An amputee ( with one arm) has a small goat rearing project supported by KAROD, sponsored by UNDP

scholarship on exchange programme

Our field officers Sr Perinpamalar and Mr Noel went on a scholarship on exchange programme to Aalesund to Norway through the help of Dr. Berwick(Rehabilitation Hosptial)and Dr. Soosai in Oslo to be trained in the Rehabilitiation of the Disabled, specially children with disability.

A three wheeler donation for children home

"SARAMANDA" two families in Switzerland who adopted their daughter in Sri Lanka gave a helping hand to KAROD parentless differently able children to facilitate their transport to hospital, marketing and town by donation a three-wheeler (auto. Help came through the mediation of Rajan Ratnasingam, brother of Mrs Nesaiah (Former government Agent of Jaffna).

Capacity Building

Capacity Building Arbitar Samaritan Bond (ASB) German foundation is sponsoring 10 community Development officers of KAROD to deepen the knowledlge of Counselling by 3 school teachers trained by GTZ in Kilinochchi. For three CDW's trained in physiotherapy.

Your little mite

Your little mite .......for our differently able children and orphans. Received donation to hold a Birthday party for Manoharie's daughter in USA. Children of the Holy Family Nest enjoyed the ice cream and danced to the music.

Violence Against Women

Certificate Distributing Ceremony15 community Development workers (CDW's) of KAROD and staff from other local NGO's had Counselling training on Violence Against Women for a period of one year sponsored by OXFAM. Resource people wer Sr.Christobel and Team from Familian Counselling Centre, Mannar. The Certificates distributing ceremony was held on the 6th of June. This helps to alleivate the traumatised women of Kilinochchi District both the differently able and the able in the villages.

Life and Hope for the Differently Able

Life and Hope for the Differently Able (Housing1.52 KAROD members who are directly affected by ethnicwar and who had their own lands dug their foundationand laid the foundation stones in the District ofKilinochchi in 4 AGA Division - Karachi, Kandavalai,Palai, and Poonagarie to have a permanent houses tolive a decent life. NECORD sponsored a sum of SLR250,000/- for each house. We could build only 2 smallrooms and a verandah. They further need SLR 100,000/-to put up a kitchen and toilet to be comfortable.

KAROD DRAMA in the capital of SriLanka

On the 2nd of April 35 members of KAROD was in the capital of Sri Lanka for the fist time in their life to bring out their talents and skills to prove that they are no more disable but DIFFERENTLY able. As some of our members affected by the civil war, but came to visit the south with the Good News saying we want “PEACE NOT WAR“. There were other dramas staged in the same platform but ours titled ‘MANITHAM MALARTUM’ was first in the rank . Members who acted were amputees, hard of hearing and speech (Tsunami victims) polio victims, sight impaired and those with other deformities. UNICEF supported us to train them through Alakial Kalamantram of Kilinochchi (Vanni).

The content and music, songs were all done by members themselves. All the stories of the drama came from their own experience.

The outcome was audience was surprised to hear the message of PEACE coming from Vanni and till the drama was over they never thought it was done by the differently-abled. Members were very happy to act in a big stage and were able to forget their disability and found equal to others gave them a self esteem. Going around the Colombo town was a unique experience. After that they were invited to Kandy to perform at SETIK, especially for children. There were also students from Bradford Peace Studies Center, who were visiting Sri Lanka from UK. They had an opportunity to meet our members.One of the students who visited from UK wrote to us as

"I recently visited Sri Lanka from the UK, where I am
studying for a masters in Conflict Resolution/Peace
Studies. I came to learn more about the conflict and
the country, and I was very fortunate to be able to
travel to many places within Sri Lanka to meet with a
wide variety of people. During the trip, I visited
Kandy and saw a play put on by KAROD performers,
funded by the National Peace Council. So I am writing
to thank you, and all the peformers, for a wonderful
experience. The acting, music and the message were
moving and inspiring to me, and I thoroughly enjoyed
the play.

You and KAROD are an inspiration, and your work is
astonishing given the immensely challenging conditions
in which you all work. Please keep up the good work!
If you have time, I would be very interested to hear
more about the future projects planned by KAROD? I
would also be interested to know how you became
involved in this work?"

Very best wishes,
Kathryn

FLOOD DEVASTATION AT KILINOCHCHI

25th November, 2005

FLOOD DEVASTATION AT KILINOCHCHI, SRI LANKA, DUE TO
HEAVY SEASONAL TORRENTS.

Attention: All support groups, friends and colleagues

Dear Friends,
Soon after the Presidential Election in Sri Lanka, the
heavy seasonal rain continuously pours for the last
three days, filling all the tanks in the provinces and
major towns in the south and north due to the
depression in the Bay of Bangal. The people living in
the low land areas near the rivers and canals
evacuated their houses for danger of torrents released
from the major tank – Iranamadhukulam.

According to the District Secretariat, about 12,000
families are living in the schools as displaced from
their homes.

We are afraid, if this torrential rain continues until
the end of December, the poor people may die of hunger
and the medical supplies not reaching them until the
roads become better for transportation.

This is a disaster-preparedness arrangement for the
affected disabled, living in all the divisions in the
Kilinochchi district.

We hope, that your support for this programme would
enable us to help the most affected disabled whom
KAROD – Kilinochchi has to care for.

We appreciate your fullest support.
Thanking you.

Yours sincerely,




Flood devastation in the Kilinochchi district

This is to report the general climatic condition,
after the presidential election, the continuous
seasonal shower for the last 3 days and as a result
the entire areas FLOODED due to the filling of tanks.

The whole of Sri Lanka, including the capital city of
Colombo – and other towns in the south, Matara, Galle,
Negombo – and in the North and East, Trinco,
Batticoloa, Jaffna and Kilinochchi have seen the mass
of flooded water, made the people to suffer.

It is reported, in the Jaffna district, 31 Grame
sevake divisions were flooded, including Vaddamarachi,
Vallikamam and Thenmarachchi and the people were
displaced.

In the Kilinochchi district, due to the unprecedented
heavy shower for the last 3 days; have filled all the
major tanks – Iranaimadhukulam, Akkarayankulam,
Maniankulam, Kalmadhukulam and Vannerikulam and other
minor tanks and made all the people to evacuate their
houses in the low lying areas of Paravippanchan,
Vannerikulam, Paranthan and some villages in the
Kandawalai division.

In the Kilinochchi district, in Poonagary division 792
families were displaced; in Karachchi division 2,466
families; in Kandawalai division 2,929 families and in
Palai division 510 families were displaced. As the
families were unable to live in their homes due to
water creped into their houses. They were sheltered
in the 16 schools. About 300 TRO volunteers have
rescued the families from the overwhelming flood
water. The
Government Agent has appealed all the NGOO to help the
displaced people. The normal travelling and transport
to these places are cut down; and the people were
unable to go to their relatives and friends. Due to
the Akkarayankulam and the spill of water; about 300
meters long road areas are under water and the people
are unable to come to Kilinochchi town. About 10 feet
deep water is rushing in these places. About 11,000
homes were affected by the water gushing through their
floor, making them unable to use it for normal work.

In Mullaitivu district, some of the villages are
severely affected due to flood water. In Mullaitivu,
about 17,460 people were affected. In Colombo, 6
persons died due to houses collapsed due to heavy
rain.

KAROD has its experience serving the people in
disaster; normally, our relief services include dry
ration and non food items to the people affected by
calamities in the areas where government and other
NGOO not helping the people. Our services also
limited to disabled persons who lack support from
other NGOO. The dry ration contains basic foodstuff
such as rice, dhall, tinfish, sugar, milkpowder and
tea. The non food items are, mats, bed spreads, bed
sheets, clothes, cooking utensils, lanterns, matches,
soap and water cans. The total cost may rise up to
Rs. 2,000 per family. The food and non food items are
available in retail shops in Kilinochchi. CDO’s could
identify the most affected family or person in their
areas; and distribution could effect, Field Officers
organizing the delivered items to the beneficiaries in
our own vehicles, when the roads become normal.

We are making arrangements to pick about 1,000
affected families who urgently need assistance in all
the divisions as a first step to give relief.

As a total cost, we may need Rs. 2,160,000.00 (21,600
US.DOLLARS) including transport and administrative
charges.

KAROD has its funds assisted by Donor Agencies for
Programmes – Normally the end of December augments
exhausted funds with the final statement. In this
period, the new project proposals to be prepared for
the next year.

Besides, the displacement, there are people who have
lost their paddy cultivation; after spending a large
sum of monies borrowed or otherwise, started
cultivating their small plots to earn an income to
support their families; hopelessly seen their fruit of
the toil submerging in the water.

At this juncture, we look forward for the Relief
assistance to the needs of the most affected families
and disabled persons in our areas and appeal to your
most sympathetic considerations and munificent support
for our Relief Services at this hour of dire need.

Our Bankers are Commercial Bank Ltd., Vavuniya Branch,
Sri Lanka and our Account Number is: 1610066402, the
Swift Code is CCEYLKLX.

Our contact person is Rev. Sr. Lourdes Joseph,
Director, KAROD, Kilinochchi and the telephone number
is 0212285784 – email – mljoseph5@yahoo.com.


Report sent by: Mr. S. A. Leo / Mr. Mugunthan / Mr.
Noel
KAROD, Kilinochchi.

Signed by: Sr. Lourdes Joseph

KAROD - Our Story

The violent conflict in the North and East of Sri Lanka for the last 2 decades has largely ceased following the signing of the Memorandum Of Understanding between the Government of SriLanka and the Tamil separatist group the LTTE in 2002. Although the situation is calm the restrictions in mobility, communication and access to social facilities has yet to improve to really cater to the affected people. The physically impaired and mentally retarded are not able to receive proper treatment or to receive assistance to remedy their disabilities. The hospitals that exist in the District of Kilonochchi are confined to the town areas. The rural communities have no transport facilities to attend hospitals for treatment. The available public transport system is weak and, with higher charges imposed, the poor refrain from travelling. There were no facilities exist in the areas for regular treatment especially for the differently-abled.

However in Kilinochchi district today there are two institutions which offer a service so some of the differently-abled. One is Vetti Manai, which serves mentally impaired women who have no one to take care of them. The second is an organization called the White pigeon, which provides orthopedic appliances to the many war disabled people. The central Government is largely absence from this region and has yet to develop any special program for the differently-abled. There are also no international agencies with specific programs in Kilinochchi to assist differently-abled. Many of these agencies do consider differently-abled as a first priority for assistance in selected locations but none have special programs for them.

In this context the differently-abled people frequently loose faith in becoming like others and building self-confidence to overcome the physical handicaps that nature or war have bestowed on them. The caretaker family also tends to think that the differently-abled are a burden from nature and so often treat differently-abled as objects or sick people. The identity of the differently-abled in the community was fading away and psychological trauma and stress was increasing until KAROD was born.

KAROD, started by a group of differently-abled people in 1990, is now the only organization concentrating on their needs with special activities for those with disabilities and livelihood facilities for the caretaker family. KAROD helps create awareness in the wider community, provides counseling, relief assistance, education, medical assistance and income generation activities. Every 2 years, when fund permit. KAROD also hosts a local para-Olympic games.

The main cause of poverty in this region is that the materials needed to build livelihood resources were lost or destroyed during the violent conflict. Now the cessation of hostilities has enabled the wider community to re-build its lost assets but they are not properly mobilized to take the differently-abled along with them. These differently-abled, who have lost their natural powers are not easily able to realize that they have alternative abilities within themselves to help them overcome their disaster situation. They were in turn often excluded from community level activities the thinking behind this being that they were powerless unable people.

Politically the present trend shows little difference with neglect shown by the political masters who seem to consider differently-abled as a minor priority in their rehabilitation strategies. The community, displaced by the war, is in the process of returning home and trying to develop urgent livelihood sources. Technical knowledge is being given to these returnees helping them to establish sustainable development livelihoods. But the differently-abled have not been taken into account with technical assistance to suit their existing abilities. This trend in the district makes the differently-abled vulnerable to poverty, marginalization and powerlessness. They can be considered as excluded from the broader community based development

Yet there are positive trends towards the differently-abled. From previous experiences of the KAROD programs it is demonstrated that with counselling and necessary awareness raising, which helps build self-confidence, the differently-abled can attain skills comparable to that of an ordinary person and can be enabled to execute or participate in many community level activities. Once confident that they can create attitudinal changes in the community differently-abled are stimulate to find ways of building their own livelihood sources.

There are still a number of barriers identified that prevents the effective development of the differently-abled community. The culture of the wider community is still not to expose the disability to outsiders. The differently-abled member’s family feels that the disability is a type of disease that cannot be overcome. The people themselves have no idea about the alternative powers they have within them.

In this situation KAROD is making a real difference. The organization has been working with the differently-abled in the Kilinochchi District since 1995. KAROD’s Board members come from the differently-abled community and there is a real sense of ownership of ‘their organization. KAROD’s village volunteers are concentrating on helping their village beneficiaries raise awareness and explored all possible assistance with them to overcome their bodily restrictions or to improve their coping mechanism.

KAROD is the only organization which really gets in-touch with the differently-abled at village level. The staff are exposed to frequent training in how to manage disabilities, develop alternative abilities and to establish realistic rehabilitation programmes. But more capacity building and skills development is needed to enable KAROD to deliver better and more effective programs, Sister Lourdes, of the Holy Family Congrgation, the present Director of KAROD says, ‘the fact that not one beggar has to sit on the A9 Road thorough Kilonochchi to Jaffna is clear evidence that despite the troubles faced by the differently-abled KAROD has played a major role in ensuring that people no longer beg for assistance to survive, a common sight on the streets of Colombo’.