Sri Lanka"s Community Development and Livelihood Projects 1: Makaldeniya Water Project
Water is one of the most abundant and also one of the most important and valuable resources on the planet.
Without it, all life on earth will cease to exist.
Citizen's access to clean drinking water is a measure of a country's development as well as its people's growth.
Sri Lanka is country blessed with a bounty of fresh water.
But due to numerous setbacks such as terrorism, war, and other civil conflicts still there is much of country especially in the North and East that does not have direct access to clean drinking water.
After the bloody civil war that ended in 2009, the Sri Lankan Government has taken upon itself the tedious and tremendous task of developing the country, through a wide range of development projects spread across the country.
Since Sri Lanka is still a developing nation which lacks the monetary resources to carry out such a momentous task, the Sri Lankan government is focusing on infrastructure development such as Roads, Sanitation and Access to Clean Drinking Water in the hopes of attracting foreign investors who could find ample opportunities to invest in the post war Sri Lanka.
The Makaldeniya Water Project is one such project.
Makaldeniya is a tiny village in Haldumulla located in the Badulla District.
The village consists of 67 Tamil families where the majorities are Sinhalese.
Both communities lived in harmony as a symbol of ethnic unity that was once a greatest strength of our country.
Regardless of race or ethnicity, the people of the village had one problem: Fresh Drinking Water.
Every day they had to trek long distances uphill across rough terrain to access water.
The Ministry of Economic Development under its Gamidiriya Community Development Program launched this water project to help the under privileged citizens of Makaldeniya.
The estimated cost of the project was LKR 1,213,269.
This cost was jointly shared with LKR 363,980 and labor contributed via community itself and the remaining LKR 849,288 being invested by the Gamidiriya foundation.
Instead of using outside labor, the project encouraged the villagers themselves to partake in the completion of the project.
Each family contributed LKR 2000 in cash and worked 29 days to complete the project.
The project consisted of a 600m long pipeline that was connected to a mountain spring at one end and a storage tank at the other.
Using the water in the Tank an almost 3km long distribution line provides water for all households with Tap water.
The project was a great victory to the citizens of Makaldeniya.
It was a project that empowered the people as well as helped build a strong understanding between the Tamil and Sinhala people in the village.
It was a win-win situation for all.
Without it, all life on earth will cease to exist.
Citizen's access to clean drinking water is a measure of a country's development as well as its people's growth.
Sri Lanka is country blessed with a bounty of fresh water.
But due to numerous setbacks such as terrorism, war, and other civil conflicts still there is much of country especially in the North and East that does not have direct access to clean drinking water.
After the bloody civil war that ended in 2009, the Sri Lankan Government has taken upon itself the tedious and tremendous task of developing the country, through a wide range of development projects spread across the country.
Since Sri Lanka is still a developing nation which lacks the monetary resources to carry out such a momentous task, the Sri Lankan government is focusing on infrastructure development such as Roads, Sanitation and Access to Clean Drinking Water in the hopes of attracting foreign investors who could find ample opportunities to invest in the post war Sri Lanka.
The Makaldeniya Water Project is one such project.
Makaldeniya is a tiny village in Haldumulla located in the Badulla District.
The village consists of 67 Tamil families where the majorities are Sinhalese.
Both communities lived in harmony as a symbol of ethnic unity that was once a greatest strength of our country.
Regardless of race or ethnicity, the people of the village had one problem: Fresh Drinking Water.
Every day they had to trek long distances uphill across rough terrain to access water.
The Ministry of Economic Development under its Gamidiriya Community Development Program launched this water project to help the under privileged citizens of Makaldeniya.
The estimated cost of the project was LKR 1,213,269.
This cost was jointly shared with LKR 363,980 and labor contributed via community itself and the remaining LKR 849,288 being invested by the Gamidiriya foundation.
Instead of using outside labor, the project encouraged the villagers themselves to partake in the completion of the project.
Each family contributed LKR 2000 in cash and worked 29 days to complete the project.
The project consisted of a 600m long pipeline that was connected to a mountain spring at one end and a storage tank at the other.
Using the water in the Tank an almost 3km long distribution line provides water for all households with Tap water.
The project was a great victory to the citizens of Makaldeniya.
It was a project that empowered the people as well as helped build a strong understanding between the Tamil and Sinhala people in the village.
It was a win-win situation for all.