Organization

Physically and psychologically affected by the war, brutality, and ethnic exclusion of the government in 1990 and beyond, the need to improve the lives of the sleepless, tired, and marginalized people and to rejuvenate their lives led to the emergence of this organization with the theme of “well-being for all.”

In Ampara District, with the goal of establishing a non-governmental organization to serve the people of the area, taking into account the affected regions, Mr. Sanmugam Senthurasa called upon significant individuals in various Divisional Secretary units of the district and held discussions about this endeavor. As a result, the Amparai District Social Welfare Organization was founded on August 1, 1995.

This organization primarily focused on the coastal areas of Amparai district, and in 18 village branches across 6 Divisional Secretary Divisions, namely Pothuvil, Thirukovil, Karaitivu, Kalmunai, Sammanthurai, and Navithanveli. Groups of women were formed as beneficiaries, and these village groups began operating under the leadership of women.

Initially, savings activities were conducted through these groups. The Netherlands Embassy provided valuable support by offering the saved money as self-employment loans in a cyclical manner. The funds from this embassy served as capital to further integrate various villages and provide loans to impoverished, female-headed families, and widows for income-generating activities.

Additionally, training was provided to workers operating in the villages. Armed with the knowledge gained through these training sessions, vulnerable individuals in many villages were included in savings activities. Plans and guidelines for their economic development were offered, leading these people towards well-being.

During this period, numerous foreign organizations, such as Diakonia, Oxfam, Kelvitas, Child Protection Norway, UNICEF, World Food Foundation, Canadian World University, and others, stepped forward to support us. They provided vocational training, child development projects, awareness seminars, water and health facilities, housing projects, human rights initiatives, educational activities, pre-schools, libraries, nutrition programs, and more, all of which were designed and implemented.

Our activities gradually expanded and served as a model for other organizations. The companies that provided us with funding expressed their appreciation, and some foreign companies came forward to offer financial support. In the 6 Divisional Secretary Divisions of Pothuvil, Thirukovil, Karaitivu, Kalmunai, Sammanthurai, and Navithanveli, they not only established Divisional Offices with delegated powers but also provided training, resulting in exemplary administration, decision-making, incentives, and efficient financial operations.

Currently, our work continues in 54 villages with 4,873 members and 61 employees under the guidance of our founder, Mr. Sanmugam Senthurasa. More information about our organization’s achievements and objectives can be found on this website