Expression of the hygiene program

   The hygiene education workshop was held in Sallitivu on 5th November, 2009. I would like to share some concentration which was looked in the event.

  The program was combining with a discussion and sharing the hygiene knowledge each other. The PHI is presented as a resource person for the program.

  I could observed that there were more female participants. And they attended in the workshop with their children. I asked a beneficiary named Sabapathy Pushpakumar, "why did you participate here with your children?" She said "I don't have anybody to look after my child when I come here yet, I don’t want to miss this meeting."

  After that, I got to know the reason why she tried to attend the program. Then, I discussed with her about that participation. She told us "the hygiene promotion is very important to us. We are facing the difficulties especially during the rainy session. If we get the hygiene knowledge prorperly, we can always be in a better environment.

  The participants were very helpful in the group and very active to discuss with the resource person as well.

L.Jayenthini - Social Mobilizer, JEN - Valaichchenai Office.

Reaction of a House Holder

  The hygiene education and toilet construction is changing the health activities in the people’s life at Sallitivu. A house holder named Markandu Sivakumar has shared his happiness with us that how to support the toilet for the family.

  We are four members in our family; father, wife, child and myself. We have faced some difficulties that had to go forest to defecate. The forest is very far from our place. Also, we can’t go in nights in case of emergency. In addition, we had difficulty to take our child for defecate to the middle of nowhere. So, in this reasons, we had to use our living land to defecate.

  Now, we have a toilet JEN has provided. Everything became easy and very helpfull to us. We can use the toilet anytime when we want and we don't have any difficulty for defecate anymore. We can always keep our environment clean and we are often cleaning the toilets, too. We will maintain the health as well.

  We thank to JEN for giving the greater opportunity for us and we are very happy.

My observation is that they are with happiness and satisfaction.

V.Sujitharan, Field Coordinator - Valaichnai Office. 

When children will grow up

  While I was walking inside the Camp, I happened to notice two girls tried to play one ball. However, they were unable to play. I believe that they are age around 7-9 years old. Both are handicapped. One of them  lost her one leg and the other lost fingers of her right hand.

  When I reached near them, they stopped playing and looked at me. I'm noticed face of the people around me. Some IDP’s were taking water from bowser and collected fire wood from road site. Others were walking around that area. I wonder if they feel happy or sad. I could not figure out by their behaviour. Then, I spoked to these girls, Thenuja and Priya.

  Thenuja lost her one leg. She is extremely quite and shy. What had happened was that she lost her leg end of last year. However, she did not like to remember the incidents. She hates war, so as  her injured arms. She remembers her hometown and sweet home, which she has lost now. She talks about her pets, too. And she has nither memories nor intention to remember the life after that.  She had lost not only her one leg, but also happy future ahead.

  Priya, who had lost her right fingers is younger than Thenuja. She lost them at the begining of this year. She believes that her fingers will grow again. She does not understand her problem, and she didn’t feel like to spend a time with me. So, she starts playing by herself again.   

  We meet many people like them in the camp. We would like them to overcome the sad memories they had encountered the past.

Life is back

  I am Sellan Mailvaganam, a longstanding member of Fisherman Co-operative Society in the village call Mulliwadduvan.  I lost all my belongings including fishing gears due to the war and not in a position to restart my livelihood, affected both mentally and economically.

  JEN supported our Fisherman Society by way of providing Canoes and fish net sets and got opportunity to be a Canoe user.  I am utilizing this Canoe for fishing in the Tank and I earn a considerable amount of money.  I cover my family needs from this money and also contribute some money to our Fisherman Society enabling the Society to help the others who need assistance for livelihood.   

  While nearing to the landing centre after fishing, I saw one of the JEN staffs standing at the center asked me “ Aiya”,   Do you engage in only fishing or you have some other source of income.  I told him, NO, I am making dry fish also, as I can not depend only on selling fish because I can earn more money when I sell Dry fish and I can double my income. 

From: E. Komeswaran- JEN Field Officer
Batticaloa, Sri lanka.

Home garden - Working together

  We are often visiting out beneficiaries houses for follow up, to make sure that beneficiaries’ lives are getting better.

  While visiting house one by one, I dropped by the house of Mrs. Retnasingam.  She is an active beneficiary in our project. As far as I know, her family is consisting of 4 members.  But I was surprised to see such a big crowed gathering in her home garden.

  When I asked Mrs. Retnasingam about others,   she replied 

"They are my  neighbors." 

  She further said,

"Support from neighbors and working together is a strength to me, as well as to develop our community”.                              

  This is what we did not observe 10months ago, when we started our support in this village. It’s a great pleasure to see this kind of positive change.

Subojini – Field Officer JEN

Only 10 minutes.

  In the IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) camp, I saw many sad stories, but I am going to focus on one of them. 

  I met one pregnant woman there. She was walking on the road in side of the camp. When I started to talk with her, she was crying. She said that by this war so many people were injured by shelling and bombing also there was no medical facilities. Even though there is not such a problem in this IDP camp, I am desperate to go back home seeing my parents. Since they give Special Food and mental support, it will be very helpful to me and my child. They are waiting for me in front of the camp with their tears. When they come to see me, police allow them to talk with me only for 10 minutes, which is not enough to share our feelings. Any how, I want to live with my parents at our home. I am waiting for the day with lot of wishes and expects.

(Sureshkumar, Field Officer, Vavuniya Office)

Community participation

“ Great job done at  the appropriate time”   

This picture shows, villagers got together and cleaning an abandoned Well in a village called Kudamunaikkal in the JEN  project site.  This well seems to be a drinking water well which was not used by anyone for more than two years.

JEN organized and conducted   Capacity building workshops of Community based Organizations on different topics.  Through meetings, project staff support for these Organizations to commune and help them to improve skills of leadership, communication, administration, management, planning, marketing and reporting.  Psychosocial support/activities also carried out at the same time. 
As a result of this, we are now able to see big changes in their day to day life. 

By way of express their change of mind they did the above mentioned great job.  They got together and cleaned the well with their own expenses. 

I consider the above “Job” done by the community is a good example to everyone.

(Nagarajah – JEN Field Officer)

[BREAKING NEWS] Water Supply Program Start Tomorrow

- JEN’s Humanitarian Support in Northern Sri Lanka -

  JEN's emergency mission in the Manic Farm located in Northern Sri Lanka, for the people evacuated in the camp, to supply water starts tomorrow, June 19th Friday.

  Eighteen water supply vehicles with 7,000 litter tanks are ready for the operation in the North, two will go on duty tomorrow.

[Photo: JEN’s water supply program uses this vehicle model]

  JEN’s ultimate goal is to support a safe living environment for the people in the IDP camps of Vavuniya District by delivering water when they face serious water shortages. 

  Your warm assistance will surely add value and make a difference in JEN’s assistance. 

BREAKING NEWS: Humanitarian and Emergency Aid Start in Vavuniya

  JEN has started its operation in Vavuniya District in the Northern Province.

  The civil war that lasted a quarter century finally came to an end last month. National flags flapped at every part of Colombo which showed the people’s delight. There were several large-scale commemoration parades also seen on the major streets in the city the other day.

  There still are, on the other hand, approximately 260,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) in Vavuniya District of the Northern Province who evacuated from the battle field in the same province as JEN reported in the previous flash report. JEN didn’t miss a moment to start its assistance to supply water for the IDPs in the refugee camps. JEN would like to express its gratitude to huge contributions from individual supporters and backups of the Japan Platform.

  JEN’s rapid assessments have so far found IDPs are overflowing in every camp. They are having severe shortages in water, food and other goods for their day-to-day lives. JEN will keep providing them with access to water, that is one of the basic requirements to improve the hygienic condition in the camp. While the refugee camp is a bridging place for them before they return home, JEN believes that securing a good life quality in the camp including proper water supply helps remove their anxieties.

  Your contribution is always welcome to save their lives.

  Click here to use your credit card for contribution.

Sri Lanka in New Year 2009

  Greetings from Sri Lanka new year 2009. JEN in Sri Lanka wishes all the best for a happy and prosperous year. There was a massive operation by the Sri Lankan Army that brought Kilinochchi back to the government’s rule. Kilinochchi is located in the Northern Sri Lanka where anti-government armed force placed its headquarters. We will continue watching the security situation and remain prepared for any immediate assistance required  by the local people.

  The IDPs in the Eastern part of Sri Lanka, for whom JEN has supported since last year, still face tough times. Food supply from international organizations ended six months after their return. The Government’s capacity to feed them will not  last long. Many of them eat only once a day. They are presently having a  hard time getting food until they harvest their crops,.This will happen at the end of this month,  when they can gather food from the seeds they planted  at the beginning of rainy season.

  JEN now works on the second round of agriculture recovery assistance in which we distribute plant seeds when they harvest corn.

  JEN will keep helping those people left behind with lasting assistance, andcontinue to remain ready for possible future needs at any time that require an immediate move.

Practice! Practice!

  JEN conducts various surveys when designing its assistance projects. This is through a Needs Assessment Survey in which JEN identifies local people’s requirements and prioritizes among them, a preliminary survey for fact finding before the project implementation, and post-evaluation survey etc. Qualitative data collection is not an easy job as such information is not measurable, and it depends on the enumerators’ skills to what extent useful information is collected.

  JEN recently organized an internal training to improve the survey quality just before starting one. Experienced staff members played the villagers’ roles, to who young staff asked questions to those who were going to work as enumerators in the survey. Others observed how both of them worked and reflected on what they found good and identified areas for improvement.

  Young staffs were impressed by the demonstrations the experienced staff showed acting as villagers. They acted as if they he was real villagers, which helped us feel how the survey interview would be in reality,’ they said. Through this JEN’s field staff members, with various different backgrounds, got close to those people in the villages in need, and their good performance was the key to a successful project implementation. JEN will keep supporting them to meet their needs for their best field work from every aspect.

Rain and Planting - Climate change affects here, too

  Rain has finally come last week to moisten the entire district of Batticaloa. It should have come at the end of September, and people have been waiting in this dry climate to start planting.

Villagers, who had waited for the planting time by preparing their land, immediately started planting after the rain. They looked glad and relieved that the long awaited rain drops finally reached them.

All they can do is to pray for more rain in the same way every year. However, in recent years, people   can’t rely on regular weather seasons, and this further threatens returnees’ unstable lives. As villagers totally depend  on the natural condition for their livelihood, and assistant partners like JEN face challenges in directing when to prepare and send resources to assist them.
　
Picture 1: Villagers preparing their lands using tools distributed by JEN (BEFORE RAIN)

Picture 2: Villagers planting seeds distributed by JEN (AFTER RAIN)

Tools and Seeds for Life

JEN provided 10 kinds of farming tools such as hoes and axes, and seeds of maize, peanuts and long-beans for 360 farmers in six villages in Kiran DS Divisions. The majority of local people in this area made their living by cultivating land that used to be jungles  and organizing their small-scale farms in a traditional manner, and they lost their farming tools and seeds while they were evacuating during the civil war, which made it hard for them to get back to their farming activities.

They expressed their gratitude when they saw examples of JEN’s assistance ‘JEN gave us seeds and farming tools at the right time that supported us a lot.’

We haven’t had enough rain for cultivation because of the delay of rainy season this year. But returnees have already started to cultivate their lands with hope for peace in their new lives. JEN sincerely wants to have rain, which brings not only water for their crops, but fortune for their lives.

New Project in a New Resettlement Area

JEN Sri Lanka just launched a new project to support returnees in the Kiran DS Division in Batticaloa District, where IDPs had returned recently. The project is financially supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and JEN's supporters.

At the project launch, JEN organized a kick-off meeting to explain the project to the District Secretary of Batticaloa, Divisional Secretary of Kiran, and other local officers relevant to the project.

"We are grateful to the Japanese people for their support. And we are glad to have a meeting where all of us can state our own opinions. We would like JEN to keep supporting the needy people in collaboration with local relevant officers," said the District Secretary of Batticaloa.

JEN would like to support IDPs by making most use of local resources. We will listen to people in the project site, and collaborate with the officers of Batticaloa District and Kiran DS Division.

Move Forward With Their Skills

JEN has supported the Fishery Cooperative Societies(FCS) in Vakarai DS Division following the returnee support project completed this April. JEN has provided materials twice to make fish-net for the FCSs. In the previous project, fish-net making was organized as a skill development training course. This time, the participants were seen to be active in transferring their skills to other FCS members.

In addition, JEN once conducted a workshop for the FCS leaders to learn the structure of microfinance programs, and this time some FCSs were found to be making use of the knowledge they acquired.

Their enthusiastic attitude to learn and share skills among them brought big joy for us, as we had an impression that the FCS members were so used to being assisted from outside and they took it  for granted.

Psychosocial Care through Reading Picture Books

JEN’s activities encourage children to draw, play games, read books and listen to stories being read to them.
The photo shows a box with 30 picture books.
This area is away from town, and children do not have many chances to see picture books as schools and libraries nearby have ordinary books and newspapers, but not picture books.

Children enjoy reading books and picture books on their own, yet they often ask JEN’s staff to read books for them, and recite poems in the evening time.
Local people drop in on their way back from their work, enjoy a peaceful moment watching the happy children.

JEN bought these picture books and boxes from a Sri Lankan NGO, “Surangani Voluntary Services.
” SVS’s representative is a Japanese woman who supports pre-school education. JEN will keep making use of these local resources to create programs that make local people happy.

Caring the Heart

  There are numerous people in Vakarai Division who have experienced a number of evacuations during the long-term effects of conflict and aftermath of the tsunami. JEN sends a psychologist to conduct counseling to help through the pain and distress you have studied.

JEN first identifies the people who are most in need of counseling. Group work was conducted, among various methods, and they were asked to draw whatever is on their mind.

Take this person (see the photo), for instance, who draws villagers running away from an air attack. Others draw the devastation of the tsunami, palm trees and houses that collapsed. They could not describe them in conversation, but drawing can help them to express what is deep in their mind and too hard and painful for them to express verbally.

Through the group work, some participants are identified as requiring mental care. In those cases, JEN’s psychologist conducts counseling for these people.

A Sign of Changes

JEN sends a psychologist and social workers to conduct a psycho-social care as well as to improve the nutrition and health status of returned people in Vakarai DS Division. JEN provides counseling for adults; and psycho-social care for children through different activities.

Children from 6 to 13 years old get together every evening to play traditional games, sports, do drawings and read books. At first they are seen breaking into groups and arguing with each other, but they gradually understand each other and now respect others when they do activities.

The education system is well developed in Sri Lanka and children generally study hard. But there are many children in Vakarai DS Division who do not attend schools. Vakarai was for a long time under the control of the anti-government force, and the effects of the tsunami and prolonged conflict extended their evacuation. Nowadays, basic infrastructures like housing are being improved through international and domestic assistance, and they are gradually returning to school.

JEN, not only helps people improve their living environment, but repeatedly tells parents about the importance of children’s education through counseling and emphasizes the importance of the children going back to school. There still are various issues ahead regarding the lives of children but JEN has made positive changes in providing a brighter future for the children.

Community: Happiness or Pain

Occasionally, a participant of the home gardening project visits other participants’. He/she is then trained through helping them. However, in one village, a participant had refused to visit a particular garden.

Vakarai DS Division has been affected by a prolonged conflict situation. Therefore, distrust is occasionally found even amongst the neighbours of the same village. Thus, a JEN social worker and a professional psychologist have organised an opportunity for members of the village to talk to each other. As a consequence, distrust amongst the community has decreased to the level in which the participants can mutually visit each others’ residence.

Now, the locals are enjoying working together. Through sharing happiness or pain, the community’s mutual trust and sense of unity is strengthened.   

The JEN’s home garden project does not only improve the nutritional condition of the local people through cultivating vegetables or support the household’s financial conditions, but does also contributes to ameliorate the strained social conditions of the people and strengthen the mutual trust amongst the local communities.

Germ of Change

JEN had a meeting in a fisherman's village where JEN conducts activities, in order to decide participants for the next term, in the activities of home gardenings and sanitary education which started last month.

JEN explained that JEN offers minimum supplies. Trainings and the leading part is conducted by the current participants of the activity. Many people turned up in every village and the each session was successful.

This time, over 50 people gathered in the local fisheries association. Only 4 or 5 people gathered
when JEN had a meeting for the previous operation in September last year.

There is a tendency that emergency aid conducts “Giving aid”, and sometimes JEN's “Supporting aid” is hardly accepted by people who are accustomed to be given.

We sometimes feel that the dependence on aid is still strong, however we also felt that the residents' mind are changing little by little at the meeting this time.

We, staff members, were encouraged by the event to having achieved our supports in close relation to the local sites in the last 6 months.
　

Caring for the Heart

In Batticaloa province, we are providing psychological counseling to victims of conflict.

Local social workers observe our fishnet-making sessions, and by talking to some of the participants, they identify people that show signs of trauma or bearing family problems. After these individuals have been identified, psychology professionals listen to their stories individually and create opportunities for families to discuss their issues together. These are the ways we can support psychological stress and problems.

In January, the social workers conducted music therapy with instruments in their hands. Music calms the soul, and alleviates psychological stress.

Psychological counseling does not yield immediate effects; the results are something that will become apparent only over time. However, for these individuals that have suffered long years of conflict or the trauma of the tsunami, it is an essential component of aid. The JEN staff are doing our very best to cover the wide variety of needs experienced by those facing ongoing conflict or disaster.

Caring for the Heart

In Batticaloa province, we are providing psychological counseling to victims of conflict.

Local social workers observe our fishnet-making sessions, and by talking to some of the participants, they identify people that show signs of trauma or bearing family problems. After these individuals have been identified, psychology professionals listen to their stories individually and create opportunities for families to discuss their issues together. These are the ways we can support psychological stress and problems.

In January, the social workers conducted music therapy with instruments in their hands. Music calms the soul, and alleviates psychological stress.

Psychological counseling does not yield immediate effects; the results are something that will become apparent only over time. However, for these individuals that have suffered long years of conflict or the trauma of the tsunami, it is an essential component of aid. The JEN staff are doing our very best to cover the wide variety of needs experienced by those facing ongoing conflict or disaster.

A New Year, New Challenges

First, I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

In addition, I would like to express gratitude for all of support of JEN’s activity over the last year.

With your support in 2007, we were able to conclude our tsunami relief projects in Hambantota in Southern Sri Lanka. Moreover, we were able to begin our new project, which aims to improve living conditions for victims of conflict in Batticaloa in Eastern Sri Lanka.

Unfortunately, early into the New Year, we received the concerning news that the government of Sri Lanka will revoke the mutual ceasefire agreement signed with the Tamil anti-government organization, the LTTE, back in 2002.

It seems uncertain when this country can reach peace and during periods of conflict, people suffer from both physical loss and psychological damage.

We, at JEN, are striving to extend a helping hand to those people who are not covered by the media or general reports and activities in the region, but still require help to cope in situations of conflict.

We hope to have your continuing support this year.

A New Year, New Challenges

First, I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

In addition, I would like to express gratitude for all of support of JEN’s activity over the last year.
With your support in 2007, we were able to conclude our tsunami relief projects in Hambantota in Southern Sri Lanka. Moreover, we were able to begin our new project, which aims to improve living conditions for victims of conflict in Batticaloa in Eastern Sri Lanka.

Unfortunately, early into the New Year, we received the concerning news that the government of Sri Lanka will revoke the mutual ceasefire agreement signed with the Tamil anti-government organization, the LTTE, back in 2002.

It seems uncertain when this country can reach peace and during periods of conflict, people suffer from both physical loss and psychological damage.

We, at JEN, are striving to extend a helping hand to those people who are not covered by the media or general reports and activities in the region, but still require help to cope in situations of conflict.

We hope to have your continuing support this year.

In Order for Peace to not be a Fleeting Moment

The JEN project in Sri Lanka organized a capacity development workshop at five Fishery Cooperative Societies in the Vakarai Division of Batticaloa District. This was part of a larger assistance program of supporting the Internally Displaced People’s reintegration. The workshop intended to raise awareness and improve livelihoods.

Vakarai, where JEN has its assistance program, is located in the eastern corner of Sri Lanka. It has been one of the primary focuses of international attention as the civil war between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has devastated the area since the 1990s. In addition to this, the tsunami of December 2004 also hit the coastal areas, and the massive operation led by the government’s troops against the LTTE in January 2007 is still fresh in people’s memories.

People in Vakarai have gone through evacuation and resettlement eight times in just the past two decades. Back in their homes, they hardly dare hope to believe in a life free from the control of the LTTE or a peace that will last long. They are reluctant to reconstruct their livelihoods as they no longer believe that the stability can last so what they need now is renewed hope of sustainable recovery and a new sense of self-confidence.

There were between 50 to 80 local people participating in each workshop. JEN’s professional staff held lectures on the function of the Self Support Group and the importance of raising awareness. The lectures also included a variety of icebreakers and games to keep up participant concentration and interest.

The Launch of Fish-Net Making Training

JEN held a ceremony to commemorate the launch of fish-net making training on November 19th 2007 in support of the conflict-affected peoples in the Batticaloa District in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka.

The training is planned in ten villages in which the Fishery Cooperative Society operates.

The training was first launched in five villages out of the ten. The ceremony was attended by the Divisional Secretary of the Vakarai Division, the Livelihood Development Officer of the Army of Sri Lanka, and the Officer of the Ministry of Fishery and Aquatic Resources. The ceremony began by lighting the traditional oil lamp, which is the first ritual act performed at the beginning of all kinds of events in Sri Lanka. It was followed by speeches given by the aforementioned distinguished guests.

The training course targets forty people in each village. It lasts three hours a day, for two months. The experienced professionals teaching at universities in the project area are the training tutors, and participants will learn both theories and practices.

Psychologists also work in the project area providing psychological support to local people affected by the tsunami and conflict.

At the end of the training course, participants are expected to acquire income-generating skills by learning fish-net making and repairing in order to improve their livelihoods.

The day to go to the sea is coming soon.

Thanks to the Japan Platform and supporters, manufacturing of boats for the Fisheries Cooperative Societies (FCSs) has started as a part of the returnees support program in Vakarai, Batticaloa.

Based on the records of Ministry of Fisheries, fisherman in the Vakarai area lost 109 boats after the conflict in January. JEN will be supporting the FCSs, which suffered the biggest damage, by providing two boats each, in total twenty boats.

This area suffered huge damage due to the Tsunami at the end of 2004, after that, a lot of boats were distributed by the supporting associations. However, several of these distributed boats were manufactured with disregard to the surrounding environment, and some were manufactured focusing on speed rather than quality. As a result, some distributed boats were unfortunately unusable.

Learning from past experience, we organized the boat manufacturing to be done by a local, reputable boat manufacturing company and based designs on the recommendations of the fisherman involved in this project.

Boats are now in the course of manufacture by putting dozens of fiberglass together to ensure endurance and waterproof properties. All 20 boats are scheduled to be completed by the end of January 2008.

A New Office has opened.

　We opened a new JEN office in the town Vakarai in Batticaloa, in the Eastern part of Sri Lanka on 1st of October.This town is the key traffic point where highways intersect and it is located about an hour distance by car from the new project area, Vakarai. Vakarai is the area, which suffered huge damages during the battle.

　We have completed carrying in most of office supplies such as desks, chairs and computers from the Southern Hanbantota office, which was closed last month.

　Different from Hanbantota area where many Buddhist Singhalese live, this area consists of mostly Hinduism Tamil and Islamism. Also, appearances and languages are different from the Southern area.
We are now interviewing candidates for project staff. Various candidates, such as those having experience with another association or those who studied in University and seek for actual experience, applied to us.

　We will soon be able to start supporting activities for fisherman in the Vakarai area immediately after establishing the new office staff. We very much appreciate your continuous support.

Completion of the Livelihood Support Project for Tsunami Affected People

We completed the project for supporting tsunami affected people in Southern Hanbamtota on September 22. We started supporting the people to recover their lives with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from last October.

With this project, we provided vocational training; children activities and physical counseling at 13 different resettlement places.  We remember joyful and unique people, such as those who voluntarily organized people and those who showed us their appreciation.

JEN provided social workers, instructors and counselors to one resettlement place over the last 2 months, and we were able to build up trustful relations with local people. Although local people came from different villages in some places, gradually we could experience people pulling together, connected through the project.

The survey after the vocational training recorded that the people have been receiving good harvests or earning money through making fishing nets by using the new knowledge and techniques learned from the project.

With the completion of the project, we have concluded the contract with local staff that engaged in this project for more than 2 years. We very much appreciate their contribution knowing that we could not achieve such a success without them, and we wish them continuous success in the next association.

Thank you very much to all of you for your long support.

The construction of a training facility in Batticaloa

As a part of the project, we were scheduled to provide occupational training (fish net making) in the Vakarai area (the Northern part of Batticaloa). However, due to the Tsunami damage and continuous battle, appropriate facilities for this training does not exist. Accordingly, we are planning to build a prefabricated training facility.

However, there is a physical distribution problem.

We arranged for a big track and a small track with a crane to deliver building materials of which there was 5 tons each for 10 different villages. Although vendors were reluctant to accept the order from us due to the bad access of each site, we were able to start negotiations with an experienced vendor for the building materials in the Batticaloa area.

Although it has already been 6 months since refugees came back to the village in Vakarai (*), it will take some more time for full-scale recovery. We very much appreciate your continuous support.

(*) Going back to other areas has been delayed for 3 months.

Project Launch in Eastern Sri Lanka

With financial assistance by Japan Platform, JEN will launch a project in support of conflict-affected peoples in the Batticaloa District of the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. Batticaloa is infamous for the region in which the Army of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a militant Tamil organization, had severe fights since last summer, resulting in over 160,000 people displaced.

Since spring, 100,000 people have so far returned to their own villages when the tension between the two sides mitigated. However, the areas to which they returned were also affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami, which hit Sri Lanka at the end of 2004. Two immense disasters, the domestic conflict and the tsunami, deprived people of their basis of living and income generating sources.

This project will target the fishermen in Vakarai, which is in the Northern part of the Batticaloa District. JEN will distribute new fishing boats lost in the conflict, provide vocational trainings for fish-net making, conduct organizational capacity development of the Fishery Cooperative Society, and deliver psychosocial care. 

JEN will begin by establishing a district office, employing national staff, and concluding the MOU with the district government. It will take time to set up the working environment, but we expect the project activities to get on track sometime in mid-October.

History of Building Friendship between Japan and Sri Lanka

JEN often meets through activities government officers and members of development agencies who mention, “I have been to Japan”. I addition, “I have worked with Japanese people in my office before.” is also often heard.

This is due to the fact that Japan has received Sri Lankan people for trainings and dispatched Japanese of various professions to Sri Lanka through ODA programs for over half a century. Such people have great respect for Japan. Even if they have never heard of JEN, they show favorable attitudes towards JEN because it is a Japanese organization.

For example, people happily make time for us, when we make unexpected visits to locations where we plan to launch a program. They collect information, which they think we may need prior to our meeting, without our asking them to do so. Their cooperative is extremely helpful to the execution of JEN projects. JEN hopes to develop upon the long history of friendship between Japan and Sri Lanka. 

Relieve a Pain

JEN’s vocational training saw its third-term finish on 27th June. We walked down to our car to leave one of the four villages where we attended the commencement ceremony, and then it happened.

A guy was shouting at us. He was from the neighboring village across the road. The massive tsunami of December 2004 washed away his two children, his house, ship and all fishing tools. He lost everything he used to make a living. With a strong smell of alcohol in his breath, his anger and agony came out of his mouth. And he complained “JEN’s assistance reached my neighboring village, but not my village”.

JEN selected villages where JEN’s assistance could meet the needs of the affected people. The village size, the degree of devastation caused by the tsunami, the population, and the economic condition before and after the tsunami were the aspects examined in our survey, and his village was not among the targets.

He saw JEN’s vocational training actively conducted in the other village alongside the road. He heard people’s cheerful voices and saw their smiles in the gatherings and it made him feel uneasy and angry.

His words left us speechless and we apologized for what we hadn’t done for people in his village. There are always people who are left behind when we decide to support others, and it is us who left him in devastation. We learned what we couldn’t do did for him, and something visible, goods for instance, couldn’t relieve the deep sorrow brought by the tsunami.

Coexisting with Wild Animals

The resettlement area where JEN is currently operating to support the tsunami victims has been made by clearing an area from the jungle. One issue that concerns the beneficiaries of the vegetable garden project is that water buffaloes, monkeys and elephants often eat all the vegetables and fruit.

It is not unusual to come across 3 meter long snakes or huge 1 meter long lizards from the nearby natural wildlife park. Also monkeys frequently take the fruits from the trees in the garden of JEN’s Hambantota office, and wild elephants are often spotted foraging for food at the garbage dump near the resettlement neighborhood.

However, if we think about it, we realize that the land taken for the resettlement works was once

these animals’ natural habitat, and thus they are also tsunami victims. That people are dying from

elephant attacks is a serious problem, but it is important that we consider good ways for humans

and animals to coexist.

Village Boys

  A trainer of JEN’s fishnet workshops talked about his first visit to a target village.  On the way back from the workshop, local boys asked him to drive them to towns.  The trainer refused, it is impossible for him to give them such a privilege.  Then the boys threatened him: “Never step in our village again!”  Unfortunately, the same story often occurs to trainers in other villages.

A psychologist analysed the boys’ aggressive reaction.  He pointed out two influential factors.  First, the boys have not been disciplined well because their fathers are often away from home fishing.  Second, the boys are mistrusting and insecure for some of their fathers are alcoholic and often get violent for no reason.

JEN’s staff tried to bring village boys out of their shell.  Using our principle of listening to them patiently with a respect for each boy’s personality, instead of blaming them for their aggressive attitude.

After one month had passed, JEN won the children’s confidence.  Boys show positive changes toward JEN’s staff.  Now they look forward to seeing the staff after school to talk about themselves, even discussing their own worries about their family, their future, and their trauma of the tsunami.

Beyond Circles

JEN has conducted a gardening project in Marganpura and Metserana, a newly plotted village for the resettlement of victims of the previous tsunami.  The initial obstacle to the project is factions within the village itself.  People from the same camp formed close circles and shut themselves to strangers from different towns.  Such divided circles hindered community-based collaboration that JEN’s workshop was based upon.

However, JEN’s social workers successfully brought participants from different circles together in complete harmony in the gardening workshop.  Farming together on a hot day drives participants to share in the achievement of hard physical work a sense of solidarity with others whose origins are different from their own.  Now village people enjoy chatting together over various topics while collaborating without any noticeable divides.

After Two Years – a Victim’s Remembrance

Wasanti lost her husband and her house at the same time at the Boxing Day tsunami. She currently participates in JEN’s gardening projects.　

“Two years having passed since that day, few international relief agencies remain in my village of Hambantota now. I resettled in a new house with my family, but our life remains severe, as I am only a widow without any income… JEN’s gardening projects have helped me a lot both financially and psychologically. I hope more and more families participate in the projects as we do, which are very beneficial indeed.”

After Two Years – Christmas is coming

While Christmas is coming soon, another important day is approaching in the coastline of Sri Lanka – the 26 December, the memorial day of the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004. 

Instead of colourful Christmas illumination, people in the village of Hambantota silently decorate their houses with yellow leaves of coconuts as a sign of mourning for victims.

People involved in the mission

Relief project for Tsunami victims supported be Japan government has started at last. We care the tsunami victims mentally as ever with social worker, instructor, and expert in psychology through job training. Before we start the activities we trained our staff. They studied JEN and JEN’s activities, how to get involved in social psychology and counselling. “We should not take center stage, and our mission is bringing out people’s best”, said the expert in psychology who teach them.

The day before job training, an official from Sri Lanka embassy visited the village and encouraged the tsunami victims. The official said “It is a pleasure to see Japanese taxes are surely used for people in Sri Lanka, and people and the communities receive Japanese NGO.”

JEN’s mission cannot be achieved by JEN staff only. We are supported by a lot of people and act in unison with people in Sri Lanka.

Vegetable Growing and Nutritional Improvement Program

    In April, with the kind support of Ajinomoto Co., Inc., we began a nutritional improvement program through vegetable growing. This program targets female tsunami survivors who lost their houses and consequently moved to cultivated land further inland called "resettling areas."

    The project not only involves guidance to vegetable growing utilizing environmentally friendly organic farming techniques, but also social workers as well. They provide nutritional guidance and counseling; healing the victims' broken hearts whilst improving their nutritional situations. It has proved to be a great success among the participants, as they are able to acquire not only new agricultural methods, but also accurate knowledge about nutrition at the same time.

     "I lost my parents, and 2 children to the tsunami. I used to love gardening, but after the tsunami ripped through my house and ravaged my garden, I was devastated and could not bring myself to do it anymore. After moving to this new place, and through participating in this program, I became able to grow okra and beans in what used to be an empty garden. The program has helped me a lot. Now I look forward to meeting my friends in the nutrition class. I learn a lot of new things everyday; for example, what kinds of foods I should eat if I want to prevent illnesses-it is all very enjoyable."
－Nasreena (33 years old)

Cheer from Villages

JEN organized a study tour for the second time to our operational field in Sri Lanka.  We received eighteen people: participants doubled compared to the previous tour last year.  Victims of the tsunami survived the emergency period and have silently made a first step towards reconstruction of their normal life.

A village of Hambantota expressed a warm welcome by special ornaments of vivid flowers and leaves and fantastic smile of children.  Participants then visited a village of Siribopura.  The village is a resettlement area where victims of the tsunami have just started their new livelihoods leaving from temporary shelters. 

Participants planted bananas and mangoes together with local people.  After having a good sweat in the farmland, village women kindly invited to teatime with handmade sweets to chat over their lives after the tsunami.

A village woman smiled: “It is a great pleasure for me to participate in JEN’s gardening projects.  I enjoy cooperating with village people.  Now I restarted my life, yet economically still difficult.  International aids disappeared as time goes by after the tsunami, one year and eight months have passed.  Still, JEN stays with us – I am happy to see our garden to grow.”  A participant added: “I came to encourage victims, but their smile cheered me up indeed.  My experience with people in Sri Lanka will stay in my mind.  I would come back to see fruit of bananas and mangoes that we planted together.”

The Talk of the Town -the Tsunami Disaster Prevention Workshop

     On the 20th of April, an article appeared in the local newspaper about a tsunami workshop. This workshop, carried out by JEN with the kind support of Sompo Japan, was conducted for children that were affected by the tsunami in Hambantota province.

    In spite of voices strongly arguing for the need of disaster prevention education, in reality, most schools had no such programs introduced after the tsunami. JEN's workshop proved to answer such people's needs by disseminating necessary disaster prevention knowledge to children, and has been regarded highly.

    The newspaper article stated above began by introducing JEN, and went on to assess our workshops for children, introduced messages from workshop participants, and concluded by proposing that these types of workshops should be conducted throughout the country.

    Although all 4 sessions of the workshop have been successfully completed, we have begun conducting counseling for children through sports activities, and are continuing to provide support for tsunami-affected children.

Social Workers

     JEN is currently working on a follow-up program aimed at reaching out to tsunami victims in further need of help in dealing with their psychological wounds. The subjects of the program are victims from the 32 villages that JEN worked with on a previous project. Needless to say, social workers are an indispensable part of this program.

     Social workers regularly visit the villages, teaching community workers from various villages as well as holding counseling sessions. The below is a message from one of the workers:
“When we began this program, the villagers were expecting support in terms of money, and thus we had a difficult time in trying to win their understanding on the significance of psychological care. However, they eventually came to comprehend the problems that they carried, and were able to regain their ways of positive thinking. Through JEN’s program, I myself was able to learn many things, as well as mature as a person alongside the tsunami victims.”

    Today, she continues to heal people’s broken hearts, while wrapped in a beautiful sari and playing cricket with the children until the ball is no longer visible to the eye.