“Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness and pull another hand into the light”
CHA responds to the right of all people to a life of security, dignity and access to basic needs. We support the right to pursue a life that is without fear, persecution or personal deprivation.
The individual in need is not a victim but persons in need of support. It’s vital that we recognise that these people are not simply objects of charity but people with rights who need to be consulted, given a choice, be treated with dignity and be active participants in the decisions that concern them.
The Relief and Rehabilitation Unit centre staging lives of those in need was set up with the unfolding of the Tsunami disaster which called for an immediate national response. The unit focused on direct personalized delivery of assistance to those in need and transformed the lives of over a 106,000 families in 2005-8. We also conducted a hugely successful quick impact small grants programe through CBOs and NGOs enabling enhanced capacity of these partners as well through our joint work. We set up Urumaya- Social Enterprise working with tsunami affected communities. People from four districts in the South, two in the East and one in the North were linked through this effort to ensure sustainable livelihood of many. Our work with the tsunami affected communities continued in 2010 and Matara, Hambanthota and Jaffna through the social enterprise “ Urumaya”
Towards the end of 2005 with the resumption of conflict, our partnership with the Government of the Netherlands and other donors enabled the expansion of the program to conflict affected areas where we worked directly with internally displaced persons. Families, who had been though multiple displacements, lost loved ones, their means to a livelihood and all that they held dear. Our efforts both though direct implementation and through local CBOs and NGOs focused on Immediate relief, permanent housing, livelihood, health, water sanitation and education and enabled assistance to over 195,931 persons over a period of two years.
The Community protection network (CPN) established throughout 12 Districts, with a core objective to promote and protect of human rights at the district level .The existence of CPNs signifies a much-needed bridge between citizens at the grassroots level and decision-makers, humanitarian actors and the local government. In addition the free legal aid programe touched the lives of many through legal clinics and representation through CHA district lawyers.
In 2009, we focused primarily on the recently displaced and enabled assistance to those in dire conditions in the form of food relief, medical programes, education, toilets and nonfood relief items. Our work has enabled assistance to over 67,250 persons from January – July alone, this includes a feeding programe over a four month period for 4000-5000 people daily.
Our work in 2010 focused on recovery and the rebuilding of once shattered lives of thousands of families and individuals, of those resettled into their homes, villages or districts. Our partnership with two large national agencies enabled assistance to over 4400 persons through the provision of Seeds Systems and Agricultural Inputs and 2250 persons though Economic Asset Restoration and cash for work in the districts of Jaffna, Vavuniya and Mannar. This quick impact program funded by OFDA- USAID was very successful and CHA will continue to work with these families through other grants, namely GTZ to begin with enabling the provision of skills development training and assistance to be eligible for micro loans from banks at low interest rates. This program is being piloted in the districts of Mannar and Vavuniya and will continue into 2011
A strong partnership with UNICEF and the National water board is presently underway and will focus on water sanitation program in Killinochchi and Mullaitivu in 2011.
An excellent partnership with Mercy Malaysia has focused in extensive outreach medical clinics and hygiene programs in Jaffna which will continue into 2011 as well. Our flood response supported by Mercy Malaysia has supported families in both Mannar and Batticalaoa.
Our reconstruction programs in Ampan Hospital – Jaffna supported by Mercy Malaysia and the hospital quarters in Mannar funded by AMAF will be completed in second quarter of 2011
We take this opportunity to thank our partners and agencies who have supported our work, enabling dignity of life to many.
Contact:
Dhanya Ratnavale
Manager Early Recovery
Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies
No 86, Rosmead Place
Colombo 7- Sri Lanka
Email: manager-reg-rehab@cha.lk
