22 Dec 2011 • Humanitarian crises Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Getting youth engaged in rebuilding their villages

- Published by Darcissac, Marion

Youth of 15 coastal communities in Batticaloa are increasingly involved in the development and the welfare of their communities. Terre des hommes delegation in Sri Lanka is mobilising the adolescents to get together and carry out small projects, offering them the opportunity to strengthen their skills, to participate in community and recreational activities, and to contribute to a better life environment.

Rebuilding the villages

In the past two years, 41 small projects have been set up by the “youth clubs”. Youth are supported to take the lead in identifying problems encountered in their villages and in addressing them through small projects. Projects implemented by the youth included for instance schools renovation, road rehabilitation, setting up of sports sites and organisation of sports competitions. Some clubs rehabilitated agricultural areas so that their village can expand their production. Special classes were organised in order to support literacy and job trainings created for community members. Other clubs decided to work on environmental issues affecting their village and started cleaning up activities, waste management, awareness raising events around hygiene and health. Youth had also the opportunity to express themselves in the community through art exhibitions (mainly photos) in which they claim their rights to health and protection. This is the case of a young man in Batticaloa who told us: “After the war against the LTTE, I went back home, but I felt guilty and embarrassed to meet the people in my village again, as I had been injured in the fighting and was now handicapped. Tdh encouraged me to take part in various activities with the other young people. And now I feel at ease with the others and I am able to do something practical for my village.”

Give the young people confidence

To ensure the sustainability of its activities, Terre des hommes intends to build the capacity of the youth by training them on basic topics such as project management, accounting, fundraising etc. and funds part of their small projects. Besides, Tdh encourages them to mobilise their community and the government to participate to their projects. Up to date, youth clubs have been extremely successful in raising funds from their communities and the local authorities, and are now recognised as an essential local actor for the development of the villages.

The children and teenagers involved obviously benefit from the support of Tdh team members from the setting up to the final stage of their project; however, they are considered as leaders of their project, responsible of their wellbeing and empowered to defend their rights. The project intends to promote the youth as the primary actors of their lives, and as such recognised by their parents, neighbours, friends, and by the community members and leaders, as playing an essential role in their villages. In return, youth gain self confidence and find their right place within their community. A young man in Kalmunai told us that these projects helped him to accept and to be accepted by his village: “Before that I just hung around all day, teasing the girls and oldies was the only thing I did. But after having contributed to a small project with Tdh, I changed my attitude and now I am recognised as someone by the village. Now the people see what I’m worth, because now, I really am worth something.”