Bogawanthalawa Area Program

Program Type

Community Development

Planned Life Cycle

2010 - 2025

Location

Sri Lanka

Areas of Focus

Health | WASH 

Program Timeline

Status: Active

Progress

1,832children and youth participated in groups and clubs, gathering with peers to develop new skills and positive values

Progress

945people had access to safe drinking water

Progress

505people had access to sanitation facilities like toilets at home or school

A white jeep driving through a muddy path, featuring a rainbow and trees in the background.

Program Details

Context

The Bogawanthalawa community is located in the central hills of Sri Lanka, about 140 kilometres from Colombo, the capital city. The area is famous for its tea. About 70% of people here work on tea estates. Landslides have a negative impact on livelihoods, affecting not only plantations but houses and other crops as well.

Families working on tea estates live in tiny, semi-permanent houses that are often no bigger than 72 square feet. Up to three generations of family live together, and there is serious overcrowding and a lack of privacy, especially for girls and women. Faced with a skyrocketing cost of living, families are often unable to meet their basic needs on a monthly income of less than CAD $40.

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Challenges
Education
Poor school attendance is caused by many factors, including inadequate nutrition, illness, and difficult economic conditions. There are not enough resources, qualified teachers, or classroom space to accommodate the community's students. Schools are not equipped with laboratories, libraries, furniture, sanitation facilities, or drinking water, nor can they meet the needs of children with disabilities.

The conditions of preschools are poor and general school dropout rates are high. Girls often stay home to look after younger siblings while their parents are at work.

Health Care
Diarrhea, acute respiratory infections, and anemia are common in Bogawanthalawa. Over a third of children in the community are malnourished and maternal and infant mortality rates are high.

Child Protection
Human rights violations are widespread in Bogawanthalawa, and children are particularly vulnerable to sexual abuse and exploitation. Children as young as 10 years old are sent to urban centres, where they work as domestic servants and are taken advantage of. Families have a deep desire to improve their children's quality of life, but few have the knowledge and skills they need to make significant and lasting changes.

Water and Sanitation
Most families in Bogawanthala are forced to drink unsafe water. Poor hygiene and sanitation practices result in health issues and environmental harm.
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Plans
Education
To ensure children can access and benefit from quality education, World Vision will assist the community to:
  • Establish academic competitions, study groups, and libraries.
  • Encourage the development of a healthy learning environment at home.
  • Increase teachers access to resources and training to improve the quality of instruction students receive.
  • Improve schools capacities to educate vulnerable children and students with disabilities.
  • Renovate schools and provide them with learning materials, proper water and sanitation facilities, and vegetable gardens.
  • Partner with local authorities to ensure there are adequate preschool facilities.
  • Improve training for preschool teachers.
  • Teach parents and community members about the importance of early childhood education.

Health Care
With the partnership of Canadian sponsors and the community, World Vision will work to:
  • Partner with the Ministry of Health to strengthen maternal and child health programs.
  • Monitor and rehabilitate malnourished children.
  • Establish nutrition support groups, as well as home gardens, beekeeping, and poultry and goat farming to improve children's nutrient intake.
  • Partner with local authorities to improve health care facilities and staff training.

Child Protection
To ensure children and youth enjoy a safe and protected environment, World Vision will work to:
  • Develop strong local leadership to monitor children's safety and wellbeing in the community.
  • Prevent instances of child labour, child abuse, and gender inequality.
  • Train community-based children's rights groups to spread awareness and address child protection issues
  • Support children's programs that promote education, leadership, and conflict resolution.
  • Report cases of abuse and support vulnerable children, including orphans, children with disabilities, and child labourers.

Water and Sanitation
In partnership with families and sponsors, World Vision will work with the community to:
  • Partner with local authorities to improve water quality and sanitation facilities.
  • Raise awareness about the prevention of waterborne diseases.
  • Encourage the protection of local water sources and promote the use of organic fertilizer and composting to prevent water contamination.
  • Support the establishment and management of water purification programs.
  • Establish proper drainage and garbage disposal systems.
  • Build sanitary latrines.

Economic Development
To ensure parents in Bogawanthalawa can provide for their families, World Vision will partner with the community to:
  • Establish and support self-help groups and community-based savings and credit groups.
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An image of children sitting on the ground in a classroom, writing in workbooks.

Results

Unless otherwise stated, data presented on this page reflects the most up-to-date results of World Vision Canada programs reported between October 2022 and September 2023, and any previous fiscal years available. Previously reported data may not match the current presentation as we continuously receive and refine data from our programs. If you have any questions, kindly reach out to us.