nes sri lanka - jica · livelihood revival in the northern region of sri lanka” (acdp) project....

News Sri Lanka

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JAPAN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCY

APRIL - JUNE 2014 • NUMBER 1 • SRI LANKA

6 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y o f O D A 6 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y o f O D A 6 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y o f O D A 6 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y o f O D A 6 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y o f O D A 6 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y o f O D A

INSIDE

JICA Builds Resilience for Facing Natural Disasters

A world burdened by poverty and conflicts is witnessing more frequent and diverse natural disasters and this is often attributed to climate change, rapid urbanisation, infrastructure development and population growth. Sri Lanka moved to mainstream disaster risk reduction partnering with development partners and other humanitarian agencies after the devastating Tsunami of 2004.

Early warning systems and predictions; emergency responses and humanitarian coordination; disaster preparedness; mitigation and mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptations are all part and parcel of the defensive arsenal of a country. Strategic collaboration between parties such as humanitarian agencies, government authorities and other players are essential to eliminate vulnerabilities and increase resilience of the people to disasters. Foremost for a disaster-ridden country is also the efficiency and effectiveness of the emergency assistance it can muster.

The technical cooperation project for landslide mitigation in the Uva and Central provinces is such a joint effort of the Ministry of Disaster Management and National Building Research Organization (NBRO) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). This project is scheduled to commence in 2014 and aims first to efficiently and effectively develop human resources with a high level of specialization. Secondary goal of the project is to strengthen the capacity of NBRO to identify vulnerable sites and jointly develop counter measures suitable for local conditions in the targeted project area. Furthermore, JICA will commence a project for improving meteorological observation, weather forecasting and dissemination with Ministry of Disaster Management and Department of Meteorology.

contd. page 2

JICA Supports to Revitalize Public Transport in Metro Colombo

Page–2

Joy from Water in Mathurankerny

Page–3

A Model Livelihood Revival for IDPs

Page–4

Giving the Community a Stake in Rural Development Projects

Page–5

JICA’s Response to the Tsunami Disaster in Sri Lanka

Page–6

Combatting Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs)

Page–8

FORWARD: Cascades Training of Officers

Page–9

Tourism and Hospitality Industry Widens Training

Page–10

More Japanese Volunteers Join JICA

Page–11

Vice Minister Sakai hands over the

transport MP study report to Minister

Welgama

Bus distribution for FORWARD project

Secretary Ms. S.M. Mohamed introduces the collaborative Disaster Management work with JICA


APRIL - JUNE 2014 • NUMBER 1 • SRI LANKA

Project News

J I C A I n t h e

Media


CALENDARJ u ly – S e p t e m b e r

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JICA Supports to Revitalize Public Transport in Metro Colombo

July

Data Collection Survey on Industrial Human Resource Development in Sri Lanka

August

Distribution of four buses to FORWARD project

Handing over of the Study Report for Urban Transport Master Plan

September

JICA-AFS seminar

Anuradhapura water supply projects to benefit thousands

Daily News1-Apr-14

Blessings from the land of the rising sun

Daily Mirror7-Apr-14

President to open new Manmunai bridge in Batticaloa tomorrow

Daily News18-Apr-14

Multi-Modal Transport Hub in Makumbura

Daily Mirror1-May-14

60 years of Japanese assistance to Sri Lanka

Divaina3-May-14

Loan from JICA to construct 7 Bridges in the Southern Province

Dinamina2-Jun-14

Japan provides JY 215M for public sector scholarships

Daily Mirror4-Jun-14

376km of rural roads restored through JICA

Daily News9-Jun-14

Natsu san from Japan adding colour to preschools in Anuradhapura

Dinamina16-Jun-14

Hon. Manabu Sakai, Parliamentary Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan handed over the Study Report for Urban Transport Master Plan for Colombo Metro Area to Hon. Kumara Welgama, Minister of Transport of Sri Lanka on the 19th of Aug 2014. The study report is the result

of a technical cooperation project by Sri Lankan Ministry of Transport and JICA. Vice Minister Sakai expressed Japan and JICA’s continuous support to develop public transport in Colombo towards equitable socio-economic development, and wished that the key projects could be realized soon.

Parliamentary Vice Minister Sakai hands over the Transport Master Plan study report to Minister Welgama

JICA Builds Resilience......

contd. from page 1

In addition to the project JICA Sri Lanka has supported the participation of the Secretary to the Ministry Ms. S.M. Mohamed at the 6th Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Thailand. The Secretary highlighted Sri Lanka’s plans to mitigate effects of disasters by first being prepared through a national policy; compiling of hazard maps and risk assessments and training manuals and a national physical plan

linked to responsive activities. She also highlighted the importance Sri Lanka has placed on the training for an effective response to disasters at the local level.

JICA will also contribute to a Disaster Management Conference entitled “The Future We Want – Safer Sri Lanka” to be hosted by the Ministry of Disaster Management in late September this year. The conference will review the 10 years of Disaster Management Activities of the Government of Sri Lanka. It also aims to deliver a key message to the UN World Conference on Disaster Management in Sendai, Japan next March.

Project NewsAPRIL - JUNE 2014 • NUMBER 1 • SRI LANKA

6 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y o f O D A 6 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y o f O D A 6 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y o f O D A 6 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y o f O D A 6 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y o f O D A 6 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y o f O D A6 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y o f O D A 6 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y o f O D A 6 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y o f O D A 6 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y o f O D A 6 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y o f O D A 6 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y o f O D A

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Joy from Water in Mathurankerny

Villagers of Mathurankerny in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka have long suffered due to the scarcity of good safe water resources. “We had only one well that gave us drinking water during the dry season. Even that went dry because everyone in the village depended on it to get water. The tank in the village dried up too and our livestock that gives us our income had no water to drink,” said Mr. T. Velautham Community Center President, of Kunchankulam and Mathurnakerny. His words sums up the hardships that villagers underwent during the dry season in the east coast of Sri Lanka.

JICA stepped into provide a water supply scheme for Mathurankerny constructed under the Eastern Province Water Supply Development Project. The Mathurankerny Sub Project partnered with the

Community Center and the Pradeshiya Sabha to make life easier for this long-suffering rural community. The project aim was to provide safe drinking water to the villagers by establishing a new water supply scheme. Purified treated water is now being supplied to villagers from a surface water tank and a dug well. Villagers too participated making this a community effort by contributing 5% of the total project costs in labour.

It is usually women who spend many an hour trekking to get water for family needs and are most hit by a lack of safe water. “We had to go here and there to collect water and life was very hard for us then. Having water at our doorstep is a gift of God, and I thank all the people who have given us water,” says Ms. S. Selvarani, a Member- of the Rural Development Society, Madurankerny. Velautham is now delighted to have water for his livestock and says villagers now look forward to improving their standard of living.

Beneficiary household at Mathurankerny Water Supply Scheme

“We had to go here and there to collect water and life was very hard for us then. Having water at our doorstep is a gift

of God, and I thank all the people who have given us

water,” - ms. S. Selvarani

Rural families depend very much on their livestock



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A Model Livelihood Revival for IDPsAgriculture and Community Development for the Livelihood Revival in the Northern Region of Sri Lanka (ACDP)

Sustainable livelihoods are vital for any community but more so for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP’s) being resettled in the North. Bridging a thirty years or so gap is never easy and doubly difficult when the land has lain fallow. JICA’s intervention is in a mediatory role in the “Agriculture and Community Development for the Livelihood Revival in the Northern Region of Sri Lanka” (ACDP) Project. The goal is to support agriculture based livelihoods of IDP households in three Divisional Secretariat (DS) Divisions in Mullaitivu and two in Vavuniya.

A Project Leader from Japan heads the project that was launched in 2012. Another Japanese expert for accounts supports him along with a local coordinator and the project works within the existing framework of the public sector. The aim is to improve the quality of crops to give better harvests; to build more durable structures and facilities, and to give households access to safe water for

drinking and home gardening. Project activities are synergized with other Community Based Organisations (CBOs).

The main focus of the project is on the Agriculture component needed to revitalize crops. This was vital not only to ensure food security but also as it is the main livelihood of every household. Each family was provided 10-15 quality assured coconut seedlings and 5-7 seedlings of high fruit quality ecologically adaptive mango variety of TJC, especially developed for the Dry Zone. In addition other perennial crops that require less labor and variable inputs for maintenance such as cashew seedlings (5-6 seedlings per household), lime seedlings (5-6 seedlings per household), quality assured pineapple seedlings (20 seedlings), ground nuts (several Kg per household) etc. were also provided.

The resettled people were taken on study visits to successful crop growing areas in Kurunegala and Gampaha

and this had the added benefit as a system for greater social integration and ethnic harmony.

The Project has also supplied 140,000 quality assured coconut seedlings received from the Coconut Cultivation Board to restore the pre-conflict era coconut belt of the eastern part of Mullaitivu. The beneficiaries and JICA experts also anticipate that in three to four years the Mullativu region will be transformed into a plentiful orchard of TJC mango, cashew, lime and groundnuts.

The second main component of the project is the value addition for products. An upsurge in the domestic economy is visible with the Project’s support for value added product development and the creation of side jobs to improve the economic status of IDP families. Looking ahead for lucrative products and markets, JICA is also involved in supporting the virgin coconut oil extraction in Puthukudiyirruppu, which was at the center of Northern coconut belt in the past.

The third vital component is the rehabilitation of dug wells for a much needed supply of safe drinking water and for agriculture. JICA has provided support for the construction of 270 wells with durable concrete blocks prepared using indigenous knowledge and techniques. The collective participation of villagers, employment of local masons who are given guidance on the quality of construction, accountability and ownership are significant features of dug well construction.

This project has become a model for replication by some of the other donor organizations engaged in the region.

The Project has supplied 140,000 quality assured coconut seedlings to IDPs



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Giving the Community a Stake in Rural Development Projects

Community Action Planning (CAP) and Community Contracting Systems (CCS) have been used in Sri Lanka as effective development tools in urban and rural areas as far back as the 1980s. Records show the strong impact of these tools by the national government as well as development partners and CBOs in Sri Lanka. The principle behind CAP and CCS is the participation of all beneficiaries from the initial stage of identification of project activities to the completion and post-monitoring stage. This accepted premise assures that a community plays a key role in all areas, commencing from planning, prioritizing and then moving communities to undertake the responsibility for the civil work etc. With the implementation of such projects, communities have learned to take charge, acquired technical skills and scientific know-how on the key areas of construction and maintenance work. JICA experts have carefully examined, modified and adapted this methodology successfully for rural development activities in the 1990s and early 2000s.

The uniqueness of application of CAP and CCS is evident by the durability and quality of the facilities created by community groups which are of a higher standard than those undertaken by commercial contractors. The field canal in Rajanganaya under The project on Increasing the Capacity of Integrated Management (ICIM) in Irrigated Agriculture in the Dry

Zone project and rehabilitating of minor irrigation tanks and canals in Hambantota under the Project on Rural Livelihood Improvement in Hambantota District (South-CAP) are good examples. There are several other worthy illustrations of rural development projects implemented by JICA such as the Mannar District Rehabilitation and Reconstruction through Community Approach Project (MANRECAP); Technical Cooperation Project for Agricultural and Rural Development for Rehabilitation and Reconstruction through Community Approach in Trincomalee (TRINCAP); Participatory Rural Development Project in Kurunegala and Puttalam districts and the ICIM project implemented in Kurunegala and Anuradhapura.

Collective participation of beneficiaries has benefited everyone. This was seen in the quality project outputs; the gaining of technical knowledge and the inevitable sense of camaraderie and pride that comes when a community is strengthened to become financially sustainable.

As JICA goes forward with more community development projects, the drawbacks of CAP and CCS too needs to be considered. The

primary negative is the longer time needed for the holding of meetings and workshops in a community for the formulation of the strategy. In the worst-case scenario, this stage can stretch to work over several months. The weather and seasonal impacts on work schedules such as making adjustments for the rainy season and the dry season needs to be factored in too. In addition progress is often hampered by the lack of experienced resource persons to conduct the workshops to identify the real needs in the community and to prioritize processes. Most often there is a shortage of persons with the capability to analyse the community needs in the framework of a “problem tree”.

However, the adaptation of indigenous tools of CAP and CCS with suitable “Kaizen” – the Japanese word for “change for improvement,” means gradual modifications and improvements are ensured. Thus, the CAP and CCS are key elements in addressing community needs and achieving resilient development in socio-economically backward pockets of agriculture dominant regions in Sri Lanka.

Villagers contribute to construct a field canal in Hambantota

“Community participation at grass root level

development projects is vital for strengthening rural

communities and giving them the responsibility for their

growth,” – Dr. S.m. punchibanda,

Advisor, Agriculture and rural Development, JICA Sri lanka.



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Sri Lanka Tsunami 10th Anniversary:JICA’s Response to the Tsunami Disaster

The Government of Japan with its long history of coping with debilitating tsunami calamities understood more than any other country what Sri Lanka faced in rebuilding a tsunami devastated country. They were one of the first countries to respond with emergency relief after the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004, devastated Sri Lanka’s coastal areas. By 31st December 2004 Japan had donated 14.7 million yen worth of emergency relief materials including tents, mats, blankets, generators, water tanks and water purification systems. Furthermore, arriving post haste in Sri Lanka through JICA were two Japan Disaster Relief medical teams (JDR Medical Team) of 44 members, to conduct an emergency medical clinic. The Sri Lankan health authorities directed the JDR medical teams to Ampara, one of the worst affected districts in the country.

They carried out their medical relief activities at a clinic in Sainthamaruthu from 30th December 2004 to 15th January 2005. Everyone was impressed at the very professional and systematic manner in which the JDR medical teams treated patients.

A total of 2200 patients received medical treatment and an average of 157 patients were treated at the Clinic daily. The medical post was well known by people in the locality, as well as those in other areas. The tsunami-affected persons were grateful for the care that was taken in providing them necessary medication and the attention they received despite the large number of people who sought treatment at the clinic.

Adding more value to the relief operations the JDR Team joined hands with local translators and caried out several awareness programmes at the Al Hilal School Refugee Camp, the site where the Clinic was located. They were aimed at alerting the people to the need for good personal hygiene practices to stay healthy even amidst the difficulties of living in refugee camps. It is largely due to interventions by medical teams such as these, that there were no reported breakouts of infectetious diseases in the tsunami refugee camps in Sri Lanka.

In addition, JICA dispatched a Mission from 17th January to 9th February 2005 comprising of 16 members to

JDR Medical Team doctor with a patient

carryout an urgent Post Tsunami Disaster Needs Assessment Survey in the tsunami affected areas.

The Government of Japan continued its crucial support to Sri Lanka for relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities by the provision of Grant Aid, Technical Cooperation and ODA Loans. Notable of these were the US$ 100 million worth Yen Loan-Project “Sri Lanka Tsunami Affected Area Recovery and Takeoff Project” conducted from 2005 to 2008 and the Technical Cooperation “Comprehensive Study on Disaster Management in Sri Lanka” operational from 2006 to 2009. JICA also extended its assistance by combining all the available schemes to meet the requirements of the Government of Sri Lanka to enhance the resiliency for managing disasters through further Grant Aid, Technical Cooperation and ODA Loans.

Contribution made by JICA VolunteersJICA dispatched a group of 19 Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) who carried out activities in support of those displaced by the tsunami disaster. The main aim of such activities was to ease the psychological pressure of persons effected by the tsunami. The target group included both children and adults of all age groups. The activities were initially carried out in Matara, and thereafter in other regions of the southern and western provinces. The activity sites were mainly refugee camps and other sites where displaced persons were accommodated. The said activities were carried out for a period of approximately four weeks in March and April 2005.

Some of the activities carried out by volunteers included sports (e.g.



volleyball and football), music, paper-craft, sewing and various recreational activities. Soon after the tsunami disaster took place, JOCV members attached to various host institutions in Sri Lanka also mobilized themselves, and worked amongst tsunami affected communities in various parts of the country. The activities carried out by them ranged from clearing debris and providing packages of essential consumables, to organizing sports activities, games, music programmes and various recreational activities involving children, youth and adults .

Following the support provided by JICA volunteers to tsunami affected communities immediately after the tsunami, the JICA Volunteer Program continued to work towards social and economic empowerment of such communities living in various newly established community settlements, on a medium and long term basis. The program’s partner in this facilitation process was the Reconstruction and Development Agency (RADA), which came under the Ministry of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development. The objectives of JICA Volunteer Program included the establishment and strengthening of community based organizations, restoration and development of livelihoods, improvement of living conditions, enhancement of social harmony within targeted communities or with their neighbouring communities, and strengthening of the community’s social protection system. In the process of achieving these objectives, the program enhanced the capacity of officials in stakeholder organizations, and community leaders who influence the long term sustainability of projects implemented under the program.

Some of the activities conducted by volunteers included mobilizing a group of women to produce and market items made of waste fabric collected from garment factories, introduction of a micro-finance programme of the Women’s Bank, facilitation of a training programme on small enterprise development, and linking tsunami affected communities with relevant DS offices and other agencies through

the arrangement of meetings between community representatives and officials of stakeholder organizations. In Habaraduwa, volunteers were instrumental in establishing community based organizations, and solving some of the community’s common problems related to electricity, water supply and transportation through the intervention of relevant service providers. Volunteers were also involved in the establishment of children’s societies, conducting Japanese language classes, and organizing new year’s events with the aim of promoting amity and cooperation between tsunami affected communities and their neighbouring communities in Beruwala and Habaraduwa.

Whilst most of the work carried out by these volunteers contributed towards helping tsunami affected communities get back to normalcy, there are some activities that are visibly bearing fruit even today. One such activity is the production of handicraft items in Weligama.

As a result of follow-up activities in the Weligama Divisional Secretariat (DS) area, Ms. Asuka Kumekawa, volunteer in the field of handicraft production was dispatched in February 2008, for a period of 6 months. The purpose of Ms. Kumekawa’s assignment was to create value addition, and bring about improvements in quality and design to handicraft items

Ms Kumekawa teaching crochet knitting

produced by community members in Weligama. During Ms. Kumekawa’s assignment , she was able to conduct training (including training for trainers), not only in Weligama, but also in several other coastal towns in the Southern Province. Some of the crafts taught by Ms. Kumekawa included beadwork and crochet used in the production of items such as necklaces, rings, bags, toys, key-tags and such. Amongst the craft items introduced by her, crochet items became very popular. Although there were many who excelled in this craft, most of them were content in only being good knitters and did not show any interest in progressing any further. However, Ms. Momoko Yokohata – (JOCV in the field of Community Development), who has been assigned to the Weligama DS through the SASL, followed up on Ms Kumekawa’s activities and facilitated the marketing of items produced. She provided further support by coordinating activities aimed at increasing the number of producers and expanding their production capacity.

The most significant achievement in Ms Yokohata’s activities was the success in linking high-end retailers in Colombo with producers in Weligama. One of the shops that still sell crochet knitted products manufactured in Weligama is Charmaine’s at Liberty Plaza, Kollupitiya. Ten years on, ripples could still be seen.



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Combatting Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs)The Japanese Way of Preventing Metabolic Syndrome

A discussion at a JICA Sri Lanka NCD project meeting

It is estimated that a quarter of the world’s adult population have metabolic syndrome and the condition increases in frequency with age. Alarmingly, the condition is also afflicting an increasing number of children and adolescents as the worldwide epidemic of obesity spreads across the age groups.

The metabolic syndrome is a cluster of the most dangerous heart attack risk factors: diabetes and pre-diabetes, abdominal obesity, changes in cholesterol and high blood pressure. For a person to be defined as having the metabolic syndrome, the new definition requires they have central obesity, plus two of the following four additional factors: raised triglycerides (TG), reduced HDL-cholesterol, raised blood pressure or raised fasting plasma glucose level. Gender and, for the first time, ethnicity specific cut-off points

for central obesity as measured by waist circumference were included.

Japan recognized before many other countries that preventing the metabolic syndrome requires early diagnosis and interventions to manage the syndrome. In 2008, Japan introduced this new concept in healthcare titled “Preventing Metabolic Syndrome and Promoting Health,” to identify whether a person requires medical guidance or not under their current health portfolio.

There is no single treatment for the metabolic syndrome as a whole yet. Lifestyle changes form the underlying strategy of treatment, aimed at reducing the risk of arteriosclerotic diseases and type of diabetes. In people for whom lifestyle change is not enough and who are considered to be at high risk for cardiovascular disease, drug therapy may be used to treat the metabolic syndrome.

Japan thus commenced nationwide health checks for all between the ages of 40-74 and made available professional guidance on health issues to the people. The aim was to diagnose citizens with the metabolic

syndrome and reduce 20% the number of potential patients by 2015.

Under this programme, patients underwent a full cardiovascular risk assessment (including smoking status) in conjunction with

● moderate calorie restriction (to achieve a 5–10 per cent loss of body weight in the first year)

● moderate increase in physical activity

● change in dietary composition

The screening tests includes:

1. Questionnaire (history, habit)

2. Medical examination by doctor

3. Weight, Height and measure of waist circumference

4. BMI (Body Mass Index)

contd. page 11

JICA Sri lanka’s technical cooperation project on Non Communicable Diseases

(NCDs) through the ministry of Health aims to promote

healthy lifestyles and reduce prevalent risk factors. the

three pillars of the program are health promotion,

screening and health guidance and management. the project plans for providing integrated

evidence based treatment options for the diagnosed NCD

patients in Sri lanka. these are carried out in the 668

Healthy life Centres (HlCs) established island wide by the

ministry of Health.

“A healthy lifestyle is a lifelong commitment and effort” –

ms. m. Ogawa, Health Administrator, JICA Sri lanka office.



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FORWARD: Cascades Training of OfficersFrontline officers such as Grama Niladharis, Samurdhi Officers, Midwives, Agrarian Development Officers, etc., of the North Central, Eastern and Northern provinces will receive intensive training to support community development activities in their respective areas under the FORWARD (Training for Frontline Officers Working to Actively promote Rural Development) Project.

will be available in Sinhala, English, and Tamil languages. The Sinhala medium Master Training Workshop was held from 29th June to 1st July 2014 at the National Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Training Institute in Kalawewa, Anuradhapura, with 25 participants from the North Central and Eastern Provinces.

The Tamil medium Master Training Workshop was held from 13th to 15th July 2014 at the Divineguma Training Centre in Kanakarayankulam, Vavuniya with 20 participants from the Northern and Eastern Provinces. Around 90% of the participants said that the content of the workshop was useful for them.

The participants also made the declaration “to deliver the best training to improve the capacity development for providing better public services,” at Puliyankulam.

The Ministry of Economic Development, JICA, and SLIDA are at the executing level of this project that is expected to run till 2016. The Ministry expects to use this project as a model to disseminate frontline officer trainings to other provinces as well.

FowARD Project

Master trainers

Frontline officers

trainers

tot for master trainers

tot

Actual training

*Implementation Organization: management Development training unit of Northern, North Central and eastern provinces with the technical assistance of JICA & technical input and guidance of SlIDA

Figure: Implementation Structure

Puliyankulam Declaration

“We master trainers pledge to deliver the best training

to improve the capacity development for providing

better public services”

The cascading training program is designed first to train the Master Trainers, who in turn will conduct the Training of Trainers (ToT) workshops and this will then enable the Master Trainers and the Trainers to educate the Frontline Officers.

At the workshop, the participants learned about Knowledge of Training; Training skills and the ethics that a trainer needs to adhere to. Participants also were able to brush up their teaching and facilitating skills at the workshop. They also discussed how they could contribute to the implementation of the training sessions

Subjects covered during training are areas of communication, conflict management, empowerment, leadership, governance, project management, community planning, entrepreneurship, and livelihood development.

The training manuals for both trainers and trainees have been developed and



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Tourism and Hospitality Industry Widens TrainingTraining quality graduates to employ in the Hospitality Industry is a priority for Sri Lanka as the country prepares to welcome projected 2.5 million tourists by 2016. It is estimated that 60,000 trained personnel are needed in the next five years for the Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Industry.

The responsibility for filling this needs also falls on the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM), as the government premier hospitality education organization in Sri Lanka. It is also the training arm of the ‘Sri Lanka Tourism’ that was established by the Sri Lankan government in 1964 to upgrade this service industry by the injection of professionally qualified personnel. Island wide the provincial colleges are also being setup to widen the education of young entrants to meet the human resources needs.

The first branch of SLITHM was opened in 1992, in two rooms of Queens Hotel Kandy. It was housed at Sangaraja Mawatha nearly for two decades before moving to its present premises at Kundasale. The new hotel school was built under the Tourism Resources Improvement Project (TRIP) under the Ministry of Economic Development funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The school can accommodate 500 students and its multi-faceted facilities create a stimulating environment for teaching and learning. These include 8 well equipped classrooms fixed with multimedia; a training restaurant; training, demonstrating and commercial kitchens; a banquet hall that can serve 200 guests; 5 guestrooms; a computer laboratory; a library; an auditorium; an amphitheatre and an orchard.

The Certificate Level course gives a good grounding to gain skills with courses in Professional Cookery, Restaurant and Bar, Reception and Housekeeping. In addition SLITHM conducts a three-year Diploma in Management and craft level courses too. SLITHM periodically reviews its curriculum and training methodology to ensure that they produce quality graduates and enhance the standard and knowledge of the service industry.

Students at a practical training session

Photo Source: http://www.slithm.edu.lk/

Combatting NCDs ......

contd. from page 9

5. Blood Pressure

6. Blood Tests (GOT, GPT, γ-GTP, HDL-Cholesterol, Triglyceride, Fasting Blood Sugar, HbA1c)

7. Urine (glucose, protein)

To be diagnosed as having the metabolic syndrome, Japanese residents had to have:

• a waist circumference greater than or equal (≥) to 85 cm for a male and, ≥ 90 cm for a female and the BMI ≥ 25 (which is equivalent of ≥100cm2 visceral fat by Abdominal CT Scan)

• the fasting blood sugar (FBS) ≥100 or HbA1c ≥5.2% or be on Diabetic medication

• Trigluceride≥150 or HDL Cholesterol below 40

• Blood Pressure≥130(upper), 90≥(below) or on medication

Healthcare specialists such as Doctors, Nurses and Dietitians in Japan provide motivational support or positive support to make a visible and feasible goal by interviewing, and evaluating at six months intervals.

This mass primary health care programme also attracted world-wide attention and the New York Times in a 2008, article referred to it as the most ambitious campaigns under taken by a nation to slim down its citizens.

Japan continues through this programme its commitment to ensure its people enjoy a healthy lifestyle. All citizens are guaranteed access to a healthcare system irrespective of income or education level. Primarily, the universal healthcare system aims to bring value to both the poor and the rich and keep the nation healthy.

Today Japan is the world number one ageing society with 23.9% of the total population over 65 years of age. Life expectancy for women is 86.9 years, the highest in the world. Male life expectancy is also at a high of 79.6 years, which is one of the highest in the developed world. Japan keeps its health expenditure at a low and this is remarkably minor in comparison to other developed countries at 9.5% of the GDP.



VoLuNtEERS

More Japanese Volunteers Join JICA

“I look forward to enjoying life and meeting many Sri lankan

children,” said one of the teachers who will be working

with disabled children,For many new volunteers Sri lanka is a new country – the weather, the very spicy food, even traveling by buses that

are not automated are strange and not easy experiences. “I like the words “apey” in

Sinhala and “nangal” in tamil meaning “ours,” said another looking forward to being part of the communities they will

be working with.

The Japan Overseas Volunteers Programme of JICA, spread wider its assistance at rural level with the dispatch of the largest batch of new 19 volunteers.

They have studied either Sinhala or Tamil and will join 36 others soon to work with Sri Lankan counterparts in several fields. “It’s difficult to learn the languages, but I am trying hard as I’d like to talk to many people in there own language,” said one volunteer learning Tamil.

The new volunteers at the JICA office



Contact us

editor for JICA News from Sri lankaKiyoshi Amada,Chief representative, JICA Sri lanka.

jICA Sri Lanka office10th & 13th Floors, DHpl building, No. 42, Nawam mawatha, Colombo 02, Sri lanka.

tel: (+94) 011–2300470Fax: (+94) 011–2303692email: [email protected] Web: www.jica.go.jp/srilanka/english/index.html

https://www.facebook.com/jicasrilanka

http://www.youtube.com/user/JICASrilankaOffice

the figure shows the total value of JICA programs in each country including technical Cooperation (training participants, experts, Study teams, provision of equipment, JOCV and Other Volunteers, and Other costs), ODA loans (Disbursements) and Grant Aid (Newly concluded G/A Agreements).

Note: Figures in parentheses denote the percentage share of overall JICA programs in the region.Note: Figures exclude JICA’s cooperation for multiple countries and international organizations.

Hon. Basil Rajapakse, Minister of Economic Development officially acceptsfour buses from Kiyoshi Amada, Chief Representative, JICA. Four buses were handed over under JICA’s Technical Cooperation project, Training for Frontline Officers Working to Actively promote Rural Development

(FORWARD project) at a ceremony at the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA) on 7 August, 2014. The buses will make travel easier for Grama Niladharis, Samurdhi Officers, Midwives, Agrarian Development Officers, etc., trained under this project to support community development

activities in the North Central, Eastern and Northern provinces.

Source: JICA Annual Report 2013

nes sri lanka - jica · livelihood revival in the northern region of sri lanka” (acdp) project....

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