Our current work in Sri Lanka

Austcare is currently collaborating with ActionAid International (AAI) to rebuild the lives of women affected by the 2004 tsunami.  The eastern coastal region of Trincomalee was one of the worst-hit areas, and two and a half years on, the residents are still struggling.

The community of Trincomalee were directly involved with the planning process for this program – they identified which groups were most in need of support, and worked alongside Austcare and AAI to determine livelihood opportunities, and how skills available within the village could be utilised. 

The outcome has been the establishment of agricultural projects, and local cooperatives to increase the bargaining power of women who produce a variety of goods for sale at the local markets.

Austcare has also been working to provide protection and increase awareness amongst service providers of the critical issues that women and girls face. In partnership with local organisations, Austcare has developed sustainable mechanisms for the longer term needs of women at risk of abuse in the current situation of displacement. 

To ensure the protection of women it is of critical importance that they are represented at all levels of decision making including policy, planning and implementation as well as monitoring. Austcare is working to train local women to recognise and deal with incidences of sexual and gender based violence.

Austcare Protection Officers are being seconded to UN partner agencies to ensure the most vulnerable of Sri Lanka’s displaced population are protected and assisted.  Austcare’s Protection Officers aim to enhance the UN’s ability to improve security and address human rights issues. To date, Protection Officers have been deployed to Batticaloa and Colombo.

Highlights

 - 40 women employed in a greenhouse cultivation centre in Anandapuri village, and 30 women employed in a chilli production facility in Puthukudiyiruppu village.

 - Cooperatives established in fishing, agricultural, sewing, leather-working, and coir fibre (coir fibre is used for making ropes, baskets, etc) industries.  The cooperatives enable the women involved to increase their income and reduce the risk of their being exploited.

 - Six Train the Trainer community level training sessions provided across six tsunami affected districts to community-based workers. The training participants have developed skills in human rights, gender issues, sexual and gender based violence, and making referrals for tsunami affected women to officials and institutions.

 - Networks established in six districts, which can continue working on issues related to tsunami affected women and girls.

 - 105 women interviewed about their experiences with sexual and gender based violence and other effects of the tsunami. Interview and database records have been completed, and lobbying documents and tools have been drafted.

 - Following the tsunami, 100 families were provided with shelter packages purchased by Austcare. These shelter packages provided materials to assist families in reconstructing their own homes. The shelter package offered a list of materials, from which affected families could choose what they needed most to meet their transitional shelter needs.