Designing Ecological Habitats - Gaia Education

Damniyamgama eco-village : sustainable Development for tsunami restoration 201
‘leadership’. The objective of the social empowerment and capacity
building was to develop the necessary institutional and human resource
competencies of the village Shramadana society so as to empower them to
plan, implement and manage village development activities in an efficient,
equitable and sustainable manner. Spiritual development programmes were
also undertaken. The early childhood development unit undertook education
programmes particularly relating to young children. The community health
unit undertook programmes regarding the development of community
health. The women’s movement conducted training programmes for starting
self-employment; for example, training in handicraft production and foodprocessing.
The legal division took a major role in providing birth certificates
and identity-cards for people who lost these important documents in the
tsunami. Such programmes created a dynamically positive impact by actively
involving the community in the early stages. This active involvement leads
to senses of ownership and empowerment – essential qualities for eventual
self-management of the Village.
Infrastructure and Development
The Damniyamgama Ecovillage presently hosts 220 people in 55 families.
All are tsunami survivors in the Kalutara district of south-western Sri Lanka.
The village is designed as a model of ‘participatory development towards
environmental sustainability’. Placed on a five-acre plot provided by the
Sri Lankan government, the village features fifty-five eco-friendly houses, a
playground with volleyball court, a central meeting area, a comprehensive
road network, expansive green areas, and a multi-purpose community
centre. The houses and the community centre are equipped with solar panels
for electricity. They receive an ample supply of water through five drinking
wells and fourteen rainwater harvesting tanks, with overflow into drainage
canals. The village also incorporates a sub-terra system, a natural method
for waste-water treatment, and a recycling facility for solid waste materials.
Each household consists of two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and
sanitation facilities that altogether encompass a space of 500 square feet.
Housing design considered drainage and slope of land, access to sunlight
and ventilation. Around 20% of the property is ‘common property’ to be
shared and managed by the community as a whole.
Permaculture Practices in Damniyamgama
Permaculture is the thoughtful design of integrated systems of plants,
animals, energy flows, natural resources, infrastructure, information, etc. to
provide food, energy, shelter, and other material and non-material needs in
a sustainable manner.
Permaculture is a system design of integrating good housing, landscaping,
organic farming, minimisation of waste and maximisation of recycling and