Killer Disease

We have stumbled upon a disease with a death sentence – chronic kidney disease among farming families in northern Sri Lanka. Increased chemicals in agriculture are reacting with 'heavy metal' soils and poisoning the ground water. An urgent response is needed to save lives.

Killer Disease

While researching traditional and current cultivation practices in Kunchukulam’s three villages, we stumbled upon an illness with a death sentence – chronic kidney disease. There is growing evidence that increasing use of chemicals in agriculture are reacting with the 'heavy metal' soils of the area and poisoning ground water supplies.

We personally know of Kunchukulam people who have died or are dying from chronic kidney disease of an unknown cause (CKDu) - and these are the people with whom we work closely. Once the disease is contracted a person has only two years of life left!

Sri Lanka is the leading country with the incidence of CKDu, affecting something like 23% of the population in the North Central Province. We suspect the same applies to the Northern Province including Kunchukulam in Mannar District where little research has been conducted. But anecdotally we know the numbers with CKDu are rising steeply.

Help us to save lives! We plan a number of responses:

Providing safe drinking water through a village level reverse osmosis water filtration system
Running a strong advertising campaign to influence farmers to adopt chemical-free agriculture
Conducting house to house research into the prevalence of chronic kidney disease
Testing children and young people for CKDu in order to get the disease in its early stages.

 A starting fund of AU$ 6,000 is needed to kick start urgent measures to reduce the impact of CKDu'..

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Protect Forests...Launch Careers

Fresh eco-friendly career options are energising isolated and jobless young people in Kunchukulam, as an alternative to livelihoods that destroy forests and kill protected animals. 

On the edge of vast virgin forests, the villages of Kunchukulam are suffering from years of debilitating drought. Cultivation is at a minimum. High youth unemployment and geographic isolation force people into illegal activity which destroys the forest through sand and gravel mining, timber cutting and hunting of protected animals.    

This project aims to both protect forests and develop forest-based social enterprises for young people that deliver a legal income. These include guided forest walks, accommodation 'close to nature', opportunities for wildlife photography and a catering outlet serving delicious local cuisine – all owned and operated by young people!

We have established a guest house, are trialling forest walks and built a youth empowerment hub. The hub will act as a training space for IT, computer and English learning, career development as well as an entertainment space and cinema. We need a further $4,900 to pay for an English teacher for a year.

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Kulam Rehabilitation

With local villagers we are creating a ‘demonstration’ kulam to show the broader community how their encroached and rubbish infested ponds can be transformed into beautiful and productive public spaces.

Most of the kulams in Mannar have been filled for housing and roads. The result is severe annual flooding because in the wet season there is nowhere for the water to go!. The rehabilitated kulams will deliver social, health, economic and environmental benefits to locals.

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Cafe Arokkiya for Widows' Livelihood

Imagine a group of widows busy preparing traditional Tamil food and fusion dishes in a busy modern café with groups of tourists and locals rubbing shoulders in downtown Adampan, Mannar District, AND creating a viable livelihood in the process. 

The well-functioning commercial kitchen and café is the anchor for a team of war-affected widows to grow in confidence as they begin to earn a sustainable monthly income, educate their children and slowly rise in social status.

The building is complete and the business up and running. We just need a few extras to make it a going concern. We need a storeroom to house a generator (to withstand the many powercuts), large kitchen equipment and stacks of chairs - approximate cost is $7,500. A contribution toward this cost would be greatly appreciated.

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IT English & Leadership for Religious Leaders

What are the implications of the pace of global change on communities emerging from war? Without IT and English skills it becomes difficult for religious leaders to bridge the divide between ancient beliefs and the challenges of modern life.

Starting with Imams and then extending to other religious leaders, this program aims to get this influential group ‘up to speed’ on counselling skills, reaching young people, interpreting ancient texts for modern times and actively participating in national and global conversations that shape their reality.
 
We now have a fully equipped and functioning computer lab.  We need AU$9,000 for an intensive six month training program in IT and computers, English language and leadership modules..

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Donkey Clinic & Community Education Centre

A great initiative that combines animal welfare and village development. After three long years, we have finally built the Donkey Clinic facility and have started treating injured donkeys. We now need to make the operation sustainable.

The Donkey Clinic & Education centre will be a place buzzing with activity where donkeys are examined, treated, tamed and trained for new uses. The program will also lead to village economic development and a number of start-ups including fieldwork opportunities for student vets from many countries, donkey tourism, even donkey fertiliser!

We need a further AU$19,000 to construct two accommodation facilities with attached bathrooms for volunteers, visitors, and vet students. The rent from the rooms will help with the ongoing care of donkeys, staffing and facility maintenance.

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With your partnership together we can make a difference.