A Sri Lankan fisherman. Photo: Paul Jeffrey, ACT
Praja Abhilasha is the Sri Lankan network related to the Joining Hands Against Hunger program of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The focus of this program is to move beyond short-term responses to disaster, hunger and poverty resulting from disasters and the spread of globalization around the world by addressing their root causes through community education, advocacy, alternative economic activities, lifestyle changes and spiritual grounding. After studying and assessing the key issues within a country, strategies are proposed by the network itself to address these issues, which could be through hunger education, public policy advocacy or development assistance. The goal is to promote the self-sufficiency of poor and marginalized groups and to confront and influence the structures of exploitation and injustice.
After the tsunami in 2004, the Sri Lankan government and NGOs received large amounts of aid from international organizations to help rebuild the nation. Each sector worked separately, according to its own projects, without any call for collaboration in the effort. Many organizations within Sri Lanka thought this process to be unsustainable for the affected people. In March 2005, the Presbyterian Hunger Program and the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Program contacted a number of organizations within Sri Lanka to create a Joining Hands Network within Sri Lanka. At this time, likeminded organizations convened to discuss the present situation after the tsunami, the major problems of the affected people, how to collaborate as a network and how to approach the problems/issues of the affected people.
Praja Abhilasha was formed in November 2005, with the goal to mobilize the people as a network in regards to human rights, land rights and livelihood, women’s rights and how these are all impacted by globalization. The programs are focused on tsunami-affected people, as they are in a constant struggle for general human rights and their right to land and property.
The Praja Abhilasha network works with:
- fishery sectors,
- farmers,
- laborers (organized and unorganized),
- women,
- plantation workers,
- war displaced people.
It is composed of 18 organizations of NGOs, grassroot groups and community groups. It is an island-wide network, so programs are held throughout the country.
Program — Training and capacity building workshops
This program is funded by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and the Presbyterian Hunger Program. [Read more about the PHP Joining Hands Against Hunger project.]
There are 18 organizations in the network which receive funding to carry out the planned programs. This year’s budget for programs is $30,363. These programs include:
- regional workshops,
- a network newsletter,
- an information center,
- a poster contest,
- a land rights booklet.
The network is a cooperative effort by definition and includes all local Sri Lankan organizations of all faiths and ethnic backgrounds.
The current civil war limits the scope of the programs and restricts movement throughout the country.
A flash movie is available, showing recovery efforts in Sri Lanka.
|
