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Sri Lanka
Access to quality education in
Padiyatalawa
When a 4,000-household survey indicated child
abuse was a major concern at the Padiyatalawa
development project, World Vision Sri Lanka
worked with education authorities at school and
district levels to ensure children were aware of
avenues of action in the event of a situation of
abuse. This has been put to the test and
authorities have acted on information received
from children.
Families report that children are actively speaking
on issues that affect them. Education authorities in
the district are supportive of the approach, and
have encouraged World Vision to extend into
neighbouring areas. The project has also broken
new ground by including sex education as part of
the approach; it is not part of the general
curriculum nationally. The project has received visits
from World Vision community development
program managers from India, who are keen to
apply lessons there.
Resources required to engage children and local
schools in this way are relatively small when
compared to other operational areas. The
number of children reached and the change in
education curriculum are significant, and would
warrant further documentation and extension.
This component is complemented by work to
improve or renew physical resources such as
school buildings, school supplies, accommodation
support to teachers, and scholarships for children.
Barriers to child protection
and participation
The long-running conflict in Sri Lanka may
thankfully be coming to an end with renewed
peace talks. Any celebration of greater peace
and opportunity for development must also
recognise the needs of affected children and
the long-term legacy of prolonged conflict.
Hope for the future can be found in the rebuilt
lives of all, but especially those of the children
benefiting from increased security and
opportunity.
• The tensions of conflict and the legacy of
war have left practical challenges such as
landmines, former child soldiers and poor
infrastructure. They have also left
communities divided, high rates of domestic
violence, and high levels of mental trauma in
children and adults who have had direct
exposure to conflict.
• Children have dreams for their future
and are confident that they can apply
themselves to reach them. Desired
occupations identified by a second children’s
club of 30 children included teacher, doctor,
and engineer. However, the ongoing conflict
was identified by children as the single
biggest barrier they face to fulfilling their
dreams:
“It reduces our opportunities; our village gets
pressure from both sides of the conflict. The LTTE
tax us and threaten us; if you have a business
making profit is very hard. The Government says
that if they suffer casualties near our village they
will beat up the whole village.”
In areas where conflict has been more
apparent and there are over 600,000
currently displaced people (of which
300,000 are children), the effect on children
is more pronounced. Their dreams for the
future are reduced as their exposure to
options is limited. One World Vision staff
member reported:
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