Tangalle Children Relay

A community-based organization - Charity.

PROPOSAL FOR:

Sustainable home gardening project.Marakolliya – Tangalle

Sri Lanka.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

A community-based mothers and children care center called "Tangalle Children Relay" (TCR) has been established at Tangalle, (Sri Lanka) the town surrounding fishing and farming villagers since 2005. TCR will focus on providing knowledge and other materials for the families interested of Home Gardening at Marakolliya Village, where the families are with minor facilitated and struggling to make their daily bread.

TCR will focus on providing required education, training sessions and materials for mothers, especially those who are really impressed of home gardening. It is expected that through the providing of education, training and materials for mothers that it will be possible to have a direct and positive effect on the well being and the nutrition of the young children of the community.

TCR will utilize volunteers who are unemployed women, school leavers and also a paying employee, (probably selected from the same village). Each of them will be expected to successfully participate in training program at the beginning of their work with TCR. This training program will provide basic Poly gardening and composting information that goes for mothers and families at the scheme. Volunteers who demonstrate proficiency during the initial training program will be invited to participate in an advanced training program to learn effective Poly gardening techniques. Each volunteer will be expected to contribute 3-5 hours each week and to continue with TCR for a period of not less than 6 months.

TCR will operate with 1 full time staff member (Project supervisor) In addition, a Governing Board made up of community leaders, Agricultural sector staff and a proposed member of the funding agency will operate to provide overall guidance of the Center's operation. Periodic evaluations will be conducted to assess the value of TCR on,

a) Helping the volunteers to become effective educators.b) The development and introduction of new crops for each season.c) Find solutions or options for major obstacles that might arise during the project period.d) The improvement of their gardening and production.e) Find market if there is any excess production to their daily consumption.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION/STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Child survival in the developing world includes infections, parasitic diseases, malnutrition and the risks associated with low birth weight and high fertility. (UN Informational Letter #37-435) A serious problem exists in the rural villages of Sri Lanka of children suffering from common illness and infections that are attributable to poor nutrition. Though high nutrition foods could grow in the villages, it is apparent that mothers do not have an understanding of what foods exactly contain the most value and how to grow them in their own garden.

The most significant person in the life of the young child is the child's mother. Research has shown that the children of mothers who have an understanding of how to provide good nutrition to their children stand a significantly greater chance of survival from malnutrition during the first three years of life as compared with children of mothers who do not know how to provide good nutrition.

The use of volunteers to provide community service is a new concept in TCR and can be capitalized upon as a viable way to provide trained manpower for the offering of educational services. Volunteers services for the community wasn’t a new concept for Sri Lankan, but the open economy has made a huge impact that brought all the services a cash value. So it is time to bring that concept back to the society and let them share each other for their own sake.

Major obstacles that TCR found by its short research in this village regarding home garden project as follows,

The damages done by commonly scattered Monkeys in large groups. They eat every possible plant in their garden. As the nearby jungle has being cleared for housing and other farming activities, the monkeys used to find their food in those villagers.

Fertilizer cost and unwillingness to use chemicals. Water supply. In certain families, the pipe water is available, but in several other

families, they have to carry water for longer distances, as they are not able to pay the high fee for a new water line. (Approximately one family has to pay 21,000.00 Rs for their water connection) Some families were provided water tanks to collect rain water. But this area is not receiving sufficient rain regularly to fill up their tanks. This is mainly as to the climatically changes. One cannot simply rely on rain water to grow vegetable in this region.

Some families are desperate to grow vegetable once again, as they have already started, but failed with several above mentioned reasons.

But many families are very glad to start growing vegetable as soon as possible; if they were supported at times they need helps. They appealed us to initiate the project soon, when we explained them how we going to work with them in their village.

PROJECT DETAIL

Goals and Objectives

There are two major goals for the "Sustainable home poly gardening" Project and specific objectives within each of the goals.

Goal #1 - To increase the degree of Health and Nutrition among Children and Mothers at Marakolliya village.

Objective #1.1 - To provide nutritious meals for a better and healthy family.

Objective #1.2 - Support to improve their financial situation by leaving a chance for the parents to invest more for their gardening and children’s education.

Objective #1.3 - To teach mothers at village how to evaluate changes in the health of their young children. Make aware them about food nutrition and hygiene.

Goal #2 - To promote the home gardening project for commercial values by encouraging them to grow in larger scales.

Objective #2.1 – Convince them that they are capable of finding extra income by growing vegetable.

Objective #2.2 – Encourage them to grow seasonal crops that grows well in the region. If possible, to provide small scale loans to initiate. Find them the proper technical guidance for a maximum harvest.

Objective #2.3 – Provide especial training of pre and post crop management.

Objective #2.4 – Find them a market for their productions, if there are more than their consumption.

Clientele

The first, and primary, clientele will be the families, who are currently involved with the New Housing Scheme of ADRA foundation. (50 Families)

Methods

The primary methods for achieving the goals and objectives of the Project will be:

Make a through research to identify their needs and problems. To coordinate with existing C.B.O in this community that is active at present. To get the services of experts in the relevant field in the region to give and guide lectures

for the people to get better knowledge and idea of poly bag gardening and its benefits. Explain them the importance of having their own fresh vegetable at home. Explain them the importance of nutrition and health of their own children. How it could

improve their family financially and socially. Provide them a better training with updated technology. Provide them with basic needs, such as compost, poly bags, seeds, and some hand tools. Find traditional chemical free pesticides from the surrounding. Start and guide them towards the goals. If the families are in a position to grow in larger scale, encourage them and find market

for their production. Evaluate the progress regularly to identify the problems. To keep a better coordination with our project sponsors for their comments. Introduce them a saving scheme for the future sustainability of the project.

In addition, a Documentation/Dissemination Plan will be developed by staff to guarantee the systematic collection of information about the operation of the Project and provide the basis for sharing information with other similar projects.

Staff/Administration

The Project will employ one full time staff.

Project Supervisor (full time) –

Make a proper research before commencing the project. Meet the head of villagers like, the chief monk, local doctors, village head master, Grama sewaka officer, Agricultural department members for better understanding of the village.

Make aware the community by providing lectures regarding fresh vegetable and its nutrition.

Visit the village regularly and prepare a work plan with timing frames for each step. Coordinate with TCR management and other relative personals including trainers. Guide CBO towards the goals set by management. Advice the families at any encountered difficulty. If needed get advises from the

management. Check with the relevant experts to determine, which vegetable

could make a better harvest for this region Arrange purchases of necessary material and keep correct records and bills. Evaluate each garden to find out difficulties encountered by them and find solutions. Encourage each family by visiting and promoting them regularly. Coordinate with relevant state officials and private organizations and be updated with

latest technology and utilize them wisely in our project. Arrange awareness programs to update the family members with latest knowledge. Be responsible of the quality of the gardening.

AVAILABLE RESOURCES

Personals- Our proposed project Supervisor Miss. E.M.S.P. Samanmali Prasadi is having a sound knowledge regarding the relevant field. She is also well

experienced of growing vegetable both in Poly bags and ground. Her full CV is attached. Office – Our office is well equipped with communication facilities and enough space for

efficient working background. Management – Tangalle Children Relay has gain a reputation among the community of

Tangalle region for working as a social establishment for the benefit of children’s education and home gardening for the last 3 years.

NEEDED RESOURCES

Personnel – One full time staff at 100% salary. Facilities – A motorcycle of ladies mode. As the working area is scattered in a larger

region (1 ½ square miles) they will gain a better out put if they were given a motorcycle officially. The deadly heating sun at dry months is the most difficult timing that makes walking tiresome.

Supplies - Basic hand toolsPoly bagsSeedsCovering nets against monkeys

Budget -

8 Months -

Personnel (Supervisor) 96,000.00 LKR Transport 10,400.00 LKR Latest knowledge update 4,000.00 LKR Petty cash 3,200.00 LKR Awareness & training program 16,000.00 LKR Stationary 2,000.00 LKR

Donation material

Vegetable seeds 4,000.00 LKR Poly bags 25,000.00 LKR Hand tools 11,500.00 LKR Covering nets 30,000.00 LKR Fertilizer 3,000.00 LKR

Sub total for the first year 205,100.00 LKR

Administration fee (10%) 20,510.00 LKR

Total Budget (8 Months) 225,610.00 LKR

The cost for a motor cycle is not included in this budget.

EVALUATION PLAN

The project will be evaluated every three months and final evaluation reports after each steps. Annual evaluation report will be also presented.

APPENDIX A - TIME LINE (Eight Months)

Month One

o Plan the project for 08 months.o Find the interested group as volunteers to be trained. o Get the supportive details of the families to be joined in the project.o Visit and coordinate with the village CBOs, agricultural department members and

other personals for additional support. o Provide necessary training sessions for basic level home gardening.

Month Two - Six

o Initiate the project o Find solutions for the main obstacleso Experiment different crops for the season. o Introduce more economical crops at basic level.o Evaluate the progress o Present the evaluation report for the sponsor organization

Month Seven - Eight

o Start with the second clientele group.o Continue with the first clientele group.o Provide pre and past crop management training o Encourage and guide them for higher scale crops for commercial targets. o Enhance the project capacity by encouraging the families and joint every possible

member in the family.o Introduce saving scheme for the sustainability of the project. o Prepare and present the final evaluation report for the sponsor organization.

APPENDIX B - Resume of Mahendra Andrahennadige (Project Director)

PROJECT DIRECTORMahendra Andrahennadige

Title:

Country directorTangalle Children Relay

Full CV will be attached.

APPENDIX C - PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE

For the past 04 years I have had a strong concern for the education of children in Hambantota district. This is the area in which I was born and raised. Through my studies at researches I have come to learn that it is possible to increase the educational background of rural village students through well designed and meaningfully focused educational and nutritious programs.

The challenge to the creation and operation of these programs, however, is twofold. First, there does not existing proper education system for rural village student to access University. And second, there does not existing regular income for the parents to facilitate their children to be able to reach higher levels. Basically they do not get proper nutrition at their young age to keep them fit and healthy.

Research suggests that the most powerful way to affect the health and education of the child is through the improved understanding of the child's mother and making them financially capable to facilitate their children.

This project will focus on the development of individual families by helping mothers learn appropriate food and nutrition information to help in the development of their children. And, it will occur in a local community location, where these families are living.

Further, the Project will work upon building successful community organization involving volunteers to make this project sustainable and effective even TCR is not more to guide them in the future. Right from the beginning the volunteers will be trained focusing the project sustainability.

Mahendra Andrahennadige.

10th September 2008.

APPENDIX D – PHOTOGRPHS

This is one of the families that ADRA Organization is helping to build a home. They do not have pipe water, but a rain water collecting tank. This region does not receive rain regularly. So this water tank does not meet their daily needs. Otherwise the gutter connected to tank is about 4meter. There won’t be much water collected during a rain with this gutter.

This woman is 71 years old and living with his brother of age58. He cannot make enough money for both to live. She did not remember how old she is now. We had to ask for her identity card to check her age. The mud home of single room was very untidy and full of things that she might never use. We had a fear of snakes or other dangerous animal hiding in this room. As we peeped in, we did not see any preparation of making lunch. There was nothing in sort of food items to be seen. We asked what she would eat, but she did not have an answer other than looking down and letting a big sigh.

This mother and daughter has tried several times to grow at their garden, but failed to avoid monkeys. Then they have found pies of fishing net to cover a small room to grow some leafy vegetable.

You may have a closer look of how her home looks like. Some body really should act to help this woman to uplift her life standard. Though she was old, ready to grow some thing in her garden, but she never want to try it, as the monkeys destroyed the garden at any instant.

Here they have prepared a raised bed at the corner, but have risks which to grow as the monkeys will ruin it.

The village has open water sources, but there is no system that these water could go to their garden to be used for farming.