Sri Lanka: World Vision continues its aid program in Sri Lanka; despite challenges

from Siber News Media

As the conflict in Sri Lanka continues to tear apart the lives of thousands of men, women and children, NGO's such as World Vision struggle to continue development work in the war torn districts.

Relief assistance is especially critical at this time, as the recent escalation in hostilities has given rise to a major IDP crisis in the East of Sri Lanka with over 155,000 left homeless and living in IDP camps.

At present World Vision is concentrating on distributing much needed water, food and non-food items such as mats, tarpaulins and water containers as a part of its response. As a child focused organization a key priority is child protection and the well being of children living in the IDP camps.

The severe fighting has presented many challenges, which also includes access to volatile areas, however despite this World Vision continues to provide essential relief assistance to people trapped in the conflict areas of North and East. This has been done through two-resettlement programmes, seven Area Development Programmes (ADPs) and at times in conjunction with specific relief programmes.

The on going fighting have also disrupted World Vision's long-term development activities in four of its Area Development Programmes (ADPs) in the Eastern Province. At this time a team of World Vision Lanka staff is in the process of conducting an assessment to find out the current status of children in World Vision programmes and their needs.

World Vision staff from the area also report that mobile connections are still suspended in the district, making communications one of the biggest challenges. Since last weekend there has been no electricity and regular water cuts in the district of Batticaloa.

Despite an uneasy ceasefire that was put in place between the two parties to end the conflict on Christmas Eve of 2001, violence never completely left the civilian life in these areas.

Both Sinhalese and Tamil communities have been suffering throughout, with children in the younger age groups often the worst affected in the two decade ethnic conflict. Most of the children were born in the middle of the conflict and have been eternally displaced since then. They are often targets of armed groups looking to enhance their military capacity. Schools in the area are closed for months due to shells falling into schools. Their hearing is permanently damaged.

World Vision has continued to coordinate with the Government, other NGOs and authorities to address these issues and attempt to rebuild the lives of children and their families in the region. The international aid and development organization also partnered with UNICEF in successfully rehabilitating child soldiers that were released by the LTTE during the ceasefire.

World Vision's international offices, including Australia and Canada fund the agency's current relief work in the East.

World Vision has been working in Sri Lanka since 1977. Its Development, Relief and rehabilitations programs and tsunami Relief Programs represents 22 Districts in the country.

World Vision is a Christian relief and development organization dedicated to helping children and their communities worldwide reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty. World Vision serves the worlds poor -- regardless of a person's religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.