Australian Direct Aid Program grants Rs 27 million for development projects in 2009/10

On 10 June 2010, the Australian High Commissioner, Kathy Klugman, handed over LKR 6.3 million in grants to five community based organisations conducting small scale development projects in Sri Lanka. The grants were made under the Australian government’s Direct Aid Program (DAP).

Speaking at the occasion, the High Commissioner said, ‘I am pleased to announce, today, a further five small-scale development projects being funded by the Australian Government under DAP. This has been a big year for DAP. We have been able to be involved in projects assisting many disadvantaged groups to provide support where it is most needed and where the results are immediate. There are so many terrific community groups working in Sri Lanka to help their communities overcome challenges. We are proud to be able to support them.’

In the latest round of DAP funding, funds were presented to: Centre for Handicapped to provide artificial limbs for 50 disadvantaged people; People to People Volunteers for a drinking water and sanitation project in Negombo; Dimuthu Community Development Centre for a health and sanitation project in Buttala; Maharagama Youth Buddhist Association to furnish a transit home for cancer patients in Maharagama; Motivation for a training program and distribution of wheelchairs to 200 disadvantaged people in the north and east, and Handicapped International in the Maldives for capacity building program for the Maldivian Deaf Association.

The Australian High Commission has supported 28 projects island-wide over the past 12 months. The total funding provided has been approximately LKR 27 million.  The projects supported have provided assistance to a wide range of community groups doing excellent and innovative work, including to assist, the conflict affected, widows, children, the disabled, the elderly and the rural poor. DAP projects are designed to provide immediate benefits to the recipients who are fully involved in the identification, design and management of the project activities.