100% of this project is based on grass root level community participation. By selecting 25 people from 20 districts to form a team in each district. They are the people who will carry out required work under the project.
Equal particiaption of both male and female. In selecting teams for each district 50% of the ream will be selected form females. This will facilitate gender balance.
Project Results
1. World Environmental Exhibition day - (04th-06th of May 2005 ? Galle)
In order to celebrate the World Environmental Day, the Thurunu Mihisaraniya held an Exhibition at the Sanmanala Ground, Galle. For this Exhibition the Brigades presented 6 exhibits representing their Districts which are mentioned below. Galle, Kalutara, Matara Hambanthota, Rathnapura, Kegalle, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Nuwara Eliya and Monaragala.
At the end of this Exhibition, the beach of the Ma Galle was cleaned by the Volunteers of the
Thurunu Mihisaraniya.
As a result of this awareness raising and volunteer action, the community in Ma Galle is now
continuing to clean the beach regularly.
2. Conference on preventing bush fires in Monaragala District (17th of July 2005)
Many of the government officers, members of school environmental committees, NGO activists,
volunteers of ?Thurunu Mihisaraniya? in Kaluthara, Galle, Mathara, Hambanthota, Monaragala and
Badulla participated in this programme that was held at SANASA conference hall.
The outcome of this conference was that eight volunteers were trained for Kawdawa village, which is
vulnerable to forest fires. The Thurunu Mihisaraniya programme donated fire fighting equipment. Furthermore, these volunteers were introduced to the whole of the Monaragala district through the celebration of World Environment Day, where they will be available to fight any forest fire within the district. Apart from this activity, these volunteers will continue to conduct awareness raising programmes for community members, especially youth, about bio-diversity conservation, controlling of green house gases and soil erosion.
3. Discussion and activities related to removing sand from farm land and waterways due to
the Tsunami, Andaragasyaya in Hambantota
A programme to rehabilitate a Tsunami affected paddy field in Andaragasyaya was conducted on
09.04.2005 Through this programme, paddy fields and irrigation cannels which were completely blocked with sand due to Tsunami in Andaragasyaya, were cleaned, and a discussion was conducted among the farmers and government officers on coastal conservation.
Through this process the Thurunu Mihisaraniya volunteers were able to raise awareness among
225 community members on prevention of soil erosion, land degradation and bio-diversity conservation, which is very important for farmers. Beyond this process, the Sustainable Agriculture Unit of the Green Movement of Sri Lanka is now conducting a long term programme on sustainable agriculture and home gardening for the community.
4. Residential Awareness Programme with the Norway Youth Group 2004-12-(02-03-04)
A three day awareness programme was conducted at Uppaweli Agriculture Centre in Trincomalee District .There were 300 participants representing 20 districts of Sri Lanka. A Norwegian Youth Group Also Joined To This Programme
Topics of the Awareness Programme:
01 Conservation of the Environment
02 Conservation of Bio Diversity
03 Stretching Social Relationships among community
During the three days of this programme participants participated in cleaning of the Nilawali Beach. As a part of this activity, Thurunu Mihisaranaiya managed to keep some garbage bins along the beach of Nilaweli.
Also, the Thurunu Mihisaranaiya Volunteers managed to hang awareness raising boards along the beach, explaining the importance of keeping the environment clean and nice.
5. Tsunami Programme
Thurunu Mihisaranaiya Volunteers began to act on tsunami. Six teams of Green Movement of
Sri Lanka including Thurunu Mihisaranaiya Volunteers covered six regions with overlapping
administrative authority of each divisional and local government authorities. The teams were
deployed to the field on December 27, 2004 morning and they were in the field till the evening of
December 29th 2004. The Thurunu Mihisaranaiya Volunteers co-ordinated most of the field
visits and they are still co-ordinating certain activities of tsunami recovery, rehabilitation and
reconstruction up to date.
6. Sustainable Agriculture Programme
Thurunu Mihisaranaiya programme organized a programme in collaboration with Sustainable
Agriculture Unit of GMSL on sustainable organic farming since 2004. Through this programme
the volunteers of the Thurunu Mihisaraniya managed to discuss the following topics with more
than 450 community members.
? Land Degradation
? Organic Fertilizers
? Sustainable Agriculture
? Traditional Methods Of Farming
We did this programme at, Rathnapura, Kegalle, Matara, Hambanthota, Kurunegala, Polonnaruwa,
Puttalama, Anuradhapura, Kurunegala Districts.
Because of this process the Sustainable Agriculture Unit and Thurunu Mihisaranaiya
Programme of the Green movement of Sri Lanka managed to establish a carder of organic
farmers that are promoting environmental friendly and sustainable life styles among
communities around the country.
