First phase of livelihood support for war widows begins

The Ministry of National Integration and Reconciliation, under the direction of President Maithripala Sirisena, will provide livelihood support for war widows as a first phase initiative in the conflict-affected Northern Province under a project titled ‘Healing mind for dignified life’ covering the Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts.

Ministry of National Integration and Reconciliation Secretary V. Sivagnanasothy said under this program livelihood support of Rs. 100,000 is provided to women-headed families covering war widows, women who have lost their household’s breadwinners, women-headed families with missing persons and disabled, women-headed IDPs and refugee returnees and rehabilitated ex-combatants who are caught in the poverty trap. This program was launched to mark International Women’s Day.

He said 132 women-headed families are covered under the first phase of the program. The total cost of the program is Rs. 14 million. This program will be extended to many families in the near future.

Urani village in Tellippalai, Jaffna, which was under the custody of the Sri Lanka forces, has been returned to its inhabitants and the Ministry of National Integration and Reconciliation has initiated a landmark project to construct anchorages and landing sites for the fishing community for which Rs. 4.6 million has already been released to the District Secretary.  A large number of fishing families will benefit from these anchorage and landing sites and re-established their livelihood activities said Sivagnanasothy.

These initiatives have been launched under the direction of President Sirisena as quick impact projects under the reconciliation process.