A village in the Batticaloa District has about 25 families who settled in this area over the past 22 years. They mostly earn their livelihood through farming seasonal crops, fishing from the local river, and collecting honey from the jungle.
Life in this remote area has numerous challenges. Human-elephant conflict is one of the most serious threats to the villagers’ crop cultivation as well as their vulnerable houses/huts. Lack of proper roads limits their access to the nearby markets to sell their crops and fish. Most of the villagers must walk or use bicycles to traverse the long trek to the main road. There are also no hospitals or schools close to the village.
Perhaps the greatest challenge they face is the lack of access to clean water for drinking and bathing. Currently. the villagers travel about 12 kilometers to retrieve clean water. They do not have sufficient income or savings to have water wells on their own lands and government water supply projects have not been extended to such remote villages in Sri Lanka.
We are happy to report that the ACT Foundation joined hands with Manitha Neyam Trust to build a tube well for this village. Villagers are able to have access to clean water for drinking and bathing, and we look forward to continuing to support ways we’re able to help these rural communities.
