Our work in Sri Lanka
Practical Action South Asia
Vishaka Hidellage, director of Practical Action’s Sri Lanka office, gives an update on our work; how Practical Action started work in the country, coping with the devastation the tsunami left behind and new challenges the country now faces in light of the recent conflict, which has dominated news headlines across the world.
For more than 20 years Practical Action’s work has improved life for thousands of people across Sri Lanka, helping lift people out of poverty.
A beautiful island, situated in the midst of the Indian ocean, Sri Lanka has been home to thousands of visitors every year, looking to enjoy its beautiful beaches, wildlife and vibrant markets.
Yet Sri Lanka has been home to terrible conflict, dating back almost four decades. In 1971 the Sinhala youth in the South took up arms against the government. The situation worsened when just a few years later the Tamil Youth did the same. And in late 1980s the Southern conflict re-erupted which was suppressed by the state through military means.
The conflict has devastated the country, leaving hundreds of thousands of people displaced, more than 70,000 people dead, thousands of children forced into combat and at least one million landmines laid.
Yet despite this, Vishaka remains positive: “As devastation surrounds us, we are now left with an opportunity to rebuild; to rebuild a country with the hope of reconciliation, peace and development.
“But I must warn you, the challenge lying ahead will not be easy. The conflict has left more than a quarter of a million people - young and old - in camps; people who are traumatised, sick and scared. The immediate need is to feed & treat them – while most of all making those affected feel safe and secure. We must now look to providing an environment which is secure and harmonious. We need to put in place vital infrastructure such as shelter, schools, hospitals, local governments and services. Without these, we will not see people moving forward as a society.”
20 years on
For more than two decades Practical Action has been working in Sri Lanka, generating much knowledge and experience on the ground. Starting with just a handful of staff, the office expanded to encompass 40 full time members over ten years.
Whether it is helping a poor community obtain electricity from locally manufactured wind turbines, reducing smoke in a kitchen, food processing, bio gas or low cost environmentally sustainable houses, lives have been transformed - thanks to those who support Practical Action.
Vishaka’s tireless commitment to Practical Action is fuelled by working directly with communities and also how this work can be scaled up.
“This is what motivates me most; seeing people and communities transformed through embracing simple technologies. Three years ago we had the pleasure of taking Guardian journalists see our projects, showcasing how Schumacher’s vision for poverty reduction has become a reality and sharing this with others.
“Yet it is not just the physical difference a project can make which makes me proud to part of Practical Action, it is seeing communities build on their traditional knowledge, learning how to link small income generated activities undertaken at home to a bigger market, benefiting from the additional income and using it to lift themselves out of poverty.”
Sri Lanka’s obvious results on the ground means Practical Action can – and has - influenced decision makers Through sharing experience and scaling up work has meant work has reached many more people, improving their future. However Vishaka remembers clearly a time when Practical Action was just embarking on work and faced many difficulties in establishing its work.
Inspiration
“Seeing the results our project staff have achieved over the past 20 years has fills me with hope. Yet this hasn’t always been the case, when we first started to work in Sri Lanka few knew us,” she tells us. “We were dismissed as being romantic, as dreamers, told it could never work. Yet among the doubt, some supported us with absolute conviction, believed in us, encouraged and advocated at our side.
“One such person is Dr.Ray Wijewardhana. Ray is one of Sri Lanka’s innovators and inventors who took a big interest in farming, looking critically and scientifically at the practices in the field. Among his foremost engineering designs is the world’s first two wheeled tractor - appropriate for developing countries. Pioneered in Nottingham in 1955 it has sold more than 300,000 across the world, including Sri Lanka.
“He has been an inspiration to us. He is a living example of what we aspired to be; challenging and showing that nothing can be too difficult if we are convinced about its use, however romantic it may seem.”
Vishaka also recalls people she has worked with, people who Practical Action have had a positive impact on and changed their lives through the charity’s knowledge and capacity.
One such person was Sujeewa, a shy teenage girl who would only talk to Vishaka through the curtain of her door when she first visited her village. Sujeewa soon became an entrepreneur who picked up how to process cashew for export markets very quickly.
In Vishaka’s eyes Sujeewa is a role model to others in the village. “When I visited the village about five years later she proudly took me for a ride across the village on her brand new motorbike.”
Tsunami
As well as having to cope with civil unrest, Sri Lanka was also hit by the Tsunami five years ago, devastating communities. Recovery and rebuilding continues almost half a decade later, long after the journalists and camera left.
Yet Practical Action has had an invaluable input to help rebuild community’s homes, infrastructure and their livelihoods.
According to World Bank figures, the Tsunami saw 100,000 fishermen lose their livelihoods. Other job losses included: 52,000 in the tourist trade; 30,000 in the agriculture sector; and 40,000 jobs were lost in sectors such as fish selling, transportation, manufacturing and food.
Our work has helped communities protect lagoons from future disasters, build up and maintain fish production, adopt alternative crops, start dairy and micro enterprises and improve productivity of paddy fields damaged from salt water.
We have helped more than 15,000 people to change their lives, through helping communities protect lagoons, build and maintain fish supplies and adopt alternative crops and livelihoods. As well as rebuilding livelihoods and increasing independence, work has also meant people can reduce their vulnerability in the future.
Despite the hardships Sri Lanka has faced, Vishaka is hopeful for the future.
“As we face the situation in Sri Lanka head on, with thousands of people left homeless, facing illness and an uncertain future. I know that Practical Action can play a major role. I hope that our knowledge, confidence and relationships mean that we will be one of the organisations that the government and others will listen to, as work gets underway to rebuild a sustainable and harmonious Sri Lanka.
“By showing how Sujeewa and thousands like her have benefited from Practical Action’s ethos of putting people first, we are sending a clear message about how development can – and indeed does – work.
“Through our unique way of working and by showing people how they can achieve so much more, we can see Schumacher’s dream live on for generations to come.”
Read more
Our project work in Sri Lanka includes:
Rebuilding after conflict 
Adapting agriculture 
Energy from biogas |
Energy from the wind 
Village roads |
You can read more about our work in detail on the Practical Action South Asia website
