Mullaithivu is the poorest area in Sri Lanka, located in the north east of the island. This is mainly due to the role it played in the 30-year civil war, being an area where there terrorist group LTTE training camps were located and where the war was eventually ended in 2009. Communities were left without homes, families broken and caught in the cross-fire. Development in this area has been much slower than in other places in the country and still is, due to the reconstruction that has to take place, both emotionally and economically.
The military, inevitably, has a strong presence in the area, balancing the presence of both sides that is needed to achieve reconciliation. By bringing business to the area and creating jobs in sustainable clothing, we are contributing to the effective development of the community, ultimately helping it to regain self-sufficiency.
We work with the Mullaithivu Training and Development Centre to stitch our block printed beach shirts. By doing this we provide training and jobs for local women, who in a lot of cases are the only breadwinners in the family. As well as being paid a fair wage, meals and transport are provided for the workers.
Read more about the Mullaithivu training and development centre here.
This is Sumudu who helped me unpick and hand stitch the buttons onto the first shirt sample. She has worked in the centre from the start and lives with her husband and child an hour away from work. She says she appreciates the free transport.
Things learnt – the importance of being unbiased when considering the impact of effective development.
