Caritas Valvuthayam joined hands with Stromme Foundation in 2010 for the relief assistance of IDPs. As the IDPs started moving to their own place of origin in the resettlement process, the same funding organization extended its funding assistance for socio-economic enhancement of returnees at 20 villages in Madhu DS division. Through livelihood assistance, Caritas Valvuthayam paved ways for 1550 families for sustainable income sources, formed 156 Self-Helped Groups and established 20 community based organizations.
Unfortunately time has come for Stromme Foundation to exit SriLanka at the end of 2021. At this exit point, Caritas Valvuthayam for the continuous functions of community mechanism, registered 02 CBOs under social service act and 18 CBOs under cooperative act. Still, it is felt the necessity of linkages between CBOs, cooperative department, divisional secretariat and local NGOs. As a result, an exit strategic plan meeting was organized on 23rd of February, 2021 at Madhu DS office under the guidance of ADS. 55 participants, authorities from cooperative department, DS office, local NGOs and CBO members, contributed in the meeting. All stakeholders, shared their services available for CBOs; monitoring, mentoring, guidance, training, annual audit, support for local fund raising, capacity building, marketing linkages, exposure visits, post harvesting technologies etc.
It was an interesting meeting for the officials to know about the greatest achievements of CBOs: micro fiancé loan system, livelihood assistance, school monitoring, advocating for social needs, working for child/gender protection, advocacy, campaigns/protests, work against corruption, shramadana activities in common places, data collection/sharing with field level government officials, relief assistance during covid19 etc. Assistant Director Planning in his feedback says, ‘I first time hear a lot of good things done by community based organizations for the development of their own community members. We are ready to support such capacitated CBOs even after exit’.
