In Sri Lanka the internal conflict has continued since the 1980s until 2009. Although most evacuees have returned to their hometowns, land has been devastated, houses and wells destroyed, and most of the people have lost their jobs due to the conflict . JEN focus on assistance for construction of agricultural wells for farming, and establishment of Well Maintenance Committees and Agricultural Cooperative Societies as ways to empower communities for self reliance in the northern Sri Lanka.
In northern Sri Lanka, although about 460 thousand evacuees have returned to their hometowns, the people in the north are not only continuing to live in unstable conditions, but are also unable to rebuild their communities due to the interference they receive for having sided with the rebels in the internal conflict, which is hindering the development of mutual trust.
JEN conduct assistance for returnees to revitalize and stabilize their lives. In Sri Lanka, people engaged in farming rely on rainwater, so have no choice but to become day laborers in periods when they are unable to farm vegetables. JEN construct shared pump wells and agricultural wells, and establish well management committees and agricultural cooperatives to strengthen communities. Villagers are able to plant vegetables during the dry season using water supplies from the agricultural well.
The goal of this project is that the returnees achieve self-reliance and resettle in peaceful and stable environments without relying on any external assistance. Our project will contribute to providing stable access to water and increasing income by harvesting more crops throughout the year. And, the activities of agricultural cooperatives leading to community activation, which creates cooperative environments in which people can solve problems that they would be unable to on their own.
