1. Sri Lanka
SPRING 2010 COUNTRY REPORT
It has been a truly amazing season here at Free The Children and we could not have done it without all of your wonderful
support. Changing the world is no simple feat. It requires the hard work and passion of change makers like you!
Not only are you helping build vital development projects, you are empowering the community members of Sri Lanka
with the tools and resources they need to become agents of change in their own communities. Together, we can build a
brighter future so that all children can grow up to be happy, healthy and active citizens!

2. LEARN MORE ABOUT...
Free The Children in Sri Lanka
Impact at a Glance:
Classrooms built: 8
Students: 515
Teachers: 25
Clean water systems built: 500
Hand washing stations built: 3
Latrines built: 9
Women in microcredit program: 115
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is a small, tear-shaped island located south east of India. Sri Lanka gained independence from the United Kingdom
in 1948 and became a republic in 1972. Ever since, there has been a long history of conflict and civil war. The war has been
fought mainly between the Sinhalese government and the Tamil rebels. As host to one of the world’s longest-running civil
wars, parts of Sri Lanka have been left devastated, with thousands of civilians displaced and many killed. The government’s
military spending during this time was especially high, which meant that there were few public resources dedicated to
providing education and essential social and health services to the people. In May 2009, Sri Lanka’s government declared an
official end to its 26-year civil war. This announcement hopefully provides the country with the political stability it needs to
allow for effective and sustainable socio-economic development.
High levels of poverty, especially in the rural areas, have meant that many children drop out of school to work and provide
their families with income. Currently there are more than 900,000 Sri Lankan children involved in child labour. Thousands of
them (estimates range from 50,000 to 100,000) are believed to be employed in domestic service –an industry which remains
unregulated and undocumented. As well, commercial fishing is one of the most popular and destructive forms of child la-
bour in Sri Lanka. Children are recruited to remote commercial fishing spots (commonly known as ‘vaadiyas’) where they are
kept in conditions of virtual slavery.
Free the Children started working in Sri Lanka in 2004 after that year’s devastating tsunami. In fact, we were one of the first
organizations on the ground re-building schools and creating a sense of normalcy amongst children. Our Adopt-A-Village
projects in Sri Lanka focus on repairing and rebuilding schools destroyed in the tsunami, as well as establishing new devel-
opment initiatives, like clean water wells and alternative income projects. Following years of civil war and tsunami devasta-
tion, Sri Lanka has begun to rebuild itself and lift its people from poverty and exploitation.
Sri Lanka COUNTRY REPORT

3. ADOPT A VILLAGE
Education
In Sri Lanka, Free The Children schools have seen consis- large bright windows and the selection of the colours of
tently high attendance rates and student involvement as the building. They are happy to be learning in classrooms
the quality of education increases and more classrooms which are bright, roomy and safe. The parent-teacher com-
are built. The community of Thalahena celebrated the mittee is also actively involved in the maintenance and care
completion of four new classrooms with an opening of the school, which has created a real sense of ownership
ceremony on May 5, 2010. Students are excited to learn within the community. Through this same committee the
and study in the new, spacious and well-ventilated build- nine female teachers are encouraging parents to send their
ings. In addition, the 12 female and 4 male teachers are daughters to school and are raising awareness about the
motivated to constantly nurture and educate their stu- importance of girls completing a full course of primary edu-
dents. Because of the improved facilities, more parents in cation. Today in the community there are an equal number
the community are encouraging their children to attend of male and female students attending class! Students and
school as they see it as a new beginning for their sons and teachers take great pride in their school and have deco-
daughters. rated classrooms with their art work. Free The Children is
working in partnership with parents, students and teachers
In Palangathurai, another community where Free The as all groups work actively to improve education for all of
Children built a school last year, the students were in- the children in each of these communities.
volved in the design of their new school, including the
At Thalahena School we encourage education for both boys and girls!
Students from Thalahena School learning and
having fun in a brand new classroom!
Sri Lanka COUNTRY REPORT

4. ADOPT A VILLAGE
Water and Sanitation Alternative Income
Due to the long history of civil unrest Free The Children works in communi- beginning the same program this
in Sri Lanka, the government’s over- ties where fishing is the primary source year. The businesses started by these
spending on defense has been a detri- of income. However, recent govern- women include dry fish making and
ment to the country’s general popula- ment restrictions which limit access to packing, cake-making, tailoring, petty
tion, particularly in rural areas like the fishing grounds have led to the loss of trading, grocery shops, food processing
communities where Free The Children livelihoods and an increase in poverty and hairdressing. Women also receive
works. Decreased investment in social levels. Sri Lankans have also seen a rise financial literacy training as well as skills
sectors such as water and sanitation in the cost of basic food items, meaning training specific to their chosen busi-
has left people without basic services. that families are often forced to forego ness.
To address these challenges and to im- essential food items. Women and chil-
prove the standard of living of Sri Lanka’s dren are most affected. They not only Since joining the program, the aver-
most vulnerable communities, Free The consume foods which lack vital nutri- age incomes of program participants
Children has been working to build la- ents and minerals but also often find have soared from $50 a month to $300
trines, hand-washing stations and clean themselves eating “last and least.” a month! In 2009, the women of Ku-
water systems. Having an adequate dapaduwa also established their own
number of latrines in schools is instru- To improve these conditions, Free The bank, called the Livelihood Develop-
mental in ensuring that girls continue Children’s alternative income program ment Bank, the motto of which is “Em-
with their education. In the community work with women in the communities powering Women to Build Sustainable
of Palagathurai, three new latrines have of Kudapaduwa and Sea Street, mak- Livelihoods.” The women are able to
been built for the community’s schools. ing an incredibly positive impact on access and pay back loans through this
The community of Thalahena has seen their families income and well-being. bank. They also receive 7% interest on
six latrines built for their new schools, One-hundred-and-fifteen women have their savings deposits – a rate that is
as well as three hand-washing stations. been provided with micro-credit loans, higher than any government or com-
One of the most exciting projects has allowing them to start, diversify and mercial bank. They are empowered by
been providing 500 clean water sys- expand their own businesses. The ob- their newfound economic indepen-
tems to family homes, which was com- jective of this program is to enable eco- dence and by the significant accom-
pleted early last year in the community nomic empowerment for women and plishments they have made, and they
of Sea Street. Clean water and regular nurture greater gender equality. The are thrilled to share the benefits with
hand-washing are a necessary and ef- women of Kudapaduwa have a 100% their families and the wider community.
fective means of reducing preventable repayment rate and based on their suc-
disease in the communities in which cess, the women of Sea Street are now
we work.
Sri Lanka COUNTRY REPORT

5. A WORLD OF IMPACT
Susewge dreams of becoming a teacher so that she can educate her
community about peace
Meet Susewge Nirasha Rekani Fernando because the woman loves all of her students and teaches
Eleven-year-old Susewge attends Free The Children’s new- them knowledge every day. For fun she loves gardening and
est school in Sri Lanka, in the community of Thalahena. Her playing badminton. Nothing is as delightful to Susewge as
mother is a homemaker, her father a mason and she is proud when her family gathers to celebrate. She especially loves
to be a role model to her seven-year old sister Nishalka. Ev- eating cake!
ery morning Susewge wakes up early and eats bread for
breakfast before she heads to her brand new school, where This thoughtful, compassionate girl has many dreams for
“The new
she is in grade 6. She said of her new school, the future. Seeing the poverty around her, Susewge has re-
solved to earn a good living as a strong young woman so
buildings are so beautiful and they en- that she can build a better life for her family, herself and her
courage me to learn!” She particularly loves learn- community. Some of her goals are simpler; she would love
ing about religions. She is working hard at her studies and is new clothes and a bicycle for her and her family, but above
happy to see herself improving all the time, especially in her all, she wants the world to end fighting and for every child
Tamil language class because she finds it to be the most chal- to know happiness. She wishes that she could bring peace
lenging. After school is done for the day she helps her family to everyone and she believes that for this to come about ev-
with chores, such as sweeping, watering plants, cooking with erybody needs to listen to one another. To play her part in
her mother and collecting water from a nearby well. Her fa- finding peace she wants very much to be a teacher and she
vourite thing about being at home is being with her mother is incredibly grateful to Free The Children for the opportunity
whom she loves very much. She also loves spending time to have an education. She knows that she needs to stay in
with her best friend Mithin because she is kind-hearted. Of school and study to achieve the wonderful aspirations that
all the people in the world, her hero is her teacher Dilrushki she has for herself and for the world.
Sri Lanka COUNTRY REPORT