Palmera Projects
Bore well & Community Improvement
Amount Donated: $15,000
Project commencement: April 2011
Partner Organisations: Organisation for Eelam Refugees Rehabilitation (OfERR) Ceylon
Background
As a result of the civil war in Sri Lanka, there was significant damages to the Parapankandal East and West Grama Sevaka divisions of the Manthai West region in Mannar. After the completion of the civil war, many of the residents of this area who were displaced due to the fighting in this region returned. The following issues have now been identified in the area, which are impacting the livelihood of its residents:
Water sanitation issues - many villages/town’s water supplies have been destroyed/contaminated as a result of the war. People are falling very ill due to contaminated water and many of the returnees having to walk a few kilometres to fill a bucket of clean water just to drink. An immediate need to provide clean water was identified.
Agricultural / Animal Rearing – Without adequate water facilities, the returnees were not able to complete livelihood activities such as vegetable cultivation and animal rearing. As a result many returnees have not been able to commence any significant livelihood generation in the region.
Community Improvement – As a result of the war, a significant amount of sanitation facilities have been destroyed. Without proper sanitation and toilet facilities – returnees are forced to use whatever options are currently available – which leads to unhygienic environments and higher chance of disease. In addition, without adequate electricity in the region, many children of returnees are significantly limited in their ability to completing their studies after dark. This is impacting the education of may of the children, and limiting future livelihood opportunities for the community that could be obtained through improved education in the region.
Project Description
Palmera will be providing financial support to the OfERR “Bore Well and Community Improvement” Project. OfERR will work with the community in Manthai West, and suitable government and private agencies to build bore wells for use in the community to address their water sanitation issues. Once built, these facilities will be used by the community to improve their livelihood options through improved access to clean water, and flow on opportunities for animal rearing and vegetable cultivation.
In addition Palmera will be providing funding for community improvement initiatives in the area. Palmera will be providing funding for use in building toilets in the area – targeted for the returnees in the community who have limited sanitation access at this time. It is hoped that this will help improve the hygiene in the community, and reduce the spread of disease. Palmera will also be providing funding to obtain solar lamps for use by the children in the community – to help them continue their education activities after daylight.
OfERR will be facilitating these activities on behalf of Palmera Projects in the region, and will be providing project reporting and photos of the progress of these initiatives in the Manthai West area.
Description of Partner
The Organization for Eelam Refugees Rehabilitation (OfERR) was founded in 1984 with the main objective of assisting and rendering relief to Tamil refugees from Ceylon who had taken refugee in India. OfERR is a non-profit making, non-political, service oriented organization. The Committee of Management of the OfERR consists of Indian and Ceylonese professionals, educationists and social workers.
OfERR Ceylon presently has the Presidential Task Force clearance, and works extensively in war-affected regions of North-East Sri Lanka, primarily in providing:
- Water and sanitation
- Co-ordination and advocacy for better projection
- Getting legal documents for IDPs.
Palmera Projects has been working with OfERR from 2010. See for more information on this partner.
