KKM VANNI HOPE,

Newsletter May 2017

Reg No - /ABN 19614675231 Reg /No KR/DS/SS/NGO/2015/38 Reg /No /NP/EA/CU/N/01/2009 Re/No LS/JA/1004

VANNIHOPE (Aus) KKM NGO KKM CULTURE KKM NATIONAL

Web page http://kaverikalamandram-vannihope.org/)

Our journey towards -Green nation, Holistic life, bright future.

Our vision,

“The people of Sri Lanka (recovering from years of conflict) working together for positive

Change: creating a future where rights are protected and all are self – sufficient”

Editor’s report – Dr (Mrs.) Malathi Waran

The Journey of Kaveri Kala

Mandram (KKM), the brain child of

Reverend Joshua, commenced 15

years ago with the focus initially on

lending a helping hand to war

affected communities and people with leprosy. At the

end of the war, in 2009, the implementing body,

KKM – Vanni Hope evolved. In 2013, a fund-raising

arm initially termed Friends of Australia and later

known as Vanni Hope unfolded.

This organization continues to strive forward to

assist and bolster the vulnerable members of our

community as they emerge from the trials of war.

Our endeavors rely on financial support from our

fund raisers & sponsors and on our committed

ground staff to efficiently implement projects to

enhance and enrich the lives of the community who

reach out for assistance.

Vanni Hope’s success lies in the dedication of its

members, the steady communication between the

ground staff and our directors and the ongoing

financial support afforded by our generous

diaspora.

.

Team leader’s report – Mrs K Subajini

As team leader, my task is to guide

and manage the staff who are

entrusted with seeking out areas of

need, preparing project proposals,

sending out the proposals to Ranjan

(one of our Vanni Hope directors in

Australia), and, once funding is secured, executing

the projects and finally, providing timely feedback to

our sponsors.

We encounter some challenges. With so many

community members who have lost family members,

have become injured, have been displaced and lost

their possessions, it is certainly a challenge to

identify and priorities the most deserving. Many

members live in very remote areas and it is also a

challenge to access them. Another challenge is to

continue to support and encourage the beneficiaries

to ensure they continue to grow and eventually

become self-sufficient.

Our rewards – we all see our vocation as an

opportunity to serve our community. It is very

rewarding indeed to see children and adults who

were once at the depth of despair now managing to

move forward with hopes and dreams.

Our vision achieved by your commitment

Success stories:

Thusyanthi Ramanathan requested financial assistance to

complete her BSC course in Peradeniya University. Vanni Hope

gave a scholarship from March 2013 to 2015. After graduating

from this course, she again requested assistance with her MSC

degree in Agricultural Engineering. She is now receiving help

with her tuition and library fees. She is currently in her 1st year

of MSC degree and intends completing this course by June 2018.

Priyatharshini Muthulingam requested

assistance with her higher education from

Vanni Hope. She completed her 3-year

Psychology course at the University of Jaffna

from 2014 to 2016. Soon after completing this

course she worked giving tuition classes to

scholarship students. From January 2017 to March 2017 she worked as a volunteer at

Vavuniya Hospital. Following this she secured a job with save the children at a tea factory but

after working for a week had to return home for health reasons. She is now continuing with

giving tuition to O’level students from her home.

In May 2016, Tharshan Kanagalingam

requested financial support from KKM to fund

his diploma course. KKM obliged and he

completed his study in the college of Education in

Batticoloa in July 2016. Tharshan is now

employed as a drama and theatre teacher at a

school in Kilinochchi.

Our strategy and journey with war affected communities…….

KKM Vanni Hope strategy KKM Vanni Hope objective Activities Achieved programs from Jan to May

1) Medical services& hygienic

practice

Increase community awareness of prevention measures and management of ill health ( such as malnutrition, infectious diseases, mental illness etc ) in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka

a) Counseling & stress relief program through drama.

b) Nutrition support to person who may be disabled or diseased and living under the poverty line.

c) Special workshops for herbal plantation & village chicken farming to encourage natural food consumption

a) 07 programs

b) 02 project

c) 04 project

2) Dignity & Empowerment.

Reduce vulnerability through effective rehabilitation, education, counseling of war affected communities within the Northern Province. In addition, empower the members by improving their financial status and thereby reducing their dependence.

a) Women empowerment training for disadvantaged women.

b) Livelihood programs through water facilities & agriculture development program for war affected families.

c) Vocational training for disadvantaged youth.

d) Financial support to disadvantaged University & School students.

e) Children empowerment program through village level child care programs

f) Water & sanitation for war

affected members

a) 04 training

b) 14 Projects

c) 0

d) 60 students

e) 43 children

3) Social Integration

Reduced stigma and exclusion of affected community members (widows, children with special needs, physically disabled persons, amputees, ex LTTE) in Northern Province of Sri Lanka.

a) Sports development activities for village youths & school children.

b) Special happiness workshop through dram and creative arts.

c) Special workshop & community based training for disadvantaged communities.

a) 03 Projects

b) 06 Programs

c) 07 programs

4) Research & Learning

Identify social, economic and emotional determinants of war affected community members. Inform them through focus group discussions and book publications.

a) Support Tamil writers to publish books on Tamil cultural thoughts.

b) Support young innovators to advance their creative thoughts & succeed in manufacturing their innovative products.

c) Support to young film makers to publish their community based sort films.

a) 03 books

b) 03 projects

c) 3 projects

5) Resource Mobilization

Increased organizational capacity of KKM Vanni Hope through staff development courses

a) English language development program.

b) Leadership training. c) Special exposal program

for learning.

a) 02 students

b) 4 projects

c) 02 programs

6) Strategic Partnerships KKM, Vanni Hope to amplify the value of our work by co-operating with other organization to achieve our goal & objectives, in working with war affected community members.

a) Encourage volunteer service partnership

with Tamil diaspora community. b) Capacity development program for local

organization (CBO’s) in Tamil land. c) Collaboration & networking among

international Tamil diaspora organization.

a) 18 Volunteers working b) 04 programs c) Linking with 07

organizations

7) Integral Mission Promote and encourage religious and cultural groups to get involved with affected community members.

a) Hindu religion education programs (Araneri) in war affected area.

b) Temple building work. c) Leadership training for temple

committees for community work.

a) 02 program progressing b) 01 temple work c) 03 meeting

Work accomplished in the last quarter:

1 Medical services& hygienic practice

1 Counseling & stress relief program through drama.

(We have completed 07 programs during this newsletter period & 124 people have benefited through these

programs)

2 Nutrition support to persons who may be disabled or diseased and living under the poverty line.

25 Children are getting nutritious food from this project on a weekly basis

3 Special workshops for herbal plantation & village chicken farming to encourage natural food consumption.

04 workshops have been completed during this newsletter period & 342 community members have benefited through this

workshop.

2) Dignity & Empowerment.

1) Women empowerment training for disadvantaged women.

46 Women have completed women leadership training program. (04 training programs have been complete)

2) Livelihood programs through water facilities & agriculture development program for war affected

families.

14 projects have been completed during this newsletter period & 112 members are gaining their income

through this program.

3) Vocational training for disadvantaged youth.

Project has not yet started for this year,

4) Financial support to disadvantaged University & School students.

33 Diploma and University students,

17 O’ Level and A’ Level students and

10 students below year 10 at school have received financial assistance from Vanni-Hope for their education.

5) Children empowerment program through village level child care programs.

Another 23 students from very underprivileged background in Annaivilundan& Inthupuram are afforded not only

their tuition fees but are also provided with healthy food supplements, involved in happiness workshops and taken

on organised tours during their school holidays.

A further 27 students, also from underprivileged background in Annaivilundan and supported by one sponsor

receive similar benefits of food supplements, tuition fees, spiritual studies at the temple on Sundays and are taken

on excursions during their school holidays. In addition, families of 20 out of these 27 children have received

assistance with 20 chickens, a chicken coop, and coconut, pawpaw and spinach plants to help with their livelihood.

6) Water & sanitation for war affected members.

6 projects have been completed during this newsletter reporting period& four blind families & two war

affected families have benefited through these projects.

3) Social Integration

1) Sports development activities for village youths & school children. Play ground work is progressing & battle of Vanni cricket match has been successfully completed through our sponsorship.

Sports clubs & 3 schools have received sporting equipment from us to encourage and develop their sporting activities. A total of 263 youths are getting benefit through this project.

2) Special happiness workshop through dram and creative arts.

06programs have been completed during this newsletter period & 343 children have participated in our stress relief programs.

3) Special workshop & community based training for disadvantaged communities.

07 workshops have been completed, consequently three community leaders have gained experience on community leadership management & Empowerment of

youths.

.

4) Research & Learning

1) Support Tamil writers to publish books on Tamil cultural thoughts. Three books have been launched in the last quarter.

2) Support young innovators to advance their creative thoughts & succeed in manufacturing their innovative products.

Three exhibitions have been held in Kilinochchi to advance art & culture

3) Support to young film makers to publish their community based short films.

Three community development short films have been published to enhance community awareness.

4) Resource Mobilization,

1) English language development program. Staff conversational English language program is progressing well & 16 staff members are

participating in this class.

2) Leadership training.

Four leadership training programs have been completed during this newsletter period

3) Special excursion program for learning.

Two excursion programs have been completed - one for staff & one for community children.

6) Strategic Partnerships.

1) Encourage volunteer service partnership with Tamil diaspora community. Jan to May 2017 18 volunteers have participated in our programs & visited dour various projects. Dr Malathi is currently working with us and she has taken responsibility to publish bi-annual newsletters

2) Capacity development program for local organization (CBO’s) in Tamil land.

04 meetings & workshops have been completed during this newsletter period & 134 community leaders have benefited through this program.

3) Collaboration& networking among international Tamil Diaspora community &organization.

Six partner organizations have made links with our work & they have become involved in our works.

KKM Vanni Hope works with Anbaalayam (Australia)

Blossom Trust (UK), IMHO (USA,)

GOD’S OWN CHILDREN’s FOUNDATION (GOCE) (Australia)

Tamil Engineers ’foundation (Australia)and

Individual sponsors across the world.

7) Integral Mission

1) Hindu religion education programs (Araneri) in war affected areas. Two Araneri School classes are progressing well in Malayalapuram & Anaivilunthan.144 children are participating in these programs.

2) Temple building work.

Temple development work is progressing well. Coconut plantation & fencing work is in progress now.

3)

4)

03) Leadership training for temple committees for community work. Three meetings has been completed

A cricketing

venture titled

‘Battle of Vanni’

is to be funded to

enhance sporting

aspirations of

children.

It is also our intention to

construct a new open air

class room in the

Malayalapuram Ganesha

templegrounds for

usebythe Araneri Sunday

school children.

Proposed

work for

the next

Quarter

Vanni Hope also

intends to build 3

open wells and 9 tube

wells in the next

quarter.

We intend to

commence work

on a shop

frontfor a family

in Akarayan.

We also

propose to

build 2 toilets

and install 2

motors for

existing wells.

Vanni Hope intends to continue the

financial assistance for the 60

Students and the more comprehensive

tuition+ nutritional + emotional / social support

for the 40 severely disadvantaged children.

One of our Australian Directors Mr. G Kandakumar graced us with his presence for one month over March - April this year.

We also had the pleasure of the company of Tharmaratnam Sivaraj and Professor Mailvaganampillai Thavasothy for 2 weeks in March.

Mr. Ramanathan Shanmuganathan arrived with novel ideas on mushroom farming.

Mr. Siva Premakumar visited Vanni Hope in January Dr Preman Jeyarantanam’s visit to encourage our staff with a speech

competition in April was much appreciated. Dr Malathi Waran from Australia also spent over a month with Vanni hope

staff from late February to early April.

Thanks project team.

With thanks

Dr (Mrs.) Malathi Waran, Mrs. Subajini Kuganeswarn

Editor for Newsletter of KKM Vanni Hope30/05/2017 Team leader for KKM Vanni Hope projects

Next issue will be published at the End of October 2017

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