Centre for Women’s Development and Rehabilitation (CWDR) and the Projects CWDR Has Implemented
In February 1991, 11 socially conscious women, aware of the urgent need for an organized welfare system for women, volunteered to form the CWDR.
The CWDR emerged as a grass-roots women’s organization working in the community. Its first objective was to help women who had become victims of shelling by soldiers stationed in Jaffna Fort and of aerial bombardments, as well as women from the underdeveloped coastal villages. The organization provided women with immediate humanitarian relief and, additionally, offered women who had lost the family’s breadwinner the possibility to become self-reliant. The organization initiated the first economic development project for women, providing women vocational training and employment opportunities through the setting up and running of a coir factory and a multi-purpose shop. A year later, in 1992, the organization took over the Poorani Women’s Centre, and thus extended its activities to provide refuge to destitute women and young girls directly affected by the war and by various socio-economic crises, as well as those who faced other kinds of hardships as a consequence of displacement and psychological trauma.
In 1995 the CWDR was registered as an NGO at the provincial level in the Jaffna District Social Services Department, under the Voluntary Social Services Organization Act. Later, in May 2003, the organization also became registered as an NGO at the national level with the Ministry of Social Services under the same Act.
The CWDR currently has centres in every one of the eight Districts of the Northeast. It is funded by local and expatriate Tamils (mostly women’s groups), local NGOs, INGOs, UN agencies, and governments. Funding is from such organizations as TRO, UNHCR, UNDP, UNICEF, FORUT, ILO, Oxfam, ICRC, ASB, BAJ (Bridge Asia Japan), CARE, Save the Children, the Norwegian Government, the Norway Overseas Development Fund, and the Sri Lanka Government Social Services Department.
Rehabilitation projects at regional, district, village, family and individual levels are being implemented to assist women whose lives have been adversely affected physically, psychologically, and economically due to the war. Assistance has been expanded to cover women affected due to other reasons as well.
Assistance provided by CWDR covers individuals who have lost the main provider of the family by income-generation self-employment strategies and loans; village-based saving systems and social awareness – childcare, hygiene and education; resolving and counselling social problems and family violence; locating and assisting destitute women and providing refuge, care and self-employment skills; literacy programmes for the illiterate; evening classes for school dropouts; nutrition programmes for malnourished children and pregnant mothers; and providing skills for small business and craft projects.
CWDR runs five welfare centres for specific projects:
1.) Vettrimani – Victory Home – counselling aid centre for psychologically affected women. 80 women of various ages and backgrounds who have been affected by war through rape by the military, loss, or separation from family, or through social injustices, and abuse by family members are cared for. Most of them were found destitute, roaming the streets. Medical attention is given and their psychological health is monitored. 30 women have recovered, some have returned home, one is due to be married soon; others are currently undergoing vocational training, with 3 having already taken up employment after training.
2.) Niraimathy Illam – Full Moon Home – for women born mentally impaired. Some of these women do not have relatives and others have been abandoned by their families. A few are not capable of speaking and some cannot walk. A total of 26 women are cared for. Activities with shapes, speech therapy, sports and gardening are promoted. Encouragement to attend to their own needs is also given.
3.) Malarcholai – Flower Orchard – for mothers whose partners have been ‘disappeared’ or killed by the military, and young mothers who have been abandoned by their partners and thus suffer social exclusion and poverty. Malarcholai gives refuge to them and their children with the aim of restoring their confidence, giving them emotional support, and opportunity to learn skills that will enable them to function independently in broader society. The children are provided with a day care centre, education and healthy nutrition. Family counselling and reconciliation services are also provided. Six families have been reconciled, one woman has remarried, four others have returned to live with their parents. Legal aid and support are also provided for women claiming childcare support from their former partners. 42 women and 54 children are presently living at Malarcholai.
Basic education is given to those with poor educational backgrounds, and awareness about child-care, hygiene and nutrition is taught. Vocational training and job opportunities are provided to all. With these opportunities 26 mothers are now employed, have opened bank accounts and are saving regularly for their and their children’s future. The women are encouraged to care for their nutrition by engaging in cattle and poultry rearing and vegetable gardening.
4.) Mary Illam – Mary’s Home – refuge for young women aged 17 and above made destitute by the war. CWDR provides the service of relocating their relatives. Since the current peace process began it has been possible to reunite 14 women with their relatives through this service. The women are farming and selling their produce to neighbouring villages. Vocational training is also given, and education and counselling services provided. The centre also assists women who desire to get married. Marriages have been conducted for four women. The new couples are each provided with a marital home.
5.) Senthalir Illam – Tender Sprout Home – for destitute children and displaced children who have lost one of their parents, aged up to seventeen years. The philosophy of the centre is that no one should be deprived of education due to the crisis of war. Therefore, the objective in Senthalir Illam is to provide these children with education and a nurturing environment so that they develop as responsible and knowledgeable members of society. 34 pre-school children attend a nursery school at the centre and others attend a regular school. Sports, drama, music, art and other extra-curricular activities are encouraged. Four students sat for the Ordinary Level examinations and are presently studying English.
Employment Opportunity Schemes run by CWDR
Uthayatharakai – Rising Star – is a brand name for products produced by the organization’s various employment opportunity schemes. The organization provides training and jobs for unemployed women who are the sole breadwinners for their families. The CWDR runs sewing centres, a pappadam factory, multipurpose shops, a coir factory, a motor mechanic workshop, a brick-making factory, a mat-weaving centre, grinding and rice mills, and a 15-acre coconut, fruit and vegetable farm. 120 women are employed in these establishments.
Vocational Training run by CWDR
CWDR offers women training in computer skills, typing, shorthand, typewriter repairs, the food industry, office skills, artificial flower-making, a batik workshop, fabric dying handicrafts, administration, leadership and communication skills, basic literacy skills, visual arts, sex discrimination awareness, and women’s and children’s rights. The objective of the CWDR is that women should be able live independently, therefore the training is designed to develop their skills base, which will empower them in their employment. CWDR also provides an employment service and start-up loans for women’s self-employment. So far the centre has found employment for 600 women subsequent to this vocational training.
Women and children, as the most vulnerable members of society, have been particularly affected by the war and social emergencies. However, because of lack of funds, CWDR is not able to reach all those in need. With more funding CWDR would be able to expand its work to help more people and to initiate additional women’s and children’s development projects.
Originally published April 29, 2004