Latest Update:
The Three year plan is currently under negotiation. Final decision will be posted.
Galway Sri Lanka Project – Future
Galway Sri Lanka Project – Potential 3 Year Plan (2005 Review, 2006 - 2008)
| Action | Cost (2005) | |
| Relief | Relief: Temporary and Semi-permanent shelters | 50,000 |
| House construction | 50 Permanent house construction | 300,000 |
| Community construction | 1 community center construction | 8,000 |
| Education construction | 3 pre-schools construction | 15,000 |
| Educational opperational | ||
| Training for work | livelihood support | 6,000 |
| Community development | supporting and funding community groups on self help initiatives | 20,000 |
| Environmental protection | ||
| Psychological support | training courses in Post traumatic stress. Overt involvement of affected individuals in rebuilding program | 1,000 |
| Cross community contact | all projects have been carried out involving Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim communities (2 community worker posts) | 6,000 |
| Awareness raising, media and publicity | 500 | |
| Organizational capacity development | Sri Lanka project manager, accountancy, community liaison workers, construction supervisors. Van, crew cab, temporary office, storeroom | 44,300 |
| Total Costs | …………………………………………………… | 406,500 |
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
| Relief | |||
| House construction | 100 permanent houses (allowing for 6% inflation) | 100 permanent houses | 100 permanent houses |
| research on local prefabrication of house components | prefabrication production facility | production of prefabricated units. (commercial viability by 2010) | |
| Toilet construction project | |||
| Community construction | 2 community centers | 2 community centers | |
| 1 community center operation: 10 courses (of 3 hours) per week | 2 community center operation: 10 courses (of 3 hours) per week | 5 community center operation: 10 courses (of 3 hours) per week | |
| Education construction | 2 pre-schools | 2 pre-schools | |
| District level vocational training Institute | Vocational Education Center running costs | ||
| Educational opperational | 2 Pre School operational costs: Staff costs: one teacher, one assistant | 4 Pre-school operational Costs | 6 Pre-School operational costs + Pre School Teacher Training Course |
| Training for work | Module 1 level courses in Community centers with vocational and income generating aspects | module 1 courses continuing | start module 2 -4 professional level courses in District vocational institute |
| Community development | formation and support of community groups to consult on, evaluate and carry out projects | working with community groups in task orientated projects | training for emerging leadership from community groups. direct funding of groups activities |
| Environmental protection | vegetable seed, tree planting project | ||
| Psychological support | courses in yoga, meditation, religious dance. Community and individual rituals | training and support program with psychological support facilitators | development of work model based on experience of working within culture with grief and trauma |
| Cross community contact | develop work in Sinhalese and Muslim communities with community group formation and projects in diverse communities (4 community development worker posts) | All community, psychological, ecological and construction projects have cross community aspects. Working relationships are developed. (4 posts plus projects) | construction projects form the basis of relationships in cross community peace process (5 posts plus projects |
| Awareness raising, media and publicity | 1/2 hour TV Documentary on aspects of work of project broadcast on national and local media | Publications, web site, radio, photo exhibitions | |
| Organizational capacity development | Galway administrative structure. Sri Lanka permanent offices, tractor, motor bicycles. Ongoing training courses in building construction, project management, computerized accounts & stock control for staff (20 days per year) | ||
Community center operation:
The primary aim of the Community centers is to encourage participation of tsunami affected people in group activities on a community level. This has the three fold benefit:
- of mobilization of community support and initiative leading to grater sense of community empowerment
- psychological benefit for individuals in becoming involved in activities of normal life affecting their self-esteem, sense of control and wellbeing
- the educational benefit of new skills that will assist in many aspects of their lives, in income generation, parenting skills etc.
10 courses (of 3 hours) per week are planned with approximately 20 participants in each course. The range of subjects planned include:
- yoga and meditation
- painting and drawing
- drama, music and story
- sewing and embroidery
- First Aid
- Health and safety
- Basic machine maintenance (farm, outboard motor, carpentry)
- Intro to plumbing
- Religious music and dance
- Adult literacy
- Driving
- Construction plant operation
- Conflict mediation
- English for beginners
- Introduction to computers
- Nutrition, hygiene and cookery
- Sports coaching
The estimated costs of these courses are as follows:
Teaching staff @100 Rs per hour => 150,000 Rs per year
course materials for 20 students per course= 1000 Rs =200,000rs per year,
utilities and office equipment 11,950rs,
Maintenance 10,000
Community and participant contribution will be expected in the organization and teaching of the courses. In the first year 10% of costs will be recouped from participant fees this will be increased in second year to 30% and third year to 60% of total running costs. This will ensure the sustainability of the centers and the appropriateness of the training courses offered.
The community centers will be owned, planned and operated by a committee formed within the local village community with assistance and reducing involvement of the staff of the Galway Sri Lanka Project.
Pre-School
Pre-School education forms part an integral part of the rehabilitation of communities following the Tsunami disaster. In this context the main aims of pre-schools include:
Education is a strong motivating factor for people in Sri Lanka. Parents will devote a large amount of their income in supporting their children’s education. Pre-schools are the first steps for children in educational development, Tsunami affected children get a head start in personal development, literacy and social skills
Pre-schools represent the strongest examples of local community’s and private individual’s initiatives in developing themselves through the education of their children. In that way they are a primary engine for community development, parents are involved in the management and funding of the schools, and the community has a resource that can help it cope with crisis and social disadvantage.
Preschools also provided a wonderful opportunity to initiate cross community contact, through religious festivals, sports meetings and other cultural events and so can ultimately have an impact on a complex social-political conflict.
Psychologically, well trained pre-school teachers can be the first line in the identification of children and families with trauma related problems in children (concentration problems, disruptive behavior, fear reactions, anxiety, depression etc.) and indeed can be the front line tools in therapeutic child centered interventions.
Pre schools are also useful in identifying problems of acute poverty (nutrition, clothing, lack of educational support, alcoholism) and family problems and so can inform the wider community development agenda. Operational Costs are primarily staff costs:
one teacher @ 5000 Rs 12 months
one assistant @ 3000 Rs x 12 months
Total operational costs are €830 per year!
Community contribution is very feasible in the long term operation of these preschools. 20 Rs per child per week can generate 50% of the operational costs of the preschools. In the 1st year we would hope to generate 10% of running costs rising to 30% and 60% in subsequent years.
Teacher training is the only additional set up costs that have a significant role in the quality of the pre-school and therefore the impact it will have on the lives of the children. Pre-School teacher training is available in Sri Lanka and we estimate the cost of buying in training for the different communities we are working with would amount to €10,000-€15,000 for a 20 week course for 10 to 15 Pre school teachers. This level of training input would be a once of commitment and realistically we conceive that it will take place in 2007-2008 when all the pre-schools are already operational.
District Vocational Training Institute
The Tsunami has devastated already impoverished communities. As a part of our process of selecting families for inclusion in house construction programs we also access the educational level, income level and work areas of families. This research has shown that the areas Karativu which we have been working (temporary Shelters in Kanagiram, 50 houses in Division 12 and 67-100 in Karativu-Nindavur and inland areas) the majority of families were marginalized and disadvantaged even before the Tsunami. The majority of earners work as landless laborers in seasonal rice production, Most have less than primary school levels of education, levels of adult literacy are low and educational vocational and work prospects are not promising. For these reasons we intend to make a significant impact on the futures of the Tsunami affected families and indeed on the district of Ampara as a whole by building and operating a district level Vocational training center. The aims of this center are:
- To provide ‘follow-on’ training courses for selected individuals who have studied in the community based education provided in the village level community centers up to the level of skilled trades people.
- To run two courses in subjects not available elsewhere in the district that will give the graduates a significant advantage in the labor market.
- That these courses are on par to training levels, and involve volunteers, from Irish vocational training agencies (FAS, VEC, etc,)
- That the graduates are supported into employment by referral and liaison with community development banks who can provide loans for starting their own businesses, workshops etc.
Initial research suggests that the two courses will be in Farm Machinery Maintenance and Plumbing. Farm machine maintenance is suggested by the high level of wage earners among the families engaged in seasonal work during the rice harvest.
| Construction, equipping, staffing and first year running cost of District level Vocational Educational Center | 350,000 |
| Student maintenance and support | 48,000 |
| Annual running costs | 50,000 |
Content originally posted 04 November 2005.