Korea-funded community facilities in Nuwara Eliya commissioned to public

Wednesday, 11 April 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The opening ceremony of community facilities in six villages of Nuwara Eliya District took place at the Liddesdale Estate and Dunsinane Estate on 6 April.

Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Lee Heon, Government Agent of Nuwara Eliya District M.B.R. Pushpakumara, KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) Country Director Lee Dong Ku and UN Habitat Country Program Manager Dr. Chanaka Talpahewa attended the opening ceremony of the Multi-Purpose Community Centre and Playground at the Liddesdale Estate and the Child Development Centre and retaining wall at the Dunsinane Estate.

The support was provided as part of the ‘Human Development Initiative through Empowerment and Settlement Improvement in the Plantation Settlements’ project (HDI Project). Through the HDI project, the government of the Republic of Korea and KOICA provided $ 2 million to support some of the most vulnerable parts of the island. The project aimed at empowering the plantation communities and increasing employability of the youth; improving climate change resilience and access to infrastructure facilities in plantation settlements; and facilitating the mainstreaming of plantation settlements into administrative procedures. Through the project, six beneficiary villages in Nuwara Eliya District received community facility enhancement such as the construction of Community Centres, Child Development Centres, Open Theatres and other infrastructure such as retaining walls, culverts and access roads. Also more than 170 beneficiaries received vocational training in various fields ranging from tailoring to carpentry, allowing them access to jobs outside of the plantation sector.

KOICA and the Government of Republic of Korea have continued its support for rural and less developed parts of the island since the 2000s to achieve equal and sustainable development. Recently, with the adverse effects of climate change, KOICA has implemented several projects to enhance community resilience to climate change, especially in vulnerable communities. “Assistance in the hill countries reflect our efforts for rural development and by engaging the community people in the entire process of identification of development needs and implementation, we seek to enhance the sustainability of the project,” Ambassador Lee stated at the event.