During the war, children and young people faced many problems in the north and east of Sri Lanka, and were particularly at risk. Their education was massively impacted by the insecurities of open conflict. Families were uprooted and displaced by natural as well as human disasters, and children were sometimes recruited to militarized groups.
Now the war is over, the wounds are still far from healed. Among the many issues are the reintegration of former child soldiers into their communities of origin or, where that is not possible, finding them a secure place to live and schooling or training. Domestic violence, tensions between youth from different ethnic or religious communities and lack of access to vocational training are all issues faced in re-settled communities.
With the Secretary of the of Ministry of Child Development and Women’s Affairs (MCDWA), and local officials, NPSL has identified the community of Muthumari Nagar Village in North Vavuniya as the location for the construction of a Children's Centre, a multipurpose building. The photo shows a village where buildings are few and far between, with scrub land having encroached over a formerly thriving village. Nonetheless, the community remains located close to tarmacked roads, which will facilitate reconstruction.
The village consists of 855 people from 270 families and is along the A9 highway linking the south with Jaffna. The whole village was displaced during the war in 2007 and people were settled in various camps for the internally displaced in Vavuniya. They eventually returned home in September 2010. Muthumari Nagar Village has 323 school children under 18 years of age.
The village consists of 855 people from 270 families and is along the A9 highway linking the south with Jaffna. The whole village was displaced during the war in 2007 and people were settled in various camps for the internally displaced in Vavuniya. They eventually returned home in September 2010. Muthumari Nagar Village has 323 school children under 18 years of age.
Agriculture is the major occupation of the villagers with some also involved in home gardening and poultry businesses. The villagers have long lived under either rebel or Government forces control. As such they have been denied basic rights such as freedom of movement and access to basic requirements such as kerosene, electricity, adequate transport and medicines. They have survived on their locally produced goods and crops. The situation is now slowly improving but there is a long way to go.
Underage marriage was common, during the conflict period, to avoid recruitment by armed groups. As the community is now rebuilding socially and economically, not enough attention is being to paid to the needs of children and their development. Villagers are psychologically affected, every family having lost loved ones in the conflict. Most families report that hard-won property has been destroyed, damaged or looted, during the displacement period. In addition, many of them have lost their land title documents proving ownership of their property and possessions.
The village was also recently affected by floods in March 2011. Local Government officials acknowledge the need for investment so that conditions in the resettled areas can be improved, but the government's means to do so are limited. As a result INGOs are being approached to help out too. The continued heavy military presence poses restrictions on the activities such organisations are able to carry out, however.
Underage marriage was common, during the conflict period, to avoid recruitment by armed groups. As the community is now rebuilding socially and economically, not enough attention is being to paid to the needs of children and their development. Villagers are psychologically affected, every family having lost loved ones in the conflict. Most families report that hard-won property has been destroyed, damaged or looted, during the displacement period. In addition, many of them have lost their land title documents proving ownership of their property and possessions.
The village was also recently affected by floods in March 2011. Local Government officials acknowledge the need for investment so that conditions in the resettled areas can be improved, but the government's means to do so are limited. As a result INGOs are being approached to help out too. The continued heavy military presence poses restrictions on the activities such organisations are able to carry out, however.
Once families have been resettled, it is proving difficult for parents to provide adequate care for their children. The probation authorities have noted that around 150 children have lost both or one of the parent during the conflict. The village was selected, in consultation with the District Secretary (DS) because of its easy access from the A9 road. The proposed building is designed with a variety of purposes in mind and useful for the 775 families living in the neighbouring villages too. The CRPA (Child Rights Protection Assistant) attached to the DS Vavuniya North Office is in the process of forming a Children's Club and Village Child Rights Monitoring Committee (VCRMC) with the participation of villagers, Women's Rural Development Society (WRDS). The construction of the multipurpose building will serve the needs of the children and villagers of the above mentioned four GS Divisions.
- Meeting place for Women Development Committee /Child Rights Monitoring Committees
- Programmes conducted by NPCA and NPSL for youth
- Meeting place for any other level community programme
Government Cooperation
For its child protection programme, NPSL has cooperated closely with the Ministry of Children’s Development and Women’s Affairs (MCDWA) and in particular has developed a strong local working relationship with NPCA in the Vavuniya District. during the worst of the conflict in the Eastern Province. In December 2010, jointly with Deputy Minister M.L.A.M.Hizbullah, NPSL helped facilitate a Youth Games Day with the local Government in Batticaloa. This additionally help build relationships with national Government as well as local officials and village communities who participated in the games.
More active day to day work has been escorting and transporting National Child Protection Authority Staff in the Vavuniya and Mannar Districts where transport for local child protection officials is absent or where NCPA staff sought accompaniment due to security concerns.
A strong working relationship has been established with the NCPA in the Vavuniya district and it is on that basis that NPSL has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the MCDWA. An associated Action Plan is being formalised.
Sustainability
Both Child Centres being assisted by NPSL are located in communities where the need is clear and where a local village level community structure, a Women's Rural Development Society, already exists. These will participate in over initial planning, monitoring construction and final primary management of the Centre. This will ensure effective use by the community and be a longer term strategy for ensuring local income generation from the building’s use.
Resources
NPSL’s not usually engage in the funding or running of Youth Centres or in construction work, and it does not have resources of its own for this purpose. We need local supporters to come forward to help and, on behalf of the WRDS of both Muthumari Nagar and Karaveddy villages, we are searching for the resources.
Can you help?
Can you help?
