Alliance News April-June 2017

T h e N e w s l e tt e r o f

The Sun Shines Again

feature story

ALLIANCE Flood Relief 2017

NEWS A p r

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J u n

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In-Brief Persecuted Womens’ Camp Ministry Workers Learn to Stand Strong through Challenges ADT Signs MoU with Health Ministry School Packs for Flood-Affected Students New Name Board at Vavuniya Police Station Page 06

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I can’t even express my gratitude to your organisation for your support!

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Lawyers Seminar on Religious Freedom

Sri Lanka Police Appreciates ADT

TTI Graduation

ADT Marks Autism Awareness Day

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Alliance News April - June 2017. For private circulation only.

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Lawyers Seminar on Religious Freedom The Religious Liberty Commission of the NCEASL conducted a seminar on religious freedom for 20 lawyers at the Mount Lavinia Hotel on 2 May 2017. The topics discussed at the seminar addressed matters such as the challenges faced in litigation, using the Right to Information (RTI) Act in advocacy, the judicial perspective on religious freedom, legal strategies and the way forward in redressing violations of religious freedom.

The Alliance Development Trust reconstructed the school hall of the Meegahagoda School in Galle.

The renovated hall which was declared open on 1 July 2016, was in a dilapidated state and would leak in the rainy season.

“We are happy that we have received your assistance” says Chamath, a student of the school, who with his friends, helped in the construction work. “We were in much discomfort and you have done us a great service.”

Sri Lanka Police Appreciates ADT The Sri Lanka Police appreciated the ADT at a ceremony held on 8 June 2017 in Vavuniya for the services rendered to the country especially in fostering peace, unity and reconciliation among the different communities in the Vanni Range. This ceremony was graced by the Inspector General of Police, the Deputy Inspector General of Police for the Vanni Range, the ADT’s Regional Manager for the North and the ADT’s Training and Development Executive.

Alliance News April - June 2017. For private circulation only.

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Alliance News April - June 2017. For private circulation only.

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FEATURE

STORY The Sun Shines Again Flood Relief 2017

The situation caused by the heavy rain, strong winds, floods and landslides was a pathetic one. With a total of 603,724 lives affected, this disaster situation is said to be the worst natural calamity following the Asian Tsunami in 2004. The floods and landslides claimed the lives of 212 persons and destroyed homes and livelihoods in their wake. Little students hailing from these areas have lost their relatives, friends, schools, books and uniforms. The injured, the sick and the displaced together with those who lost their loved ones still shudder when the clouds threaten a sunny day. Even after the flood waters receded, the fear instilled in their hearts still live on. The villagers watch gathering clouds anxiously and look up to the mountains looming over their homes with trepidation. Even though a number of agencies distributed relief packs during the floods, a great number of families did not have access to any assistance while most of them received no help to recover from the damage caused by the floods, landslides and the trauma.

Following field visits and with the assistance of community leaders in affected areas, the Alliance Development Trust’s (ADT) relief team made a tremendous effort to reach out to those who were most affected by this disaster situation. It responded immediately to the emergency situation distributing milk powder, tea leaves, diapers for infants and packs of dry rations to those affected, especially those who were displaced and seeking shelter in temporary camps at schools. Thereafter the ADT’s relief

“

I can’t even express my gratitude to your organisation for your support!

“

Alliance News April - June 2017. For private circulation only.

team provided assistance among those affected by the floods and landslides in a bid to help them recover from the disasters and resume normalcy. The post-disaster recovery assistance included packs of dry rations, sanitary packs, nutrition packs for children, medicinal items for children and adults, non-food relief packs and water bottles. Flood and landslide affected students also received assistance in the form of school packs which included a school bag, water bottle, exercise books and other essential stationery items. Students in need also received gift vouchers worth SLR 1,000 to purchase school shoes. During the months of May and June, the ADT assisted a total of 1,689 families and 139 students. These families and students were identified from the areas of Bellapitiya, Nakolawila, Arapolakanda, Thebuvana, Neboda, Bulathsinhala and Horana in the Kalutara District and Dehiowita, Talduwa, Madola, Batangala, Katulanda, Polwatte, Lelwala, Matugama, Mahagama, Kahathuwa, Panawala and Baddegama areas in the Kegalle and Galle Districts.

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Priyanthi of Nakolawila and four other neighbouring households were badly affected by the floods. Their homes were completely inundated and for days, Priyanthi and her neighbours lived in tents pitched in a rubber estate located on higher ground as they waited for the flood waters to recede. For days, these four families were forced to look after themselves, preparing meals with whatever rations they were able to find. Priyanthi recalled how desperate she felt as she also fell ill at this time and had to depend on the assistance of her family members and neighbours. “No one came to our assistance even though the water levels reached up to my head” said Priyanthi as she explained the plight they were faced with.

“Assistance was given to those who lived along the main roads” she explained. “I can’t even express my gratitude to your organisation for your support!”

Alliance News April - June 2017. For private circulation only.

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NEWS IN

BRIEF

Persecuted Women Encouraged 48 Christian women attended a 2 day camp for persecuted women which was held in April. The facilitators encouraged the women through scripture and Bible characters to pursue in ministry through their trials and adversity.

Ministry workers learn to stand strong through challenges

ADT Signs MoU with Health Ministry

The SSTS training seminar was held in June for 35 participants serving in ministry in the Kandy District. “I am more confident to face challenges in the future after this� said a participant.

The Touch Anti-Leprosy Campaign entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine on 23 June 2017. The MoU was signed by the Ministry Secretary and the Director of the ADT.

School Packs for Flood-Affected Students

New Name Board at Vavuniya Police Station

The ADT distributed 139 school packs among flood- affected students from 4 schools in the Kalutara District on 20 June 2017. These packs included a school bag, water bottle and necessary stationery items.

The ADT donated a new name board to the Vavuniya Police Station. This board which was unveiled on 8 June 2017, informs the general public of the new hotline number for complaints made in Tamil.

Alliance News April - June 2017. For private circulation only.

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TTI Graduation The graduation ceremony of rural church planters who had completed the disciple making course by the Timothy Training Initiative (TTI) was held on 8 June, 2017. The 125 church planters who graduated from this course were the second batch to complete this course. The course is conducted by TTI in partnership with the NCEASL. Rev. Dr. David Nelms, the Founder and President of the TTI graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.

ADT Marks Autism Awareness Day The Alliance Development Trust (ADT) organised a special day for the 20 students of the Millennium Institute for Children with Special Needs on 3 April, 2017. The students enjoyed the crafts, activities and games planned for them as well as the special snack which they received from the ADT. The ADT also gifted the students learning material, stationery items and toys, while the institute too was gifted paint, a gas stove and other necessary items.

Alliance News April - June 2017. For private circulation only.

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PROJECTS AT A GLANCE

April-June 2017

MISSIONS AND EVANGLISM • Meeting of 28 Task Force members • ‘Healing through Leadership’ seminar jointly organised with Hope for the Heart for 198 pastors from Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Jaffna

• The first batch of 20 D.Min students commenced the Biblical Institute of Leadership Development (BILD) studies • 3 SSTS seminars for 175 participants in Badulla, Anuradhapura and Peradeniya • 5 seminars on ministry awareness at Kalmunai, Akkaraipattu, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Matale for 315 participants

• Scholarships for 81 war affected pastors’ children • Livelihood support for 13 pastors • Dissemination of 1,250 copies of Namaskara magazine and 1,000 copies of Pezaipura magazine • Assistance to print 1,000 copies each of ‘Gratitude’ and ‘Family Meals and Christian Fellowship’ by G.P.V. Somaratne • Emergency support for 6 pastors • Membership granted for 21 new members to the Ceylonese Evangelistic Association of Sri Lanka (CEA)

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY COMMISSION • Emergency assistance for 4 pastors and a ministry worker from Kandy, Matara, Kalutara and Gampaha • Support for 250 children through the Evangel Care Scholarship Programme • Support for 4 students in Kandy, Batticaloa and Gampaha through the Kids Ed Programme • Legal aid for 6 pastors in Weeraketiya, Aralaganwila, Ingiriya, Marawila and Pugoda • Legal interventions on behalf of the Persecuted Church • Dissemination of 2 incident releases • Advocacy measures and interventions regarding Circular 2008 and other discriminatory practices concerning Christians

• A consultation with 20 lawyers regarding religious freedom issues • A camp for 48 women who have undergone persecution • 36 incidents of violence, intimidation and discrimination recorded within the reporting period • 2 press statements released; one on behalf of the NCEASL, and the other in collaboration with 201 civil society members and organisations

• Online documentation of incidents of persecution via slchurchattacks.crowdmap.com • Engaged in international advocacy efforts by way of 3 submissions made to the Universal Periodic Review process, highlighting the status of religious freedom in Sri Lanka

RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT • Distribution of relief items among 1,689 flood affected families in Kegalle, Kalutara and Galle • Distribution of school packs among 139 students in Kalutara • Established a hotline service in the Vanni Police range for complaints to be made in Tamil • Youth leadership development programme in Batticaloa benefiting 37 persons • Training in bookkeeping for 15 persons from producer groups in Batticaloa • Awareness programme on good governance practices for 46 persons in Batticaloa • Nutrition programme for 100 preschool students in Kilinochchi • Meetings conducted to introduce a self-help approach and child ambassador programme to 208 persons from 10 villages in Vavuniya and Trincomalee

• Established 6 Children Circles in Vavuniya and 4 Children Circles in Trincomalee • Workshop for 8 staff on child rights programming • Leprosy awareness programmes conducted in Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Matale, Kandy, Ampara, Ratnapura, Colombo, Monaragala and Galle benefiting 6,244 persons

• District-level meetings for 78 persons of the interfaith Touch Anti-Leprosy Campaign held in Mannar, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Batticaloa, Ampara, Colombo and Galle