Community based healthcare in the east

When the tsunami occurred in December 2004, NHC sent medical teams to the East – particularly to the Kalmunai area as it was one of the worst affected areas.  In the weeks following the tsunami it became apparent that as well as the great need in tsunami-affected communities, there was also a huge need in rural villages affected by 25 years of war. This eventually led to the commencement of a project, partnering with Tear Fund, for provision of preventative health services and screening, Community Health Education in selected communities, and, facilitating improved access to appropriate health services. In 2014 the programme had to be pruned down and currently comprises community health education focusing on children in two communities.

Community Health through Education

Our Community Health Education (CHE) ministry aims to develop communities to achieve wholeness or ‘shalom’. Our teams train people in rural villages giving them basic physical and spritual health lessons and how to share them with their neighbours. We cover lessons such as the importance of clean water, personal hygiene, and nutrition whilst teaching them about forgiveness, loving your neighbour, and purity. Our teaching emphasises each person’s need to take responsibility for their own problems and and find solutions to using community resources; and challenges them to question their current beliefs and practices.

Community Health and Development programme in the East

The community health education programme started in March 2011 for children in Mahiloormunai in the Batticoloa District and Kudiyiruppumunai in the Ampara District continues to serve the communities. These are two villages where we have been running a Community Health Education programme since 2009. Two sports clubs have been formed in each village to engage the children. Activities include:

• Evening classes conducted with the assistance of community health educators
• Inter club games (cricket, badminton and volley ball)
• Development lessons (for community activities) being taught while conducting games and activities two days a week in July and three days a week during  school holidays.

In February 2012 a new livelihood development initiative, viz .sewing training for women was started. Two training courses were held at Mahiloormunai and Kudiyiruppumunai. 13 and 11 trainees successfully completed the six-month training in these villages. The training at Kudiyiruppumunai was completed in April 2013.