SRI LANKA FOUNDATION INSTITUTE - SLFI

Memo for THE BOARD OF MANAGEMENT -28th August 2000

Re: Structure of SLFI educationall awareness activities

Currently the SLFI is conducting its educational activities chiefly through lecture based programmes with selected participants. In the last three months the educational staff have considered ideas and adopted the following five pronged structure for its educational awareness activities.

1. Selected promotion of printed material in sinhala/tamil especially through the translation of books, book reviews and newspapers as well as assistance in the revision of curriculum and textbooks.

2. The use of popular media, especially electronic media, to communicate and raise awareness about issues and ideas.

3. Development of research based information facilities that can be accessed by all at anytime. This includes the library as well as any other type of special information facilities that may be developed and made available on a 'drop in" basis and could be combined with counsellinglcoaching components.

4. Promoting dialogue and discussion, through public meetings listed by the SLFI as well as focus group meeting on particular issues where the SLFI acts as a facilitator.

5. Lecture based programmes with selected (resident or on-resident) participants as at present.

In the past few months the SLFI has been developing activities in line with the above structure. The following is a list

of such activities pertaining to all except section 2 of the above structure, for information purposes.

(a) Translation of the summary version of the UNDP Human Development Report 2000. SLFI will enter into an

agreement with UNDP in this regard by the end of the month.

(b) Development of a drop in facility that combines elements of providing integrated information individual counselling to assist youth and disadvantaged groups (e.g. disabled people/ex soldiers) to find employment.

(c) Facilitating focus group discussions on improving assistance to the internally displaced. (Final proposal enclosed).

(d) A weekend dialogue on democracy which is proposed to be pursued as an annual event. (Copies of brochure enclosed).

(e) A youth empowerment programme focussing on leadership through participation in civil and political life. A collaborative activity with SIDA involving exposure to youth leaders from other countries.

;

Rukshan De Silva DIRECTOR (Actg.)

28th August, 2000 NdeW/drj

Project proposal For Improving assistance to the internally displaced

Background

Internally displaced persons (IDPs) me individuals or groups of persons who have been forced to flee their homes or places of habitual residence suddenly or unexpectedly as a result of armed conflict, internal strife, systemic violations of human rights or natural or man-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized state border.

Fifteen years of civil war in our country has caused as many as one million to become displaced from their homes. This has initiated the setting up of Government run welfare centers in various parts of the country. Since Jan 1994 (Table 01) the number of displaced persons has continuously increased from about five hundred thousand to about eight hundred thousand (Annex1). Becoming displaced is a painful event in an individual's life. Most of the displaced consists of people who haw been forced to flee their home suddenly or unexpectedly because of war. The war not only has caused displacement but also has made them lose their possessions and their kith and kin. Among those who live in the welfare centers, many of them have spent more than a year in these camps.

Rationale

The government spends billions of rupees (Annex2) on Protection, relief and rehabilitation of these people who live in the 'welfare centers'. However, when we look at the ground situation and the status of these welfare centers and the physical and psychological condition of the inmates, the picture is not wholly positive.
The focus group meetings with number of NG0s and Government officials held in August 2000 at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute revealed that the life conditions of IDPs in the welfare centers is generally poor and the residents tend to lack freedom as well as access to opportunities such as education and employment. Some of dim have been in welfare centers for more than a decade. It is clear that strategies to assist the displaced are in need of further improvement and better coordination.
Objective.

Creating a forum that improves understanding and co-ordination among the target group in providing assistance to the internally displace.

Target Group:

A mixed group consisting of government officials, NGO officers, providers of public services and members of the particular welfare center.

Content:

* Fulfilliment of Physical needs (space, water, sanitation, food) and its importance.

*Fulfilliment of Psychological needs (Recreation centers, Occupation, Education, etc,.) and its importance

* Present situations of !c IDP care - Problems of IDPs and responsibilities of the government towards them.

* How can these agencies fulfill the needs identified as most important.

Methodology / Expected Outcome:

* combination of formal presentations, guided discussions and sharing of experiences will be used towards achieving the following:

* Identify specific and unfulfilled needs of the Displaced people in specific welfare centers.

* Identify the supports that can be provided by Non-Government Organizations and Government Organizations to fulfill those needs.

* Create a forum for Integrating the support that can be provided by these organization for the specific needs identified at the camp level, and improving the coordination between GOO, NGOO and members of the welfare centers at the local level.

* Develop and support initiatives to improve the psychosocial climate of the welfare center community.

* Build awareness among the senior officers of government about the status of welfare centers.

Resource panel:

Resource persons will be selected with the consent of the Director SLFI from the NGO sector and the Government sector.

Monitoring and evaluation:

To be determined

Dialogue on Democracy

What is Democracy?

What does it mean for the Media,

NG0s and Trade Unions?

What does it say about Peace,

Development and societal differences?

Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SIFI) is organizing a two-day forum on Democracy on;

* 26th & 27th August, 2000 * From 9:0O.a.m~6:00.p.m.

Amongst the highlights of this programme are street drama, poetry recitals and Workshops on;

Democracy & Media

Democracy & Diversity

Democracy & Trade Unions

Democracy & Peace

Democracy & Civil Society

Democracy & Development

These workshops will be conducted with simultaneous translation to Sinhala and Tamil.

Competitions and exhibitions of posters, slogans, paintings, lyrics, photographs and books.

* Meals will be at subsidized rates.

* Special Programmes for Children too

For more Information contact;

Mr.Somasiri

Sri Lanka Foundation Institute

100, Independence Square,

Colombo 7.

Tel.695249, 697814 Fax.679686.

Programme for 26th & 27th August, 2000 (some programme on both days)

Time Topic
09:0O.a.m-10:0O.a.rn Inauguration/ 'What Is Democracy?'
10:0O.C.m-10..30.a.m Tea Break

10:30.c.rn~12:30.p.m Democracy & Peace

(Lecture Hall1)-Workshop

Democracy & Development (Lecture Hall 2)-Workshop)

Democracy & Civil Society (Lecture Hall 3)-Workshop)

Special Programme for Children & Workshop for teachers(Auditorium)

12:30.p.m~01:30.p.m lunch Break/ Street Drama

01:30.p.m-04:30.p.m Democracy & Trade Unions (Lecture Hall 11)-Workshop

Democracy & Diversity (Lecture Hall 2)-Workshop

Democracy & Media (Lecture Hall 3)-Workshop

04.30.p.m-06:00.p.m 'Kavi Moduwa`" (Only on 26.08.2000)

Poster, Art, Slogan, Lyrics, Photography and book exhibitions & Food arrangements will be at the lobby

No Prior-registration, No Registration Fees No set times for check-in/check-out
