PROJECT LOCATION

Of all the administrative districts of Sri Lanka, Hambantota and Monaragala districts can be termed as the most uncongenial districts. Majority of the inhabitants are accustomed to an agricultural way of life and the percentage of those who indulge in other ventures both in the government and private sector is very low.

Though the increase in population is to a certain extent great, the land available for cultivation has not increased and those dependent on agriculture and farming have to find a way in such directions, has resulted in frustration and unrest among the people. What is the most essential for cultivation except land is water. Though there are "Wewas" built either by our ancient kings or our ancestors, they are now in ruins; the reason for which need another chapter for discussion and enlightenment, and need reconstruction.

Lack of good system of irrigation has made matters worse. In the absence of such facilities, the farmer has to depend entirely on rain water for their supply of water for irrigation, and this too is seasonal. It so happens that even our rains now are not seasonal, and the factors that have effected, have to be dealt in detail in another place. In certain areas, there is such a dearth of water that people have to go long distance to fetch water for their needs.

Therefore it is now quite evident that lack of water in the rural areas in these two districts has affected both agriculture and the lives of the rural poor. To add insult to injury, there are some seasons, when there comes a long drought, making even the green meadows parched up and the greenery of the trees turned brown, affecting not only paddy cultivation but upland or "Chena" cultivation too. This is the period when the hopes of the farmers are shattered. They feel hopeless and are rendered helpless, to find a way of maintaining themselves. There is no other way but to turn to the "Mudalalis" for support making themselves "serfs" of the lowest order.

Apart from this, when cultivation can not be done due to the lack of facilities, when there happens to be natural disaster in the form of floods or severe drought, the rural poor has to turn to some way of earning to keep their families alive. Hence their desire and willingness to go to other places, perhaps far from home, seeking work on a casual or daily paid basis. On such occasion, the elders, especially the farther and the mother go in search of work, leaving the younger ones in the charge of their elder son or daughter. The parents come back home only at nightfall and by that time, perhaps or most often the young ones have gone to bed.

The parental care, love and affection and recognition of their children are lost, not because they purposely avoid it but the struggle to live has prompted them to do so. Leaving the home by the parents in search of work and coming back only at nightfall develops into a never-ending cycle of human action of the rural poor which ultimately results in the break of the "home". This is truer when the parents leave for distant places in search of work or in search of new pastures. The struggle for a living in such a painful manner, makes the "Home - front" inactive, unhappy and worthless as a family unit.

Illiteracy and ignorance of knowledge of civil life has to a great extent affected the lives of the school going population and have made them go astray or indulge in anti-social activities which have resulted in the breakdown of social and civil existence. Though, to a great extent, the elder generation is uneducated, they desire very much to get their children educated, but the trying conditions under which they live, do not allow them to do so, because provision of facilities can not be supplied by them due to their own poor economic conditions. As a result of this, most of the children in the rural areas leave school with a minimum education at primary education level. The percentage of those students who strive onward with difficulty unto the G.C.E. (O/L) is not very high.

Location Map