Agro-Sustainability Partnership (CASP) celebrated International Women’s Day on a grand scale at its main office in Ampara on March 8, 2007. The Urban Council Chairman, Sarath Desapriya, was the Chief Guest at this function where the Divisional Secretaries and the Director of Planning for Ampara District, A.A. Bawa, were also present.

CASP honoured fifteen women, five from each of the three ethnic groups living in Ampara District, who had rendered outstanding services to the public in various ways.

The Chief Guest, together with the Divisional Secretaries, presented the selected women with certificates and prizes. CASP’s Director of Finance and Administration, M.M. Razeen, presided over the event and thanked everyone for participating the celebrations.

USAID Constructs Libraries

2007-03-14T03:08:00.000+05:30

USAID Regional Programme Manager Bill Barkle recently laid the foundation stone for a library construction project at Alayadivembu in Akkaraipattu. The project is funded by USAID at a cost of Rs. 23.5 million and is being implemented by the Alayadivembu Pradeshiya Sabah.

The USAID/OTI grant supports war- and tsunami-affected communities within the Alayadivembu Pradeshiya Sabah in Akkaraipattu town.

The ceremony was presided over by the Pradeshiya Sabah Chairman, S. Aanaikutty. Assistant Commissioner - Local Government, A.L. Ishak, Divisional Secretary, S. Karan, and Ampara District Coordinator of the Asia Foundation, M.I.M. Waleeth, were also present.

Programme Manager Barkle said that USAID will also begin another library construction project in the Akkaraipattu Pradeshiya Sabha area and that they hoped to lay the foundation stone shortly.

Merlin Opens Central Dispensary

2007-03-07T01:13:00.000+05:30

The UK NGO Merlin opened the first health centre it has constructed in Ampara District on Saturday, March 3rd. Built in Periyaneelavanai, this central dispensary will open its doors to provide access to much needed curative services and health care for 6,500 local residents, including tsunami survivors in the nearby displacement camps.

The dispensary was constructed at a cost of 100,000/- Sterling Pounds and replaces a previous structure constructed by NECORD that had opened just four days prior to 2004 tsunami before being destroyed. The local community donated the land for the new facility through the Patchchi Amman Hindu Kovil in January 2005.

After cutting the ribbon in the opening ceremonies, Dr. Jaganathan (Consultant - Ministry of Health for the Eastern Province) thanked Merlin for having come forward to build the centre and asked for the NGO's assistance in constructing an attached ward as well. He also thanked the trustees of the Hindu Kovil and the individual who donated some of the lands personally. Dr. Jaganathan expressed great happiness at the fact that, at a time when brothers fight even for an inch of land, an individual has willingly donated their own land for public use.

In addition to other Merlin staff, the organisation's country director, Michelle Brown, and Project Coordinator, Penny Boddington, were present at the opening, as were A.L.M. Nazeer (DPDHS), Health Department officials, doctors, and others.Above: Dr. V. Jeganathan - Consultant of the Ministry of Health for the Eastern Province (left with garland) is seen along with Dr. A.L.M. Nazeer - Deputy Provincial Director of Health (2nd from left), Penny Boddington - Merlin Project Coordinator (2nd from right), and Dr. Chatura Jayakody of Central Dispensary, Periyaneelavanai (far right).

Peace Programme for Schoolchildren

2007-03-05T11:15:00.000+05:30

On Saturday, March 3rd, the Foundation for Coexistence (FCE) held an event for the war- and tsunami-affected children of the District at Hardy Technical College in Ampara. The function was presided over by I.M. Ibrahim, District Coordinator for the Foundation for Coexistence, and the programme of focus, 'Listen to their Voices', was funded by UNICEF and implemented by the FCE in Ampara.More than 300 children from the Muslim, Tamil, and Sinhalese communities in Nintavur, Karaitivu, Gonagala, and Galpitigala participated in the programme. Project Directors Ravi Bandu and Arunthathi Sriranganathan of UNICEF were the Chief Guests in this effort to further foster coexistence among schoolchildren of different ethnicities.

Participants expressed confidence that more programmes of this nature could help with understanding and coexistence among the various communities living in the District.

Computer and English, key subjects to develop one's knowledge [Daily News]

2007-03-03T03:49:00.000+05:30

Daily News, Friday 2 March 2007
by M.A. Phakurdeen - Addalaichenai Group Correspondent

ADDALAICHENAI: "Every one of us should be competent in Computer and English and those who are not conversant in this field are considered as misfits in this modern world. Hence, every one of us, especially the younger generation, should come forward to learn these two subjects and CASP (Canadian Agro-Sustainability Partnership) has opened its doors for you all to develop your knowledge. This is a rare opportunity and you all must make use of this in a profitable way."

So observed Minister of Housing and Common Amenities Ferial Ashraff after opening CASP's Computer and Training Centre at Akkaraipattu recently.

Minister Ferial Ashraff was in Ampara District last week on the invitation of CASP's President Douglas MacArthur to inaugurate several development programmes launched by CASP in Ampara District.

The Canadian High Commission's First Secretary (Development) Calvin R. Piggott, Secretary to the Minister Mallika Karunaratna, Special Advisor to the Minister A. Sulaima Lebbe, and CIDA officials too accompanied the Minister.

The Minister in her address said that she doesn't believe in ceremonies and functions merely for publicity and glory but for constructive services lasting forever. She said may INGOs have come and now they have gone, but unlike other NGOs CASP determined to develop Ampara District with the consultation of her Ministry with a Master Plan to be prepared in consultation with all sections of the people of the district.

They believe in services lasting forever or in other words we can say sustainability is their main concern.

She also noted that when she comes to this area she would come with some positive move and she was happy to come here with a Computer and Training Centre which is a desperate need to the area.

She thanked Douglas MacArthur for coming forward to establish this Centre in Akkaraipattu.

President CASP Douglas MacArthur, First Secretary to the Canadian High Commission Calvin R. Piggott, Manager of the Centre M.A.S. Deen, and several others also spoke.

It is informed that this Centre has been developed as part of the Ampara District Master Plan.

Its primary purpose is to provide much needed Computer Access to school leavers, job seeking adults, employees in Government, and private sector organizations, and all others who would like to have access to the Internet and/or learn and improve their computer and English Language skills.

Potato cultivation a boon in Ampara District [Daily Mirror]

2007-02-28T02:40:00.000+05:30

Daily Mirror, Tuesday 27 February 2007
by M.I.M.S. Anwar - Kalmunai Correspondent

A kilo of potatoes recently fetched an unprecedented price of rupees 1,500/- (one thousand five hundred) at a ceremonial auction to boost potato farmers in Barakath Nagar and Illukatchenai in Akkaraipattu area. Minister of Housing and Common Amenities Ferial Ashraff was the chief guest of the ceremony.

Canadian Agro-Sustainability Partnership organization that undertook development projects in Ampara District refuted the conclusion of Sri Lankan authorities that Ampara district is not suitable for potato cultivation. An expert in potato cultivation from Prince Edward Island, Canada who is drawing up a master development plan for Ampara District proved potato grows well in the district after research. Potato cultivation in Barakath Nagar, Waangamam, Malwatte, Central Camp, and Uhana in Ampara District under his supervision was a success and the farmers reaped a bumper harvest.

Minister Ferial Ashraff, who visited the district on the invitation of the president of CASP Douglas MacArthur, declared open an Information Technology Centre in Akkaraipattu and a Gender Centre of the Oluvil Campus of the South Eastern University funded by the CIDA. Addressing the meeting at Maruthamuni, the minister highlighted the community services of CASP to provide monetary aid machinery and technical knowledge.

She told the media that CASP unlike other organizations is drawing a master plan for sustainable developments in the district. The Minister said, "In the past, ministers and members of parliament launched development projects without planning to meet the requirements of the people. However, President Mahinda Rajapakse's Mahinda Chinthana
programme has emphasized on planning for development. CASP's master plan for Ampara district is intended to meet this requirement."

She further said that she is pleased to work with the Canadian NGO that complies with the requirements of the government and ensures transparency in its dealings.

Potato cultivation pilot project a success at Ampara [Daily Mirror]

2007-02-27T03:39:00.000+05:30

Daily Mirror, Monday 26 February 2007
from K.N. Tharmalingham

The first trial cop of potatoes at Akkaraipattu was successfully grown at Illukuchenai, with Canadian aid channelled through Canadian Agro-Sustainability Partnership in partnership with CIDA, and local expertise provided by the Department of Agriculture, Ampara. The first crop was successfully harvested recently.

Mrs. Ferial Ashraff, MP (Dighamadulla) Minister of Housing and Common Amenities inaugurated the harvesting of crop with Islamic religious observances. Messers Nimal Dayaratne, Deputy Director Agriculture, Calvin Piggott, representing CIDA, Douglas MacArthur, President of CASP, religious dignitaries, and government officials participated at the ceremony.

Two varieties of potatoes 'Granola' the white variety, and 'Oseiree' the red variety were cultivated at the trial plots at Barakkathnagar in Irakkamam. The programme commenced in November last year.

Farmers in the area told the 'Daily Mirror' that a packet of seed potatoes tuber supplied the need for thirty beds and each bed yielded nearly 900 grams of quality potatoes. The yields were very encouraging the farmers said.

Minister Mrs. Ashraff in her speech thanked the Canadian donors who supported the project and the officials who successfully helped to implement the project. She said the success of the project would encourage others to take to agriculture.

She said Ampara had been a major paddy producing region under the Senanayake Samudra and pointed out that while paddy had been successful in the past, today it was not profitable owing to problems connected with marketing, storage, pest and disease control. She stressed that fluctuating prices had discouraged many from cultivating paddy.

Islamic Relief provides school supplies for fatherless children

2007-02-23T01:42:00.000+05:30

Islamic Relief has distributed Rs. 1500 worth of school equipment as part of its Education & Orphan Project – Education Package Implementation 2007.

The aim of this project is to develop the education of children of all communities who have lost their fathers. In this instance, supplies were provided to three hundred fatherless children in areas from Akkaraipattu to Periyaneelavanai from the Lasthakeer International School Hall in Nintavur on the 7th of February 2007.

Islamic Relief started this programme in April 2006 and has sponsored 145 fatherless children since then, with a budget of Rs. 10,500 quarterly for their education. On an earlier occasion Islamic Relief had also provided assistance to tsunami affected students with Rs.2000 worth of goods.

Rebuild Ampara Video - Episode 4

2007-02-19T23:12:00.000+05:30

Click to Play

Episode 4 of the quarterly Rebuild Ampara videos continues our focus on the efforts of NGOs in the tsunami-ravaged Ampara District of Sri Lanka, along with presenting interviews of government agents and others. Topics include education, gender issues, livelihoods, and more.

For more info please visit RebuildAmpara.com.

Islamabath Environmental Impact Assessment

2007-02-19T22:11:00.000+05:30

MEDIA RELEASE
Monday, February 19, 2007

KALMUNAI – During a full day tour of Ampara District, Hon. Ferial Ashraff, Minister of Housing & Common Amenities, made a brief visit to the Islamabath dumpsite in Kalmunai. The purpose of the visit was to note that an Environmental Impact Assessment involving the Canadian Agro Sustainability Partnership Inc. (CASP) has just been completed, and there is a proposal in place to relocate the dumpsite to an environmentally better location outside the Municipality and to clean up the existing dumpsite at Islamabath, as it is a major health hazard.

In addition to Canadian Agro Sustainability Partnership Inc. (CASP) identifying the need to remedy the existing dumpsite and to improve solid waste management in Kalmunai, there has been strong support from USAid to do so, including funding of the recent Environmental Impact Assessment.

Minister Ashraff announced that she is hopeful that within the next several weeks, funding will be in place to relocate the existing dump and to restore the current site to an environmentally acceptable standard. This will provide great benefit to Kalmunai and particularly to the residents and school children in the immediate area of the existing dump. There are also plans for a community awareness program so that residents become more aware and responsible for the way they manage solid wastes generated in their homes and community.

Part of CASP’s role in undertaking the Ampara District Master Plan has been to identify gaps in the reconstruction work others are undertaking and to find ways of addressing and correcting such gaps. Kalmunai solid waste management is an example of such a gap that appears to be well on its way to being corrected.

Minister Ashraff and the Ministerial Task Force have responsibility within the Government of Sri Lanka for CASP’s preparation of the Ampara District Master Plan. CASP’s activities under the Master Plan are funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The Master Plan includes all sectors of socio-economic development in Sri Lanka and is to provide a way forward for the next 15-20 years. It encompasses tsunami reconstruction, conflict reconstruction, and socio-economic opportunities for the District.

Handloom Demonstration Project

2007-02-19T22:07:00.000+05:30

MEDIA RELEASE
Monday, February 19, 2007

MARUTHAMUNAI – Hon. Ferial Ashraff, Minister of Housing & Common Amenities today announced that the Canadian Agro Sustainability Partnership Inc. (CASP) will undertake a major Demonstration Project to develop and enhance the handloom industry in Ampara District. The project will include the following elements:

Creation of a Centre of Excellence, which will include showroom facilities, for production and marketing of handloom goods produced in Ampara District.
Modernization of product dyeing facilities through equipment acquisition and appropriate environmental measures.
Provision of management advisory services by CASP to assist business development of the handloom sector, including:
- quality control in the production process;
- finance support through micro credit programs;
- export market development initiatives;
- technology transfer and training programs for workers and management in the handloom industry.

The CASP Demonstration Project for the Handloom Industry will include a number of local partners including: Maruthamunai Development Company (Peoples) Ltd., Pesum Nilayam People’s Co Ltd, and other handloom businesses and stakeholders.

Minister Ashraff and the Ministerial Task Force have responsibility within the Government of Sri Lanka for CASP’s preparation of the Ampara District Master Plan. CASP’s activities under the Master Plan are funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The Master Plan includes all sectors of socio-economic development in Sri Lanka and is to provide a way forward for the next 15-20 years. It encompasses tsunami reconstruction, conflict reconstruction, and socio-economic opportunities for the District.

Gender Centre at South Eastern University

2007-02-19T22:06:00.000+05:30

MEDIA RELEASE
Monday, February 19, 2007

OLUVIL, AMPARA DISTRICT – Hon. Ferial Ashraff, Minister of Housing & Common Amenities, together with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and the Vice Chancellor of South Eastern University today officially opened the new CASP Gender Centre at South Eastern University. The project has been undertaken by the Canadian Agro Sustainability Partnership Inc. (CASP) and South Eastern University to increase gender awareness and equity in Ampara District and beyond.

The Gender Centre is housed in a dedicated building on campus. It has a mandate to assist with gender based curriculum development at South Eastern University, also to undertake gender related research and to play a leading role at the community level in promoting gender awareness and equity. Part of CASP’s funding support includes up to 20 small gender based projects to be undertaken at the community level throughout the District in areas such as increased employment opportunities for women, increasing knowledge of women’s rights, enabling women to play a greater role in the political process, etc.

Minister Ashraff and the Ministerial Task Force have responsibility within the Government of Sri Lanka for CASP’s preparation of the Ampara District Master Plan. CASP’s activities under the Master Plan are funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The Master Plan includes all sectors of socio-economic development in Sri Lanka and is to provide a way forward for the next 15-20 years. It encompasses tsunami reconstruction, conflict reconstruction, and socio-economic opportunities for the District.

Computer/Training Centre Opening

2007-02-19T22:04:00.000+05:30

MEDIA RELEASE
Monday, February 19, 2007

AKKARAIPATTU – A major and state-of-the-art computer and training centre for the Akkaraipattu area was officially opened today by Hon. Ferial Ashraff, Minister of Housing & Common Amenities, officials from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and by CASP. On hand was a large number of dignitaries, plus many new members of the CASP Computer and Training Centre. In fact, more than 500 area residents of all ages have already signed up to use the computer and training facility.

The project has been planned and implemented, and is being managed, by the Canadian Agro Sustainability Partnership Inc. (CASP) as a CASP Demonstration Project under the Ampara District Master Plan. The facility contains 20 new computers and support equipment, plus high speed Internet access to instantly link computer users to the world. The facility can be used by local residents simply wishing to access the Internet for their own personal reasons or can be used as a training venue to upgrade computer skills of school leavers, public and private sector officials, and others in need of enhanced computer expertise. The facility also houses a separate large training room and other break-out rooms that can be used for English language training and/or for seminars or workshops in agriculture and many other sectors.

Minister Ashraff and the Ministerial Task Force have responsibility within the Government of Sri Lanka for CASP’s preparation of the Ampara District Master Plan. CASP’s activities under the Master Plan are funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The Master Plan includes all sectors of socio-economic development in Sri Lanka and is to provide a way forward for the next 15-20 years. It encompasses tsunami reconstruction, conflict reconstruction, and socio-economic opportunities for the District.

The CASP Computer and Training Centre is expected to make a major contribution to the upgrading of computer and other skills needed by Akkaraipattu area residents for employment, communications, and other information purposes. It will enhance livelihoods opportunities for the community and serve as an excellent Demonstration Project, which can be replicated in other centres of Ampara District.

Master Plan First Year Anniversary

2007-02-19T22:02:00.000+05:30

MEDIA RELEASE
Monday, February 19, 2007

AMPARA TOWN – Hon. Ferial Ashraff, Minister of Housing & Common Amenities, together with senior officials from her Ministry, and representation from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) visited the Canadian Agro Sustainability Partnership’s (CASP’s) main Ampara District Master Plan office today to recognize completion of the first year of CASP’s Ampara District Master Plan project.

After CASP signed an MOU with the Ministry of Housing and Ministerial Task Force in June 2005 to undertake the Ampara District Master Plan, funding for the project was sought and received from Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The project began on January 10, 2006, with the Ampara Town office in place in February of that year as CASP’s main project site in the District to undertake Master Plan activities. Additional offices were soon opened in Kalmunai and Akkaraipattu, and these have been followed by a number of Demonstration Project sites throughout Ampara District.

As CASP now has the second year of its activities well underway, it is working with many donors, International Non Government Organizations, local NGOs and CBOs and is receiving ongoing support and direction from the Government of Sri Lanka. Minister Ashraff and the Ministerial Task Force have responsibility within the Government of Sri Lanka for CASP’s preparation of the Ampara District Master Plan, and CIDA is providing ongoing funding support for CASP’s activities. The Master Plan includes all sectors of socio-economic development in Sri Lanka and is to provide a way forward for the next 15-20 years. It encompasses tsunami reconstruction, conflict reconstruction, and socio-economic opportunities for the District.

Potato Trial Demonstration Project

2007-02-19T21:57:00.001+05:30

MEDIA RELEASE
Monday, February 19, 2007

SIX MILE POST, AMPARA DISTRICT – Hon. Ferial Ashraff, Minister of Housing & Common Amenities, together with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), today witnessed the successful harvest of a Potato Trial Demonstration Project in Ampara District. The project has been undertaken by the Canadian Agro Sustainability Partnership Inc. (CASP) by planting seed potatoes in five locations in Ampara District in early December to determine the potential for potato production in the District.

The CASP demonstration project for potato production has proven that potatoes can indeed grow successfully in Ampara District. CASP identified a number of local farmers who planted the potatoes in small plots (typically 20 m x 20 m). CASP, together with the Department of Agriculture, closely monitored the planting, growing, and harvesting process to ensure best possible management and technical support for the farmers involved.

These CASP potato trials were the first of their kind in Ampara District in more than 15 years and results have been beyond expectation. However, there is considerable additional research and other initiatives to be taken before potatoes can be a significant cash crop for the farmers of Ampara District. CASP and the Department of Agriculture have closely monitored all aspects of the project and are now preparing a report on the results, next steps, etc.

The benefits of commercial potato production in Ampara District include:

Reduced dependence on rice production for area farmers.
A new cash crop with rates of return for farmers significantly higher than most other crops.
Replacement of large quantities of imported potatoes by locally grown potatoes to be consumed by the 600,000 people of Ampara District.
Significant new livelihoods opportunities in potato production, processing, and marketing.

Minister Ashraff and the Ministerial Task Force have responsibility within the Government of Sri Lanka for CASP’s preparation of the Ampara District Master Plan. CASP’s activities under the Master Plan are funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The Master Plan includes all sectors of socio-economic development in Sri Lanka and is to provide a way forward for the next 15-20 years. It encompasses tsunami reconstruction, conflict reconstruction, and socio-economic opportunities for the District, with agriculture and fisheries being priority economic sectors.

Rebuild Ampara Video Ep. 4 to launch later this week!

2007-02-13T19:05:00.000+05:30

The fourth episode of the Rebuild Ampara Videos will be launched later this week. Participants include:

Zonal Director of Education – Kalmunai
Additional Government Agent for the area
Helvetas
Sewalanka
ActionAid
SOND
and more!

Episodes can be viewed in the Videos section of the RebuildAmpara.com homepage, as well as on Google Video and Blip.tv.

Norwegian Refugee Council reconstructs two schools in Akkaraipattu

2007-02-07T12:51:00.000+05:30

The Norwegian Refugee Council has reconstructed two primary schools in the tsunami-devastated areas of Akkaraipattu. The schools were declared open at a function on February 6th by chief guest Ragnar Drevvatne, Project Coordinator of the School Reconstruction Project for the Norwegian Refugee Council.Principal S.L. Raheem of Ak/Sir Razeek Fareed Viddyalaya said that his school, which has 65 children studying from grades 1 to 5, was very badly damaged in the tsunami. The cost of reconstruction was 4.6 million rupees, which includes the school, boundary wall, water supply, and other amenities.

The second school, Ak/Samsul Uloom Viddyalaya with Principal Ms. Saliha Abdul Gaffoor and 250 students taught by eight teachers, also suffered severe damages and cost 14.1 million rupees to reconstruct.

Master Plan handed over [Sunday Observer]

2007-02-04T13:23:00.000+05:30

Sunday Observer, 4 February 2007

A master plan of the Ampara District Development project Director - Canadian Agro–Sustainability Partnership, Douglas MacArthur, was handed over to Housing and Common Amenities Minister Ms. Ferial Ashraff recently. Secretary of the Housing Ministry Mrs. Malika Karunaratne is also in the picture.

MOH office for Karaitivu opened

2007-01-30T23:49:00.000+05:30

Minister of Housing Ferial Ismail Ashraff was the Chief Guest at a function held to mark the opening up of a MOH (health) office in Karaitivu on January 12, 2006. The Medical Officer of Health - Karaitivu, Dr. AL Farook, cut the ribbon while Minister Ashraff lighted the traditional oil lamp to ceremoniously declare the office open.

The facility was constructed at a cost of 23 million rupees for the purpose of immunising against diseases. The project took only one year to complete and was funded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Rainer Frauenfeld, Country Director - United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the Implementing Agent of this project, was also present.

During the meeting, Minister Ferial Ismail Ashraff emphasised peace and understanding among communities. She said that communities must learn to live peacefully with understanding among themselves even if at times politicians disturb peace in the area.

The meeting was also attended by the Divisional Secretary, Karaitivu , S. Ramakrishnan; Deputy Provincial Director of Health Services, ALM Nazeer; and the Pradeshiya Sabah (Local Authority) Chairman.

GAFSO Water & Sanitation awareness for schoolchildren

2007-01-25T11:21:00.000+05:30

The Group Action for Social Order (GAFSO) NGO has conducted its first Water & Sanitation Awareness Programme for a group of schoolchildren at the Akkaraipattu Boys School on January 24, 2007.

Forty-eight children from four schools (Al-Ishrak Vidyalaya in Pottuvil, Govt. Tamil Mixed School in Munaikadu, Vinayagar Vidyalaya in Kolavil, and Govt. Boys School in Akkaraipattu) participated in the programme, which has as its aim the formation of "Child Brigades" among schoolchildren in district.

The programme was funded through UNICEF's Child-Friendly School project. GAFSO has already selected 35 schools with different ethnicities in Ampara District to conduct this programme, and hopes to conduct more in near future.

Kalmunai student award ceremony

2007-01-22T23:28:00.000+05:30

Minister Ferial Ismail Ashraff was the Chief Guest at a function held for students who scored high marks and passed the 5th standard scholarship examination, G.C.E (O/L) and (A/L) examinations.The event was organised by the Kalmunai Development Management Council and held at the Mahmud Ladies College in Kalmunai on the 11th of January, 2007. The president of the Management Council, Dr. ALM Nazeer, Deputy Provincial Director of Health Service, presided over the meeting, and students were awarded with medals and cash prizes by the Minister.

Minister Ashraff provided a message to the graduating students, explaining how their journey will take them away from the learning of only books in schools and that they must be "respected very much in society for being good citizens". After the awards ceremony, she further congratulated the students and advised them to do well in their future examinations, enter university, and to become people of high quality and morality, never forgetting that you must always be a good human being.

East Media House launched

2007-01-21T14:36:00.000+05:30

Internews Network has launched the East Media House at a function held in Ampara on January 20, 2007. The East Media House project is funded by USAID and is focused on developing free media in Ampara District.

USAIC/OTI Country Representative - Mike Desisti was present at this event, along with the Country Director - Matt Abud, and Residential Adviser - Andrea Dione Wenzel of Internews Network. Also in attendance were journalists, religious dignitaries, and prominent members of all three communities in Ampara District. Indeed, a highlight of the gathering was the cultural programme.

Internews network has set up two centres, one in Kalmunai and one in Ampara. These centres will provide training in radio, media, and technology in Tamil and Sinhalese to media personnel and others interested in working in this field.Above: Mike DeSisti - USAID/OTI Country Representative (left) and M.I.M. Shadath - East Media House (right)

Minister Ferial Ashraff lays foundation stone for tsunami affected school

2007-01-18T22:28:00.000+05:30

Photo: Minister Ferial Ashraff (Centre); Zonal Director of Education, MT Nizam (2nd from left); Assistant Director of Education, Peer Mohamed (2nd from right), School Principal, Mohamed Fareed (far right); and others at the ceremony.

Minister of Housing & Construction, Mrs. Ferial Ismail Ashraff, laid the foundation stone for a new school building at a function in Al-Misbah Viddyalaya, Kalmunai, on January 11, 2007.

The school had most of its premises destroyed by the December 2004 tsunami. It began in 1954 with only 57 students, but has grown tremendously to its current attendance level of 1600 students.

The new building will have 48 classrooms including:

language centre;
computer centre;
science lab;
multimedia centre;
and home economics room.

The project will be implemented by SOS Children's Villages of Sri Lanka and is funded by Kinderdorf International of Vienna, Austria. Costs are expected to be 130 million rupees and the building is to be completed in January 2008.Photo: Schoolgirls welcoming the Minister with a song.

Workshop on 'Quality Seed Paddy Production' [Daily News]

2007-01-11T23:20:00.000+05:30

Daily News, 11 Jan 2007
by M.A. Phakurdeen - Addalaichenai group correspondent

ADDALAICHENAI: In order to provide a comprehensive knowledge on seed paddy production to the farmers who produce seed paddy in the district, a workshop 'Quality Seed Paddy Production' was held at CASP's Computer Training Centre in Akkaraipattu recently.

The Workshop sponsored by 'CASP' (Canadian Agro Sustainability Partnership) was organized by Akkaraipattu Seed Paddy Producers. CASP's Project Co-Director Victor Petrescu, the chief guest at this programme, declared open the Workshop which was presided over by M.I.M. Nazeer, the officer in charge of the Malwatte Seed Certification Unit, Malwatte.

Asst. Director (Seed Paddy) H.M.J.K. Herath, Asst. Directors (Extensions) A.R.A. Latheef and M.S.A.Kalees were present here as resource personnel and delivered lectures on Producing Quality Seed Paddy, Usages of Straw as fertilizer in paddy fields, seed certification process, and paddy field inspection.

Problems confronted by the Seed Paddy Producers and the solutions were also discussed at the conclusion of the Workshop.

QUALITY SEED PADDY PRODUCTION: A one-day training programme for selected farmers on "Training for Quality Seed Paddy Production" sponsored by CASP (Canadian Agro Sustainability Partnership) was organized by Akkaraipattu Seed Paddy Producers Society members at CASP's Computer Training Centre recently. Here, CASP's Project Co-Director Victor Petrescu is lighting the traditional oil lamp to inaugurate the workshop. OIC Malwatte Seed Certification Service M.I.M. Nazeer and President of the Society N. Nadarajah were also present.

New Students for Ampara Nursing School

2007-01-10T07:10:00.000+05:30

On the directive of His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapakse's Mahinda Chintana, 123 students (57 from Ampara District and 66 from Monaragala District) were recently admitted to the Ampara Nursing School to be trained as nurses.

A function, presided over by the principal of the Nursing School Wimala Surendra, was held at the Ampara General Hospital to mark the distribution of letters of admission to students and speeches were given by several important guests.
Shantha Premartne, the District Organiser of the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party, was the Chief Guest at the function and, along with other special guests, handed over admission letters to the third batch new recruits. He thanked His Excellency the President for providing the opportunity of a nursing career to educated female youths from remote areas.

Other special guests included Wimalaweera Dissanayake, Former Member of Parliament and SLFP organiser; Sarath Desapriya, Mayor - Ampara Municipal Council; Dr. Thilake Jayasinghe, Medical Superintendent - Ampara General Hospital; Mrs. KDG Kumarasinghe, Senior Tutor; and B.P. Peramuna, Assistant Superintendent of Police.

"Serving as nurses in a hospital is a noble profession and should be performed with humanity and great care", Mr. Prematne said in his address to the recruits. He further stated that "a nurse should not look at patients with differences such as race, religion, caste, or creed, but with affection and humanity".

Project News Covered Externally

2007-01-01T01:20:00.000+05:30

Happy New Year everyone!

The Rebuild Ampara team will be presenting lots more stories on our blog in 2007, but today we just wanted to point out some coverage we've been getting from external publications and broadcasts:

Potato Cultivation Pilot Project covered by
- Daily News English Daily (29Dec06)
- SLRC Rupavahini National Television (24Dec06)
- Thinakaran Tamil Daily (22Dec06)
- Thinakkural Tamil Daily (14Dec06)
- SLBC National Radio (10Dec06)
Solid Waste Management Meeting at Kalmunai Municipal Council
- SLRC Rupavahini National Television (23Dec06)
Launching of Livelihood Development Plan at Ampara Town Hall
- Daily News English Daily (21Dec06)

We'll be posting stories that have been published externally from time-to-time and the above are just a few that took place in the last month. As always, we welcome your articles and are happy to work with media and other organisations to ensure that these important stories are heard.

USAID and CASP address Kalmunai Solid Waste Problem

2006-12-29T23:20:00.000+05:30

CASP recently held a meeting at the Kalmunai Municipal Council Conference Hall to discuss the implementation of the Kalmunai Solid Waste project which is being funded by USAID.

The project, which is to begin shortly, aims to solve the longstanding Kalmunai solid waste problem in the tsunami-devastated Ampara District.

The meeting was presided over by Kalmunai Municipal Council Commissioner MY Saleem and included council members, public health inspectors, MOH Kalmunai, CEA (Central Environment Authority) Assistant Director MAC Najeeb, and Kalmunai Municipal Council Mayor ARM Ajmeer.

The USAID Programme Development Officer Jude Pradeep James was also present at the meeting, along with CASP Project Co-Director Victor Petrescu and Finance/Administration Director MM Razeen.

Discussions focused mainly on:

collection methods;
location of transferring centres and sorting centres;
and ways to solve difficulties during the grace period.

The Municipal Councillors thanked USAID and CASP for having come forward to help solve this ongoing solid waste problem and assured their total cooperation in this matter.

CASP Media Team Member Honoured

2006-12-11T19:20:00.000+05:30

Mr. AHM Aswer, Advisor to His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapakse, honoured Mr. MA Phakurdeen, a member of CASP’s media team, at a function held to mark the 27th Anniversary of the Ampara District Federation of All Ceylon Muslim League Youth Fronts.

The event took place at the Athullah Art Gallery of As-Shiraj Maha Viddyalayam (Akkaraipattu) on November 25th, 2006, and was presided over by the National Organiser of the Federation, MI Uthumalebbe.

In honour of Mr. Phakurdeen's services in journalism, Mr. Aswer draped him with a silk shawl and presented him with a gold medal for his work in front of a large crowd attending the function. CASP is very proud to have a member of its media team honoured in such a manner.

NGOs Meeting in Akkaraipattu

2006-12-09T20:31:00.000+05:30

BELOW: Al-Haj. MI Abdel Qadir, JP [right] addresses participants [photo at bottom] in Sinhalese while MSM Harris, President of FORED [left], translates to Tamil.ActionAid International, in partnership with three local NGOs, ERRO LANKA, FORED, and SWEIDO VISION, held a meeting at the Athaullah Auditorium in Akkaraipattu on December 7th, 2006. The purpose of the gathering was to brief the civil community and media personnel about the programmes and other works these groups have carried out in selected areas of Ampara District.

The area's Divisional Secretaries, civil society leaders, religious leaders, other NGOs, and beneficiaries were invited to the meeting. The three local NGOs working with ActionAid International detailed their work progress and focus areas. Around 300 people were in attendance and photographs were displayed throughout the auditorium to demonstrate the groups' accomplishments.

Smyrna Fellowship builds 111 new houses

2006-12-04T21:13:00.000+05:30

The Smyrna Fellowship of Nuwaraeliya NGO has constructed 111 permanent houses in Ahathikulam, Alayadivembu D.S. division. The houses were constructed, at a cost of Rs. 850,000 per house, for families whose homes were destroyed by the tsunami at Sinnamuhathuvaram, Alayadivembu and who, until now, had been living in temporary shelters.

Smyrana Fellowship started this project in February, 2006, taking only ten (10) months to complete the houses on 37 acres of land purchased for this purpose with funds obtained from Sweden. Mr. Leif Grund, his wife, and two daughters donated a major part of the fund around $100,000, while PMU Interlife of Sweden contributed the balance of the funding.

A function was held at the housing project on November 29th to hand over the legal documents (deeds) and the keys of the houses to the beneficiaries. The Additional District Secretary and Divisional Secretary - Alayadivembu were present along with Smyrna Fellowship Chairman Rev. P. Krishnarajah, Founder Rev. Selvarajah, and Donor Mr. Leif Grund.

US Ambassador Black visits Ampara District

2006-11-29T23:27:00.000+05:30

American Ambassador Robert O. Black Jr. recently undertook a two day tour of Ampara District to assess the progress of projects implemented by USAID in this region. Ambassador Black was accompanied by the Counselor for Press and Cultural Affairs Terry J. White, USAID’s Regional Programme Manager for Ampara Bill Barkle, along with embassy officials.Their first visit Thursday was to Pottuvil, where they inspected the reconstruction of the Arugambay Bridge that was destroyed by the tsunami. On Friday, the Ambassador declared the Children’s Recreation site at Akkaraipattu Ayesha Bhalika Mahavidyalaya open. Afterwards they traveled to the village of Oluvil where the villagers are engaged in various livelihood projects. Ambassador Black spoke with villagers and assessed their project progress. Following this, there was a gathering of INGOs, NGOs, and Government Officials at Sainthamaruthu Sea Breeze that generated much discussion.

Finally, the Ambassador met with journalists representing all three communities in the District. This meeting took place at the Ampara USAID Office where there was a briefing on the activities of USAID in Sri Lanka, and in Ampara District in particular. Ambassador Black revealed that $30 million US has been set apart by the United States in order to go ahead with development projects in various parts of Ampara District. In response to a question raised by a local journalist, Ambassador Black said that he would try to pressure the government to appoint an independent commission to inquire into the assassinations of politicians that are taking place in Sri Lanka.

US Embassy Officials, including Programme Officers T. Muralitharan and S. Gayani, and Officials from Internews Network were also present at the press briefing.

FCE Religious Sites Project

2006-11-26T20:04:00.000+05:30

Foundation for Co-Existence (FCE) has undertaken a project to rebuild eleven Religious Institutions in Ampara District that were destroyed by the tsunami. This is part of an FCE project funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to reconstruct one hundred religious sites on the east coast of Sri Lanka.

Currently under construction for Ampara District project are four Hindu Temples, four Mosques, two Churches, and one Buddhist Temple. A sum of Rs. 2 million has been set aside by FCE for each institution.

Last week a ceremony was held to open the first finished site, an ancient Hindu Temple in the east at Thirukkovil Sri Sithra velauthaswamy Kovil. FCE'’s Religious Committee Chairman Moulavi Kaleelur Rahuman, Coordinator ACN Saloofeen, and Kovil'’s Chief Vannakkar Neethinathakkurukkal oversaw ceremonies with religious observances and special poojas. Also in attendance were FCE Project Manager Ian Johnson, Project Coordinator IM Ibrahim, Eng. MJ Akeel, as well as religious dignitaries, members of the Predheshiya Saba, and other guests.

The chief trustee of the temple, Ragunathamoorthy, who presided over the opening ceremony, thanked the FCE and Norwegian Foreign Ministry for their invaluable contributions and generosity in rebuilding this religious institute. This reconstruction will enable him to proceed with the site's normal religious activities without any inconvenience.Project Coordinator Ibrahim said in his speech that he was very happy to declare the first religious Institute in Thirukkovil open, and that he was now even happier that the second religious institute is to soon be opened at the Christian Church in Thirukkovil.

Ibrahim went on to say how he hoped everyone will have peace and security to live without fear and to continue with their everyday lives. In this way, he said, the FCE has concentrated on rebuilding religious institutions where people can purify their minds, find a spiritual way of wiping out unwanted activity, and live peacefully.

Workshop for Tsunami-Affected Vegetable Cultivators

2006-11-24T23:26:00.000+05:30

A workshop aimed at imparting knowledge to vegetable cultivators on ecology and the protection of the environment took place last week. The workshop was organised by Thambiluvil Natpani Maha Sabai with the assistance of IUCN (World Conservation Union). The event was held at SWOAD Training Centre, Thambattai in Thirukkovil DS Division.

The workshop was held under the aegis of the Chairman of Natpani Maha Sabai K. Nadarajah Dharmalingam along with Agricultural Instructor Thirukkovil K. Kangatharan. Topics included crop protection, identifying pests and diseases, use of waste products, and more. Planned use of resources, crop planning, and marketing strategies were also presented.

One focus of the workshop was to encourage villagers to re-engage in the home gardening activities they were so active in prior to the tsunami. An open discussion of the problems facing home garden cultivators was held and generated much participation.

Inland Fisheries examined for Central Camp

2006-11-07T19:19:00.000+05:30

Central Camp in Ampara District, an area where Sri Lanka's three main ethnic communities live together, has been neglected for many years and suffers from a variety of developmental challenges. However, the Canadian Agro-Sustainability Partnership (CASP) is now studying the possibility of developing inland/fresh water fishing in Central Camp.

At the invitation of the President of the Eastern Organisation for Democracy (EOD), Ranaweera Nilame, CASP's President and their Fisheries Specialist recently visited the location. The long-neglected fish pond in Central Camp was inspected and meetings were held to discuss how to move forward with renewing inland fisheries in the area. Other livelihood development projects of benefit to the residents of Central Camp were also discussed.

CASP Leads Handloom Industry Meeting

2006-10-27T00:20:00.000+05:30

With a view to developing the handloom industry in Ampara District, which was badly affected by both the policies of successive governments and the 2004 tsunami, CASP President Douglas MacArthur held a meeting on Wednesday, October 18th at CASP's Kalmunai office to which many people involved in the handloom industry were invited.

More than fifty men and women involved in the handloom industry, from both the Muslim and Tamil communities, were in attendance. Participants were asked for suggestions about how to further develop the handloom industry in the district. Mr. MacArthur said that the participants provided some great input and thought the meeting was very successful.

Master Plan Preliminary Report Presentation

2006-10-23T04:49:00.000+05:30

The Ampara District Master Plan Preliminary Report has been posted.You can view the presentation in your browser by clicking here.

Computer Resource Centers in Akkaraipattu

2006-10-20T08:54:00.000+05:30

The two Computer Resource Centres in the purview of the Akkaraipattu Zonal Education Office that were affected by the tsunami will be reconstructed with modern equipment funded by the OTI Sri Lanka Program of USAID. These centres are to be housed on the sites of Akkaraipattu ZDE’s Office and Thirukkovil DEO’s Office at a cost of about Rs.15 million. They will provide knowledge to those who wish to develop their computer literacy, especially people who are finished school and are having difficulty finding jobs. Computer training, an Internet Cafe, and other facilities will be made available here for those involved in the courses.

A simple ceremony was presided over by Zonal Director of Education ULM Hashim to mark the foundation stone for the Akkaraipoattu Computer Resource Centre. The event was attended by USAID’ s Regional Program Manager Bill Barkle, Grant Specialist Ruwan Fernando, Senior Assistant Secretary to the NEP Ministry of Education T.Ponnambalam, the Officer in-charge of the Computer Centre M.A.Uthumalebbe, and several others.

Forestry Programme for Tsunami-Affected Areas

2006-10-18T12:34:00.000+05:30

A Forestry Programme for early rehabilitation of tsunami affected areas in Ampara District is to be implemented by the Forest Department. The programme is sponsored by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) with the financial support of the Government of Finland. The Project National Field Officer is MA Ibnu Suhood.

The project has five components and has been earmarked for nineteen sites in nine DS Divisions. The components are:

Coastal shelterbelt development
Mangrove rehabilitation
Home garden development
Avenue planting
Urban planting

The project’s objective is to address the immediate needs of the affected populations through forest rehabilitation and reforestation. This will provide forestry-related employment and related benefits, as well as contributing to a safer future for people living in the area through increased coastal protection and an improved environment.

A meeting to discuss the project was held at Athaullah Arangam Mr. Ibnu Suhood.
Invitees were invited to express their ideas on how best to implement the project and included Additional Government Agent ULA Azees, Deputy Director Planning AA Bawa, Assistant Commissioner of Local Government Peer Mohamed, Central Environmental Authority’s Assistant Director-Ampara M.A.C.Najeeb, Divisional Secretaries, Predeshya Saba Chairmen, and others. All parties agreed to extend their fullest support to complete this programme at the earliest possible date.

Gramodaya Health Centers in Kalmunai Division

2006-10-13T17:10:00.000+05:30

Gramodaya Health Centers are now being opened in the remote areas of the Kalmunai DPDHs Divisions where health facilities are greatly needed.

With the financial support of INGOs serving in the District, including Celltel Lanka (Pvt) Ltd., UNICEFF, NECORD, Mercy Malasia, World Vision, HSDP (Health Services Development Project), Doctors Worldwide, and IMC (International Medical Corps), twenty-seven Gramodaya Health Centers are to be opened. These will be situated in the Medical Officers of Health Divisions in Kalmunai, Sainthamaruthu, Nintavur, Karaithivu, Addalaichenai, Akkaraipattu, Alayadivembu , Thirukkovil, and Pottuvil.

At the Kathiriya Mosque, the 10th Gramodaya Health Centre of Akkaraipattu MOH Division was declared open in ceremonies by the Consultant for Health Care Development, North Eastern Province, Dr. V. Jegenathan. A plaque was unveiled by Dr.A.L.M.Nazeer and Gramodaya Health Centre Project Manager Olita Gunaratne.

Speaking at the ceremony chaired by MOH Akkaraipattu Dr. AM Jahufar, Consultant for Health Care Development Dr. Jegenathan said that he was happy to open this centre in such a good location and hoped that it would provide better services for the needy who come from the poorer parts of society. He also thanked Celltel Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. for coming forward to construct the building and asked the villagers in the vicinity to extend their fullest support to the staff in providing their services.

Environment Week for all Sri Lankans

2006-10-10T19:56:00.000+05:30

His Excellency, President Mahinda Rajapakse, declared the first week of October as Environment Week in Sri Lanka, and asked all Sri Lankans to observe it island-wide. Various functions were held to mark this week in many parts of Sri Lanka, including Ampara District.

CASP, together with EOD (Eastern Organisation for Democracy), put together a programme to commemorate the occasion in Central Camp, where all three major Sri Lankan communities live together (Tamil, Muslim, and Sinhalese). EOD President, Ranaweera Nilame, believes deeply in the coexistence of Sri Lanka's ethnic communities and was very pleased to organise this function at the EOD Office in Central Camp.

Mr. MAC Najeeb, Assistant Director of the National Environment Authority, was the Chief Guest, and the Agricultural Instructor of the area together with the Head of the Central Camp Police station were also invited. The President of EOD, the Chief Guest, invitees, and staff from CASP's Kalmunai and Akkaraipattu offices planted trees there for this occasion. They also distributed plants among the people of the three ethnic communities living here.

New MOH Office for Pottuvil!

2006-10-10T16:06:00.000+05:30

Pottuvil MOH Office, which has hitherto been functioning in a private building with minimum facilities, has now been provided with a new building with all amenities.

The new MOH Office and its quarters, costing Rs.50 million set apart by Italian Corporation and implemented by Movimondo, was declared open by Ambassador for Itali Pio Mariani on Monday, October 9th in a grand ceremony organized by the Staff of the MOH Office, headed by MOH Dr. MMM. Sameem. A special religious ceremony was also organised to mark the occasion.

The Ambassador, along with the Deputy Provincial Director of Health Services – Kalmunai Dr.A.L.M. Nazeer, Head of Italian Corporation Gian Pietro Testolin, the Head of Project Movimondo, and Medical Officers of the Division, were taken on a huge procession, while flanked by a school band, to the venue of the meeting: the new MOH Office building.

Speaking at this ceremony, Ambassador Pio Mariani said he was happy to help with an outstanding problem in Pottuvil. He also said that he looked forward to contributing other assistance in the future and hoped this would further strengthen the friendship between Sri Lanka and Italy.

DPDH Dr. Nazeer subsequently thanked the Ambassador, Italian Corporation, and Movimondo for helping the people of Pottuvil.

Ramadan Food Distribution by Islamic Relief

2006-10-06T19:47:00.000+05:30

The Islamic Relief organisation is distributing food parcels among widows, the poor, and the needy as part of its Ramadan Food Distribution - 2006 programme. Mission Head Mohamed Ahamed Mao of Islamic Relief commenced the distribution at a function held at the organisation’s stores in Nintavur on October 5th.

Ms. Mufeeda Usman, Islamic Relief Programme Coordinator, explained that the recipients were selected from all communities living in the Divisional Secretariat areas of Kalmunai, Sainthamaruthu, Karaitivu, Nintavur, Addalaichchenai, Akkaraipattu, Aalayadivembu, Sammanthurai, Navithanveli, and Irakkamam.

"3,500 genuine people were selected to receive the 3,500 parcels - each worth Rs. 1,600 and containing rice, flour, milk powder, dates, fish tins, and sugar. All the selections of recipients were made by officers working in the respective
DS offices" she said.

Solid Waste Management Awareness Programme for School Children

2006-09-29T02:44:00.000+05:30

The Canadian Agro-Sustainability Partnership (CASP), together with Practical Action - Ampara, is creating awareness on solid waste management among school children in the tsunami-devastated areas of Ampara District.

Meetings were held with the three zonal directors and the principals of several schools during which venues and dates for conducting the awareness programmes were arranged.

Workshops have now been conducted for students in Grade Six and above, and the first one was held at the Al-Ashrak Vidhyalayam, Nintavur, on September 8th for nearly 120 Muslim and Tamil students from three different schools in the Kalmunai Education Zone.

Two other workshops were also held for schools in Akkaraipattu and Sammanthurai zones on the 14th and 20th September respectively. More programmes of this kind are to be conducted once the Ramadan school holidays are over in Muslim schools.
Teachers, principals, zonal directors, and students alike have recognized the importance of the Solid Waste Management Awareness Programme and expressed their happiness with CASP and Practical Action's work in this area. Given the lack of focus on this subject to date, there is great interest in extending this Programme to all schools in the area.

Paddy Farmers facing several hurdles this season

2006-09-19T10:07:00.000+05:30

Paddy (rice) harvesting season in the Ampara District has commenced but farmers are facing some difficulties. One concern is the shortage of harvesting labour in the District. This shortage has been attributed to the restricted movements of the Tamil labour force from other districts due to the conflict-related situation in the Eastern and Northern provinces and the tension prevailing on the east coast. In addition to this, the cost of labour for harvesting has also increased - partly due to high wages paid by INGOs working here and partly because farmers are now also using harvesting machines to harvest their paddy crops. In addition to this, the market prices for paddy are quite low. The combination of high production costs, shortages of labour, and the low prices for their paddy in the marketplace have many paddy cultivating farmers quite worried.

Red Cross Clarifies Mandate in Ampara

2006-09-14T22:46:00.000+05:30

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) recently held a press conference at its office in Ampara. The purpose of the announcement, explained Communication Coordinator Davide Vignati, was to inform the media of the ICRC's activities and mandate in Sri Lanka, as there have been concerns about misleading reports in some newspaper articles lately.

“Incorrect information damages the image of ICRC and the works it is carrying out here. ICRC worries about serving the affected people of all communities - immaterial of race, religion, caste, or creed - and not [specifically] the LTTE or the government. Supporting any one of these groups makes our work more complicated and difficult,” explained Mr. Vignati. “ICRC assists only the people affected by natural or man-made disasters. It rescues people and provides food, shelter, water, sanitation, and health assistance. It also creates links among family members lost at the time of disasters.”

Mr. Vignati requested that media personnel verify their information concerning ICRC with him before reporting it to the public. The Head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (Ampara), Marie-Servane Desjonqueres, was also present at the press conference.

Vocational Training Centre Students Hold Exhibition

2006-09-03T20:58:00.000+05:30

The Danish Red Cross Society held an exhibition and sales at its Vocational Training Centre in Kalmunai on the 1st and 2nd of September, 2006. The Centre's students, each of whom completed a three month course in sewing and other skills, exhibited the items they produced during their training here.

The exhibition was opened at 10am on September 1st by Martha Wimteger, the delegate of the Danish Red Cross. The centre provides training to females over 18 years old who are living in Karaitivu, Sainthamaruthu, Kalmunai, and Maruthamunai. Trainees are chosen from tsunami/war-affected families, female-headed families, low income families, and families with many female members.

Three month training courses are conducted in sewing, English language, and computer skills. The Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka issues certificates to the students who successfully complete the course.

The objective of the centre is to train 300 women every year and provide them with livelihood skills and self-employment opportunities. In the first session, 51 female students successfully completed the course held from February to May 2006, and another 62 students from the second session completed the course held from mid-May to August 2006.

Advocacy Awareness Workshop

2006-08-31T23:26:00.000+05:30

Practical Action of Ampara recently held an Advocacy Awareness Programme workshop for its partner organisations in the Ampara District. The workshop spanned two days from the 29th to the 30th of August at the Ariyawan Hotel in Ampara. Although 30 organisations had confirmed their participation, only 14 organisations were present at this residential workshop. The subjects covered included Disaster Management, Conflict Sensitivity, Gender Sensitivity, and Peoples Participation. Those in attendance said the workshop was very interesting and informative.

PEI group helping Sri Lanka rebuild

2006-08-31T03:00:00.000+05:30

Source: August 31, 2006 - The Guardian by Caitlin McIntyre

Doug MacArthur has a master plan to help rebuilding efforts in tsunami-stricken Sri Lanka. MacArthur is president of the PEI-based group Canadian Agro Sustainability Partnership Inc., which in June completed a preliminary master plan report for a reconstruction project in Ampara District, Sri Lanka.

Last year, the Sri Lankan government chose CASP to create a 25-year plan to reconstruct the devastated area. Ampara District was the area hardest hit by the December 2004 tsunami, which caused the death of over 10,000 people and $600-million in property damage.

Sri Lankan Minister Ferial Ashraff met with MacArthur in PEI this week to discuss the plan and to negotiate an additional role for CASP in housing and community development in the country. Ashraff is the Minister of Housing and Construction Industries as well as the minister responsible for tsunami reconstruction in Ampara District.

The master plan, which CASP developed through partnerships with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and more than 100 donors and non-governmental organizations, is designed to improve all sectors in Ampara District, MacArthur said in an interview. He said the long-term plan will upgrade such sectors as housing, agriculture, health systems and education. With a total of $13.5-billion (US) donated for tsunami recovery efforts, the funds are available to implement an impact reconstruction plan.

“What makes this situation rather unique is that although Sri Lanka is rather a poor country, there was so much money donated (after) the tsunami that there’s not a scarcity of money for good projects,” MacArthur said.

Now it’s CASP’s responsibility to help the Sri Lankan government spend that money wisely. Currently, the company has 40 staff and four offices in Sri Lanka, and MacArthur said he hopes to send about 50 people to the country to help in relief efforts over the next several months.

Ashraff, who was the first Sri Lankan minister to visit this province, traveled the Island, making stops at Future Tech in O’Leary, North Cape wind project, and West Prince Ventures. Considering the similarities – economic bases in agriculture, fisheries, and tourism, as well as many small communities – shared by Prince Edward Island and Sri Lanka, it seemed appropriate for CASP to play a major role in rebuilding efforts, she said.

Over the next couple of years, MacArthur wants to expand the project to include 100-200 full-time staff members in the county and an additional two offices. Meanwhile, Ashraff spent the last day of her trip meeting with Premier Pat Binns, MacArthur said, adding that she asked him to support a stronger relationship between PEI and Sri Lanka now and in the future.

Senior Sri Lankan Minister visiting PEI

2006-08-28T00:50:00.000+05:30

Source: August 28, 2006 - The Guardian

The Sri Lankan Minister of Housing and Construction Industries, Ferial Ashraff, was on the Island on the weekend for meetings with Canadian Agro Sustainability Partnership (CASP) Inc. Ashraff is a senior minister in the government of Sri Lanka. She is also the minister responsible for tsunami reconstruction in Ampara District, which suffered a loss of 10,000 lives and $600 million in property damage from the December 26, 2004, tsunami. CASP reports to Ashraff in its Ampara District master plan reconstruction activities.

While in PEI, Ashraff was scheduled to meet with CASP on the master plan and discuss an additional role proposed for CASP to facilitate housing and community development reconstruction in Sri Lanka. Today, the minister will travel to western PEI with CASP management to visit Future Tech in O’Leary, North Cape wind project, Tignish community co-ops and West Prince Ventures.

Kaliodai Bridge completed after eight years

2006-08-24T20:36:00.000+05:30

After eight years, the new 75-metre bridge at Kaliodai, Oluvil, along the Kalmunai-Akkaraipattu road, has finally been completed. During the tsunami, the temporary bridge built at that location (while the main bridge was under construction) gave way and the road became impassible, causing grave difficulties in transportation of relief and other materials.

The bridge was reconstructed at a a cost of 50 million rupees with funds received from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) by the Small Infrastructure Rehabilitation and Upgrading Programme (SIRUP). The bridge was declared open by the Additional Provincial Director of the Road Development Authority, Mr. ALM Nizar, on the 23rd of August, 2006 with a simple ceremony to mark the occasion. The initial foundations were laid exactly eight years before this date.

Bio Gas Digester

2006-08-11T18:32:00.000+05:30

The first ever Biogas Digester Project in Ampara District was recently inaugurated by CASP’s Project Vice-President, Mr. Victor Petrescu, at Ampara's Hardy Institute to mark its Golden Jubilee Celebration.

CASP, which has undertaken the task of preparing a Master Plan to aid in the rebuilding the tsunami-ravaged Ampara District, completed this project in a very short time under the supervision of its Director of Finance and Administration, M.M. Razeen. Lewis HMJ Consultants Inc. of Canada, Ray Halsey (President/Director) and Tom Hartz (Environmental Services Manager)had previously visited the site and found that the location was suitable, with required raw materials and inputs available on site.

A simple ceremony to mark the opening of the project was attended by Mr. Razeen, Hardy Institute Director NMKK Mawaratna, Environmental Specialist M.A.C. Najeeb, CASP Manager-Teaching & Training S.V.S. Imbuldeniya, and staff from CASP's Akkaraipattu and Kalmunai offices.

”The project is first of its kind in the region and will greatly benefit students who are interested in studying biogas digesters as a pre-vocational subject. At the same time, they can also make use of the gas for domestic purposes,” said Mr. Razeen, who took a major role in implementing this project.

Internet Cafe at the Hardy Institute

2006-08-04T17:30:00.000+05:30

The Canadian Agro-Sustainability Partnership (CASP) set up an Internet Cafe at the exhibition held to mark the golden jubilee of Hardy Institute in Ampara. The exhibition was declared open by the Urban Council Chairman, Saman Desappriya, on July 28th at 9 a.m. and ran for two days. Mr. Desappriya was briefed about CASP activities in Ampara District as he visited the Internet Cafe, and he was very pleased with CASP's works to date.

Parliamentarian and former Minister of Health, P. Dayaratne, opened the second day of the exhibition, and he too visited CASP’s stall, commenting that he was seeing this programme for the first time in Ampara District.

The Internet Cafe attracted a large crowd of more than 5000 people, many of them school children from the various schools in Ampara District. It was a very special event for those children who previously have had no access to computers or the internet.

Professor Evan Hardy, a Canadian national, started the Hardy institute in 1956 to provide the people in Sri Lanka with technical education and training. Though Professor Hardy passed away in 1963, his vision still lives on and projects like the Internet Cafe at the Hardy Institute honour his memory.

Women's Entrepreneurship Award

2006-06-04T21:46:00.000+05:30

Mrs. Ayesha of Maruthamunai is the first woman from Eastern Province to win Sri Lanka’s prestigious Women’s Entrepreneurship Award. The ceremony for this year’s winner was held by the Chamber of Commerce at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo on 16th May, 2006. Experiencing a five-star tourist hotel like the Cinnamon Grand is a luxury for a poor village weaver woman like Mrs. Ayesha, and she was highly elated by her visit.

Fifty years old and the mother of three grown boys, Mrs. Ayesha recently spoke with the CASP Communications Team and posed for a photograph with her award. She explained that she is very happy and proud that she is the first woman in the Eastern Province to win this award. She went on to say that it is difficult to find the words to express her feelings and the happiness she had upon receiving the award in the presence of so many people at the ceremony in Colombo. Mrs. Ayesha’s success is an inspiration to the women of Ampara District and will hopefully pave the way for many others to follow in her footsteps.

Above Left: Canadian Handloom Expert Trudi Walker Wood, CASP Gender Specialist Thilaka Pathmanathan, and Mrs. Ayesha with her award.

Learning from the animals

2006-05-29T00:17:00.000+05:30

Compared to the large death toll for humans, a relatively small number of animals died in tsunami. This provides further support for the growing belief that animals have some inherent instinct which allows them to sense natural disasters before they take place and to react accordingly (usually by fleeing the area).

As one example, there were such large quantities of fish caught by Sri Lankan fishermen immediately before the tsunami that fish prices dropped drastically. During this period some people even expressed a loss of appetite for the newly abundant seafood. As another example, huge numbers of snakes washed away into the Batticaloa lagoon and got caught in the nets of lagoon fishermen just prior the tsunami. Many other animals mysteriously retreated inland from the coastal areas before disaster struck.

Unfortunately, it was not until after the tsunami had struck that people began to understand what these signs predicted. Thankfully, there are various researchers working on ways we can use these types of animal behaviours to help predict natural disasters earlier, in hopes of preventing the enormous loss of life that can happen when people are caught unawares by such enormous forces of nature.

Rebuilding the Handloom Industry

2006-05-22T23:13:00.000+05:30

Maruthamunai‚ in the far north of Ampara District, is the only village producing handloom garments in the District and is very well known in Sri Lanka for its handloom products. It is said that the handloom industry in this region originated as far back as the 18th century, and that people here produced garments for the Kandian nobles. However, the handloom industry has suffered gravely due to various factors in the past and its continuing survival in the face of many barriers is amazing.

The period between 1970-1978 was a very successful time for the handloom industry and it flourished, with increasing numbers of young men and women taking to handloom weaving. During this time there were 6,300 handlooms and more than 10,000 people employed in this industry in Maruthamunai alone. A significant factor in this blossoming was the banning of textiles imports by the government at that time.

In 1978, a cyclone struck Maruthamunai and destroyed many handlooms. Subsequently, the liberalisation of imports and the lifting of the ban on textiles imports by the government also affected the industry, and handlooms here were reduced to 400 during the period of 1992-1994. This reduction in handlooms created unemployment problems for both men and women, who were compelled to look for greener pastures elsewhere. For some, the Middle East became the land of opportunity, and many went there for employment. As more and more handloom weavers started to migrate to the Middle East for employment, the number of handlooms in Maruthamunai was reduced to only forty by 1999. Thankfully, in 2000, professionals who were worried about the fate of the industry grouped together to form the Maruthamunai Peoples Development Company (Pvt.) Ltd. (MDCP) with hopes of reviving handloom weaving.

With assistance from the government and others, the MDCP showed Maruthamunai handloom products at exhibitions, organized by the company itself and others, in the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo. These efforts brought dividends for the company and increased prosperity for the handloom industry in Maruthamunai. At this time, there was a great demand for Maruthamunai handloom products not only in Sri Lanka but also in some foreign countries, and the MDCP had to do everything it could to increase production in the area. The number of looms in Maruthamunai rose to 1,020 in 2004, just before tsunami devastated Ampara District.

In addition to the great loss of life, the 2004 tsunami also destroyed Maruthamunai handlooms thereby shattering the livelihoods of most of the workers in this industry. In response, international NGOs (INGOs) working in Ampara District provided the affected weavers with looms and other accessories required for their work, some through the MDCP and others directly. At present, there are around 600 looms in Maruthamunai, most of them supplied to weavers by local and international NGOs working in the District.

The Managing Director of MDCP, Dr. SMMS Umar Moulana, explains that “there is a great demand for Maruthamunai handloom products in the market, and the company has large orders to attend to... (However) the company is finding it difficult to cope with the demand given the lesser number of looms available”. He vowed to increase the number of looms to the previous level of 6,300, even though MDCP lacks the financial capacity to do so at present. “The company is currently running with a rolling capital of Rs. 2.5 million when it requires 15 million. Banks are not in a position to grant us loans, as we do not have non-movable assets to mortgage”.

With the assistance provided by local and international NGOs, handloom weaving in Maruthamunai is recovering bit by bit and is expected to improve more in the time to come. Weavers here are hopeful of a better future and the present demand for handloom products locally and overseas is encouraging.

NOTE: A tsunami-affected weaver woman who obtained assistance for weaving through MDCP has been selected for Women’s Entrepreneurship Award by the Chamber of Commerce this year. She was honoured with prizes at a function held at the Cinnamon Grand hotel in Colombo on the 16th of May, 2006. For more details, please see our June 4th, 2006 posting entitled “Women’s Entrepreneurship Award”.

The word "Tsunami"

2006-05-19T00:28:00.000+05:30

The Japanese word tsunami was not well-known or heard in Sri Lanka prior to December 26, 2004. Now, Sri Lankans have no better word in their own language to describe the destruction caused to their lives and properties by this natural disaster.

It has been said that the devastation this tsunami caused to Sri Lanka within a period of ten minutes is comparatively much greater than the damages caused by the ethnic war that has existed for more than two decades in this country. A shocking thought by any who have seen the harm done during that time. In any case, the word tsunami is now well known by the people of Sri Lanka.

Fisheries and Coordination

2006-05-13T07:03:00.000+05:30

The livelihoods of the people of Ampara District were immensely affected by the tsunami, and many are still undergoing severe hardships. Fortunately, a great number of people have been compensated for their losses by INGOs, but major challenges remain in coordinating these efforts to address the specific needs of this region.

For example, INGOs have issued a great number of boats and canoes to tsunami victims, but these crafts have in many occasions been delivered to victims who were not actually fishermen and who did not posses any boats or canoes prior to the tsunami. In the meantime, there are some actual fishermen who are in dire need of replacement boats to resume their livelihoods, but who have yet to be compensated for their losses.

Another concern is with INGOs distributing boats without either fishing gear (e.g. nets, etc.) or outboard motors, making resumption of livelihood activities difficult. In some cases when outboard motors have been supplied, fishermen say they have too little horsepower to withstand the rough seas of Sri Lanka’s east coast. In other instances, fishing nets have been provided but are not to the requirements of the fisheries here, or fibreglass boats are supplied which are of too low quality to be ocean-worthy. An immediate need remains for search boats to help locate and aid boats lost at sea. At present, search boats are hired from the south at great expense.

The generous contributions to Ampara District mean that many fishermen who possessed no boats of their own prior to the tsunami, and who were working on boats owned by other individuals, have now obtained their own boats from some INGOs. However, even this situation is not without complications, as there is now a shortage of fishermen to fully man the boats owned by all the individuals.

In terms of developing the industry further, the fisheries in Ampara District use two main methods to catch fish (although there are various methods). In the first case, the fishermen go deep into sea in the evening, cast their nets, stay on the ocean overnight, and in the morning return to the shore with whatever fish have been caught in their nets. In the second case, roughly 35-45 people get together onshore and locate nearby fishes. They then cast their nets using a canoe and pull the nets back together with whatever fishes have been caught. Although these methods are widely practiced locally, some fishermen hearing of more modern fishing techniques wish to learn about them. Unfortunately, there are no facilities available for such training.

The foregoing concerns from local fishermen and others are evidence that, even with so much good work already accomplished, we are now at the stage of reconstruction where coordination between INGOs and other organizations, as well as communications with the beneficiaries, must be further strengthened to provide for the greatest success in rebuilding Ampara.

Hospital Reconstruction is progressing

2006-05-06T19:01:00.000+05:30

Hospitals destroyed by tsunami in Ampara District are to be reconstructed with the assistance of governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). All arrangements have been finalized by the relevant authorities to reconstruct Periya Neelavanai Central Dispensary, Maruthamunai District Hospital, Sainthamaruthu District Hospital, Karaithivu Peripheral Unit, Ninthavur District Hospital, and Komari Central Dispensary, which have been completely destroyed by the tsunami and are now functioning in temporary shelters.

MERLIN, a medical/health organization from the United Kingdom, has undertaken a major role in rebuilding these hospitals and is actively engaged in completing this work. Under the Sri Lanka Government's approach to tsunami reconstruction, Build Back Better, MERLIN has undertaken the construction work for Periya Neelavanai Central Dispensary, Maruthamunai District Hospital, Karaithivu Peripheral Unit, and Komari Central Dispensary, and has commenced working on the Periya Neelavanai Central Dispensary, and Komari Central Dispensary. The process of acquiring new lands for the Maruthamunai District Hospital and Karaithivu Peripheral Unit is in progress and the reconstruction will begin after new locations are identified.

Meanwhile, reconstruction work for Sainthamaruthu District Hospital has begun with the Ministry of Infrastructure and the German Red Cross providing financial assistance and direction. At the same time the Ninthavur District Hospital, which is now functioning at a governmental school building, will be rebuilt at a yet-to-be-identified new location with the financial assistance of German Red Cross.

According to MERLIN's Community Development Officer, Shiraz Jaupher, Periya Neelavanai Central Dispensary is expected to be completed by November 2006 at a cost of Rs. 20 million, while the Komari Central Dispensary, costing Rs. 28.89 million, is expected to be declared to open by December of this year.

Six hospitals in the District are currently functioning in temporary shelters with minimum facilities causing people seeking treatments at these institutions to be subjected to many hardships. The people of Ampara District are hopeful that the hospitals will be completed soon so that the public can use these medical facilities without the present difficulties.

Above: MERLIN's Public Health Specialist, Dr. Ashok Sharma, lays the foundation stone for Komari Central Dispensary at Main Road in Komari, with Kalmunai Deputy Provincial Director of Health Services Dr. A.L.M. Nazeer, Regional Epidemiologist Dr. M.C.M. Mahir, and MERLIN officials also present.

World Environment Day

2006-05-05T23:28:00.000+05:30

A celebration of World Environment Day was held at CASP’s Ampara Office on Monday, May 5th. The ceremony was jointly organized by the Central Environmental Authority’s (CEA) Ampara Regional Office and the Canadian Agro-Sustainability Partnership, and was chaired by CEA’s Regional Office Assistant Director, MAC Najeeb. Also in attendance were Ampara Government Agent HM Herath Abeyweera, Ampara Urban Council Chairman Sarath Desappiriya, District Forest Officer Lalith Gamage, ASP Asanka Kerawita, and CASP President Douglas MacArthur,

The program began with the raising of the Sri Lankan flag by Government Agent Abeyweera and the Canadian Flag by Mr. MacArthur, while the Central Environmental Authority’s flag was put in place by Mr. Najeeb. This was followed by the lighting of the traditional oil lamp and the singing of national anthems of Sri Lanka and Canada.

The highlight of the celebration was the tree planting ceremony, which was started by Mr. Abeyaweera along with Doug and Bev MacArthur. President/Director of Lewis HMJ Consultants Inc. Ray Halsey, Gender Specialist Marnie Giravan, CASP’s Financial Controller M.M. Razeen, Kalmunai Office Manager Ifthi Mirzah, and CASP’s Akkaraipattu Staff also planted saplings.

Speeches were made on the preservation of the environment and the consequences of negligence in this sector. The program was concluded with a PowerPoint presentation by Mr. Najeeb on the environmental challenges which must be confronted in order to move Ampara District into the future. A final vote of thanks was presented by Environmental Officer MM Jesfer.