APFED Booklet on Good Practices and Innovative Activities 2005 ...

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Sri Lanka
Project Site Location
The <strong>APFED</strong> project was carried out in Lagoswatta, now
renamed as Damniyamgama1, in the Kalutara District in the
Western Province of Sri Lanka. The village is approximately
4 km from the coastal town of Kalutara which is the district
centre and around 40 km south of Colombo, the commercial
capital of the country.
Background - Problems Addressed and Policy Responses
Waste management is a serious environmental concern
in Sri Lanka. Solid waste management is a burden to local
authorities, and involvement in such at the household
and community levels in urban and semi-urban areas is
etc. 2005
*etc.=Environmental Education
Waste Management and Environmental Education for
Damniyamgama Tsunami Resettlement Village
Colour-coded bins for metal/glass/paper/
plastic and polythene
insufficient. The project was an attempt to incorporate a community-based waste management system
including recycling, reducing and reusing while enhancing environmental awareness in the village.
Project Outline - Objectives and Activities
The project’s objective was to provide a long-term, localised solution to the issue of waste management
in housing settlements with minimal burden on the local authority. Through educational seminars and
demonstrations, the community was made aware of the importance of waste separation, reuse of organic
material as compost, maintaining a clean, and litter-free environment, importance of home gardening with
the produced compost and the benefit of segregation and recycling of non-biodegradable waste such as
plastic, glass and metal.
Impacts and Achievements
The project’s most positive impacts to the site have been the establishment of the collection centre,
funding of composting bins for each household, fostering and sustaining a change in mindset and
encouragement of organic farming. Damniyamgama has established a very progressive, cooperative,
inclusive system that effectively allows residents to dispose of all types of solid waste within their village
in a safe, manageable manner which leaves the environment clean and healthy. Therefore, the project has
greatly contributed to the aesthetics of the village.
Future Challenges
Continuation of the collection programme depends on the commitment of the volunteers and
improvements to sorting practices; therefore, the future challenges are: Continuing awareness
programmes to advocate correct sorting methods; Carrying out door-to-door inspections of the
composting systems to identify problems; Offering incentives through society to best-kept gardens;
Developing a small village market place for organic produce; and Utilising the recycling finances to benefit
the majority of the public.
General Information
Name of the Implementing Organisation: Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement
Type of Organisation: NGO/CBO
Contact: Vinya S. Ariyaratne
Sarvodaya Institute of Higher Learning (SIHL) Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement Headquarters
“Damsak Mandira” 98, Rawatawatta Road Moratuwa Sri Lanka.
Tel: -2647076 Fax: -2656429 E-mail: vinya@sarvodaya.org Website: http://www.Sarvodaya.org
Project Reviewer (NetRes / Collaborators) that monitors the project:
Vinya S. Ariyaratne, General Secretary, Sarvodaya E-mail: vinya@sarvodaya.org
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