Overview
A Mind-set Change Process involving 6 months of Entrepreneurship Coaching and Psychosocial Interventions per family, setting goals, releasing negative emotions attached to the 30 years of conflict, and making way to achieve a visible goal of doubling the family income within the 6 month period.
This is not the typical Livelihood Interventions usually carried out by the Red Cross for the vulnerable. During the past 3 years we did typical livelihood interventions on 3000 families for whom we have built houses in the North. We considered that as an empowerment. Some are truly powerful success stories and we are proud of those stories, but it’s sad to note that many can not seen as sustainable upliftments. They still make various assistance requests from the Red Cross and from other donors. Financial assistance without a mind-set change, does not allow a sustainable change.
Mind-set change requires a highly labour intensive intervention. A trained Mobilizer and an Asst. Mobilizer (gender balanced) will carry out continuous interventions on selected families individually. For their entrepreneurship goals there will be a financial grant of Rs.17,500 per each family, which can be used directly as the investment, or be used as part of an enhanced micro-credit facility for a greater investment. The mobilizers will be training them in techniques that will be used with the mobilizers direct intervention as a coach, and later the family on their own, once the techniques become habits, to remove the impossibilities that come to their minds when they think of the goal to be achieved. Within this 6 month period of intensive intervention, the family members will be on their own reaching a point of a doubled income level, with full confidence to grow more on their own.
Each Mobilizer and Asst. Mobilizer pair will handle 5 families full time during a month, and for shorter durations during the rest of the 6 months. So as mentioned above, this will be a highly labour intensive program, carried out by well trained staff, with the direct involvement of the Branch Executive Officer as coordination and assistance from government authorities too will be needed for this project. As done for all interventions of the Red Cross, the consent and the knowledge of the GS and the Divisional Secretary will need to be obtained. If the family sets a goal to go for livestock development then assistance of Agriculture & Agrarian Authorities will be needed. Advice and involvement of Universities is envisaged. Each family will be financially assisted to plant and nurture 1 Jackfruit tree, 1 Breadfruit tree and 2 coconut trees. This too calls for involvement of government authorities.
This project will not only be turning these vulnerable families into vibrant entrepreneurs but also will contribute to the climate change reduction efforts. Removing of negative emotions caused by the conflict will not only help in their finances but also in their relationships and also their health. Repeating the words of IFRC Secretary General Elhadj As Sy’s after his visit to the North of Sri Lanka “I did not see victims of war but proud people trying to elevate their lives.” Yes, elevating their lives, making them proud citizens in their motherland, is the topmost priority at this moment!
COSTS
The first slot of interventions under the Family Empowerment Program for the districts in the North will happen for the 17,000 families who have built a house for themselves with Red Cross Technical and Motivational support under an Indian Government Grant. Parallely interventions will happen for the conflict affected border areas of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa.
This will be a highly labour intensive program as explained above and it is estimated that per family a cost of CHF (or USD) 500 will have to be incurred. This will cover the costs of Mobiliser and Asst. Mobiliser salaries, monitoring expenses, motor-bike travel expenses, the initial grant per family, the costs of plants etc.
DONATE
1) The donations should send to the bank directly, as we need to cut down admin fees charged when payment gateways are used. The bank details are as follows:
Name of the Account: Sri Lanka Red Cross Society – FEP
Account Number : 0029 3003 0247
Name of the Bank: Sampath Bank PLC
Branch : Head Office
SWIFT CODE : BSAMLKLX
2) A Donation should be followed by an email to Director General of SLRCS to a dedicated address – [email protected]
The email should indicate the amount of the donation and the donor’s preference district. Each email/donation will be acknowledged and also if the donation is CHF (or USD) 500 or more, the donor will get the option to select the family. The names and other data of families presently under FEP Intervention and families awaiting funds for EFP Interventions will be listed in our web site.
Progress of the family sponsored will be periodically informed to the donor.