Our Projects

Projects Handled by MWRAF Past and Present

The main donor of MWRAF is Hivos of Netherlands. MWRAF has been one of the few selected 10+ partners of HIVOS. They have funded MWRAF for 14 consecutive years. We have got a further funding for a period of 3 ½ years (July 2007 – Dec 2010). Also for 2011 – the phasing out period.

Challenge for change (2003 – 2006)

This project consisted of 6 components. They are:

Human Capacity Development – Level ii
Para Legal Counselling and Action for Muslim Personal Law Reform
Progressive Interpretation of the Quran to minimize the influence of fundamentalist intrusions and to promote understanding between and among diverse communities.
Action Research & Information Dissemination
Networking, Advocacy and Lobbying for collective action
Programme Management & Monitoring

The project ended in 2010 funded by Hivos with co-funding from Diakonia is, Empowering Communities To Access Rights – July 2007 – December 2010

The projects consists of the following themes:

1. Muslim Personal Law Reform Process, Legal Clinic

2. Peace Building, Conflict Transformation and Reconciliation Initiatives

3. Empowerment and Mobilisation of outreach groups

4. Action Research, Documentation, Publication (including website updates) and Issue Based Networking

To complete this project Hivos further extended part funding for 2011.

Other Projects & Donors

	Project	Objective	Donor	Location/No of Beneficieries	Project Term & Amount
1.	Construction of Training Centre cum Handloom Project/Economic Empowerment of women	To improve the livelihood of the weavers affected by tsunami in the Ampara District	KNH – Germany	Maruthamunai 10 Handloom weavers (Muslims/Tamils)	April 2006 – October 2007
2.	Community Managed & Maintained Collector Wells	To provide a continuous supply of drinking water through the collector wells system To address the health needs identified and promote livelihood development and total well being *A related objective underlying the above is to emphasise the need for peace building, coexistence, and respect for diversity.	Direct Relief International (DRI) – USA	Sori Kalmunai & 6^th Colony (Amparai District) 850 families (average of 4,250 persons) + 2 schools and a dispensary (Tamil & Muslim)	March 2006 – Aug 2007
3.	Establishment of Women’s Centres in Amparai	Building psychosocial wellbeing among individuals and communities living in tsunami affected areas, improving responsiveness for prevention and management of gender based violence.	UNFPA	Sainthamaruthu, Maruthamunai & Kalmunai (3 centres) Approximately 450 women users (Tamil & Muslim)	15^th Dec 2005 -15^th Dec 2007 LKR
4.	Livelihood Development to Tsunami Affected Muslim & Tamil Families	To improve the livelihoods of 270 Muslim and Tamil tsunami affected women in Amparai district through formation of 54 women’s groups within 6 months and 10 sector specific livelihood trainings and provision of seed money.	Lutheran World Relief (LWR) US	17 villages in Amparai district 270 women (Tamil, Muslim)	Aug 2007 – July 2008
5	Tsunami Response (Training for Livelihood)	To fully establish a community/training centre in Kalmunai creating additional income opportunities, Awareness raising on management, nutrition & health for the local communities. (This included training in Recycled paper craft).	South Asia Women’s Fund (SAWF)	Kalmunai Centre renovation 23 women trained (Tamil, Muslim, Sinhala)	Jan 2007 – June 2008
6.	Legal Awareness & Counselling	To establish a counselling unit in the tsunami affected area of the Eastern Province	MATCH International (Canada)	Maruthamunai Centre 18 women trained as barefoot counselors (Muslims)	July 2006 – Aug 2009

	Project	Objective	Donor	Location/No of Beneficieries	Project Term & Amount
7.	Strengthening Inter Religious Solidarity & Intra Religious Harmony	To educate the communities on the fundamental values of religion so that they could mutually understand and co-exist with due respect for one another.	FLICT	Through the Federation of All Mosques in the Amparai District (222 mosques) & Jamiatul Ulamas Direct 400 ] Indirect 600 ] (Muslims)	Dec 2006 – Nov 2007 (Extended upto end May 2008)
8.	Capacity Building of Marginalised Women	Empowering marginalized communities through education and awareness to safeguard rights.	The Asia Foundation (TAF)	Through the Women’s Centres in Maruthamunai, Sainthamaruthu and Islamabad. 30 women trained in human rights education.	Dec. 2007 – May 2008
9.	Cultural Traditions of the Muslim Communities of Ampara & Batticaloa	To increase awareness on the distinctiveness of Eastern Muslim Culture and the linkages with the Tamil Community of the East and to promote co-existence	Neelan Thiruchelvam Trust (NTT)	Publication in English and Tamil to reach a readership of more than 2,000	Aug. 2007 – July 2009
10	Training programme on Drug Abuse Prevention And Peace Initiatives.	To raise awareness on drug abuse, promote self esteem, knowledge building on attitudes values for a healthy life style and to promote inter ethnic harmony through peace initiatives among youth.	GPAAC	Through the Women’s Centres in Maruthamunai, Sainthamaruthu and Islamabad Direct – 90 Tamil & Muslim youths [girls and boys, aged 16-20]	Dec. 2008 – Jan 2009
11.	Strengthening Muslim Women’s Voice Against Violence	To promote the realization of women’s Human Rights by contributing to the eradication of generated Violence Against Women and the development of a Sustainable Peace that benefits women and men equally.	WUSC through Women Defining Peace (WDP)	East & Puttalam Women’s Centre Users Muslim Tamil Communities Women, girls and community in general	Nov. 2009 – Oct. 2011 (2 yrs.)
12.	Equal Access to Justice Project (Phase ll) – Thro’ the Ministry of Constitutional Affairs & National Integration.	Preparation & Publishing of a Manual for training of Quazis	UNDP	Colombo	Nov. 2009 –May 2010 Extension requested until April 2011.
13.	Vocational Training programme for Tsunami Victims of Thirukkovil & Sinnamuhathuwaram and Kalmunai	Two Skills Development Programmes in Tailoring and one in Batik Manufacture	SHARE Foundation	Tailoring–Colombo – 25 women Batik – Matara – 15 women	Total period 18 Months Jan 2010 – Sept 2011 (Jan-March 2011 inactive due to floods)
	Project	Objective	Donor	Location/No of Beneficieries	Project Term & Amount
14.	Vocational Training programme for Tsunami Victims of Thirukkovil & Sinnamuhathuwaram and Kalmunai	Two Skills Development Programmes in Tailoring and one in Batik Manufacture	SHARE Foundation	Tailoring–Colombo – 25 women Batik – Matara – 15 women	Total period 18 Months Jan 2010 – Sept 2011 (Jan-March 2011 inactive due to floods)

The Post Tsunami activities and projects completed in the East

1. Livelihood support – Masons, Carpenters, Electricians & Tailors (Funded by KNH Germany)

Women’s Community Centre – Purchase of land & construction/Empowerment of women (Funded by IWDA Australia)

Livelihood Project -Training of Trainers in Tailoring – (funded by UNIFEM).

Restoration of livelihood – Distribution of boats to 25 groups of Fishermen – (Funded by the Diocese of Colombo).

Livelihood, Social Mobilisation & Capacity Building – Training & Distribution of Tools & equipment to Mat weavers & tailors (Men & Women) – (Funded by Give 2 Asia).

`REVIVE’ – Livelihood Training Prog./Training of 300 men & women as carpenters & masons & distribution of tools – Funded by USAID

Rebuilding Malharus Shams School –equipping the library – (Funded by the Mayor of Stevenage Borough Council – UK)..

Rebuilding Shams Central College library/Maruthamunai (Funded by the Mayor of Stevenage Borough Council – UK).

Supply of library furniture to Shams Central College/Maruthamunai – donated by Baur & Company.

Construction of 25 temporary shelters through ERRO Lanka – (Funded by SPOORTER VOOR AZIE – Netherlands).

Funded partner organization Sri Lanka Muslim Women’s Society for project on, `Training of Widows in sewing’ – (Funded by Indra de Silva – Indonesia).

Co-funding for purchase of land for the construction of a Community Centre – (Leila Bawa – UK)

Purchase & supply of a TV to Saraswathi Primary School (destroyed by tsunami). – (Funded by Derek Cobley – USA.

Livelihood Support – Poultry farming (Funded by Serendib Trust – Sri Lanka)

Educational Support -Supply of furniture to Malharus Shams (School totally destroyed by tsunami and relocated). – (Funded by Serendib Trust – Sri Lanka.

Educational Support – Capacity Building of students – supply of books (Funded by Food Industries Corporation Ltd – Saudi Arabia).

Capacity Building of NESCOD (Field based organizations) – (Funded by Rameez Aboosally of New Zealand).

Funded partner organization Centre for East Lanka Social Service for Dress Making & Tailoring Unit & SUMPDO for self employment for widows through sewing – (Funded by USMAA – Australia.

Construction & Equipping of Pre School & Day Care Centre in Errakamam – (Funded by Imalka Senadira).

Sustainable Livelihood – Poultry Farming – (Funded by the Diocese of Colombo)

Training in Social Mobilisation for researchers and community workers – (Funded by KNH).

Distribution of Bicycles and equipment for fish Vendors in the Amparai District funded by Diakonia.

23. Training in Recycled paper craft – funded by Muslim Ladies Study Circle, Colombo.

Specialised Skills training and Livelihood Support – Current projects

MWRAF has its own handloom training centre. The handloom centre produces high quality sarongs, material, shawls and sarees which are becoming very popular and catching market fast.

Recycled Paper Craft

A team of 24 young girls from all 3 ethnic communities were given training in recycled paper craft and have turned out to be experts at it. One of MWRAF staff members who also underwent the training has emerged a trainer himself. The team very successfully met big orders from HSBC – Sri Lanka & Saudi Arabia, Baurs, Seylan Bank, MAS holdings. They earn an additional bonus on the profits and maintain group savings

Livelihood Support

Livelihood support for bereft women was a book project where money was raised by selling the books to support the 75 women whose stories were related therein to help save them from beggary having lost everything in life and to give them the confidence and support to stand on their own feet.

SKILL training Centre.

Skills and Initiatives for Life and Living (SKILL) centre at 21/25, Polhengoda Garden, Colombo – 5 was started to train the rural and urban poor in the different skills for livelihood. It is also starting a series of English language and Literature classes for students and teachers conducted by specialised teachers.