GoSL-WVL ink MoU to provide water to Sarasalai North

From Left to Right: Ms. Selvarani Nicholas Pillai, Director of  Planning, Eng. E. Jegatheesan, Regional Manager, NWSDB - Jaffna, Mr. Jeyald Antony Rasaratnam, Project Manager, CS-WASH,  Mr. N. Vethanayahan, District Secretary, District Secretariat, Jaffna, Dr. Dhanan Senathirajah, National Director, World Vision Lanka (WVL), Mr. Clarence Sutharsan, Director-Corporate Partnerships, innovations and Public Engagement of WVL, Mr. Jeyald Rasaratnam, Project Manager CS-WASH.

The Jaffna District Secretariat, the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) - Jaffna and World Vision Lanka (WVL) recently signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a pipe-borne water provision project in Jaffna.    

The project will provide household level pipe-borne water to Sarasalai North – the Grama Niladhari (GN) division in Chavakachcheri, an area which has serious water-related concerns. The project will provide 88 households (nearly 350 individuals including 110 children) with water connections. 

This endeavour is an extension of the already-existing initiative called the Civil Society-Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Project (CS –WASH), which World Vision Lanka has been implementing since July 2014 in the Jaffna District. The project, which targets those who are facing difficulties to access these basic needs, is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Australia. The project so far has given access to safe drinking water and sanitation, and promoted hygiene practices among rural folks in the two DS divisions, namely Chavakachcheri and Chankanai. 

The signatories to this MoU were N. Vethanayahan, District Secretary, District Secretariat Jaffna, Eng. E. Jegatheesan, Regional Manager, NWSDB - Jaffna and Dr. Dhanan Senathirajah, National Director, World Vision Lanka. The event was also attended by Selvarani Nicholas Pillai, Director of Planning, Jaffna District Secretariat, Clarence Sutharsan, Director-Corporate Partnerships, Innovations and Public Engagement of WVL and members of WVL management. Commenting on this programme, Mr. Vethanayahan said, “World Vision is a good partner for us for development, rehabilitation and emergency response intervention. We are very happy about this partnership with World Vision and NWSDB – Jaffna.”  

Meanwhile, Dr. Senathirajah said, “I am glad to note that this initiative is focused on an area which we term ‘most vulnerable’ to water and sanitation needs. Sarasalai North GN is an area that has many water quality issues including salinity and contamination. Most of the people use common, unprotected wells. We are happy to be a part of a project that will bring pipe-borne water to their homes.”  

The total funding for this initiative is over Rs. 13 million, of which 75% will be from government agencies (District Secretariat – Jaffna and NWSDB - Jaffna) and the remainder from DFAT funding through World Vision Lanka. This signifies a joint implementation partnership between the Jaffna District Secretariat, the NWSDB - Jaffna and World Vision Lanka (WVL). WVL will play a facilitation and coordination role and work with the government agencies and WASH CBO to ensure fair beneficiary selection. It will also work directly with the Water Board on the execution of excavation and pipe-laying work and construction of champers. World Vision is a Christian, relief, development and advocacy organisation dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice.