Sri Lanka: programs & priorities

ChildFund Australia's affiliate organisation in Sri Lanka has been working in the country since 1985 and currently assists around 750,000 children and their families. In ChildFund in Sri Lanka assisted projects, parents design various programs to move toward self-sufficiency. Growth monitoring and special feeding programs have reduced malnutrition among children, and all children under five years are immunised against communicable diseases.

Most Sri Lankan families have only one meal a day, and caregivers are not always able to provide the nutrition necessary for healthy, growing children. The health program, which was first implemented by ChildFund in Sri Lanka is now used in many ChildFund assisted communities. It demonstrates healthy nutrition standards using the example of mothers who have successfully incorporated locally available nutritious foods into their children's diets.

As part of a Safe Motherhood Initiative, ChildFund in Sri Lanka offers prenatal and postnatal clinics for mothers. Expectant mothers are given vitamins to promote healthy pregnancies. Additionally, dental clinics and regular checkups for children are conducted. Parents in ChildFund communities have been trained in first aid for emergency situations.

In addition to programs in health, nutrition, education, water and sanitation, ChildFund in Sri Lanka is empowering communities and strengthening civil society through special programs in early childhood development; housing improvements; vocational training; community-based rehabilitation for the disabled; cultural development; and micro-enterprise development.

Development in progress

It has been estimated that as many as eight per cent of Sri Lankans lives with a permanent disability. Unfortunately, this figure has been rapidly increasing as a direct result of the country's civil conflict, with thousands of landmines continuing to kill, disable and maim the people of Sri Lanka.

ChildFund in Sri Lanka has launched a program which aims to provide additional support to people living with disabilities. In particular, ChildFund in Sri Lanka has focused on addressing income poverty by giving people better access to employment and livelihood opportunities. Vocational training has been successful in helping individuals re-enter the workforce, while a savings and credit local scheme has enable many to set up their own business for the first time.

ChildFund in Sri Lanka is also working closely with local education authorities to promote the integration of children with disabilities into mainstream and special schools, while additional training has been given to teachers so that they are able to work in special education facilities.

Due to the lack of community-based support services, ChildFund in Sri Lanka has also been active in providing training for caregivers, and assisting people with disabilities make modifications to their homes.

Public health awareness campaigns on disability prevention have been conduced to increase knowledge and understanding in the community on disability prevention, detection and treatment.