http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=Livelihood_Improvement_project_makessteady_progress_20130209_02

Livelihood Improvement project makes steady progress

The Ministry of Economic Development has trained over 1,825 persons under its second Community Development and Livelihood improvement Project. This is a special programme of the Ministry aimed to strengthen mutual understanding and build friendship between the North and South, by bringing people from the South and arranging them to integrate with the people of the North.

Launched on Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa's advice the project covers 21 districts where over 52 training workshops for community resources building have been held.

Strengthening community leaders for national development, preparing resource builders for this purpose and forging strong bonds between North and South are the objectives of this project. Villagers in the North and South will appoint these community leaders, who in turn will arrange meetings between the two communities.

Accordingly people from the South will be guests in homes in the North where their hosts will serve meals and also give them presents. This North-South friendship building will be an ongoing programme. The project's main target is reconciliation and to remove misconceptions caused by the LTTE which poisoned the minds of the Northerners against people of the South.

Courtesy : Department of Government Information