WUSC Sri Lanka

Volunteers are an integral part in the successful delivery of our programs. This Canadian National Volunteer Week, we want to appreciate all volunteers who have previously volunteered with us - thank you for your dedication and efforts in meeting our objectives, and for the support you've provided to our partners in achieving their goals. We eagerly await welcoming Canadian volunteers back to Sri Lanka, once we know it is safe to do so. Happy National Volunteers Week. #NVW2020 #Volunteers #CheerstoVolunteers

ASSET Closure Facebook Post Friday the 29th of March, 2019 is the final day of the ASSET (Advancing Specialized Skills for Economic Transformation) project implemented by WUSC Sri Lanka and funded by the Government of Canada. We would like to mark this final day by thanking all of those who helped to achieve the results attained by ASSET possible. First to the Government of Canada for their funding and technical support throughout the delivery of the project. Secondly, to our... line Ministry representing the Government of Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Skills Development and Vocational Training. Thanks must also go to all of the WUSC Sri Lanka team and Canadian volunteer technical advisors and WUSC Canada colleagues who were working on and in support of the ASSET project. Their effort and dedication was critical to make sure ASSET was planned, implemented and monitored effectively. A key part of ASSET’s success was due to effective partnerships and collaboration. Thanks therefore must go to all the partners, big and small who helped to ensure programming was relevant, effective and attained results. Partners too many to name here, included: Government of Sri Lanka Ministries and Departments; Private Sector Companies; Associations and Networks; Training Institutions (private and state run); International Development Agencies with whom we collaborated; NGOs; CBOs; youth peers community members; and of course, the 4,081 trainees (37% female) who successfully completed ASSET supported training programs in the H&T, ICT, Automotive and Construction sectors. A summary of overall results achieved by ASSET through its three main project components is presented in the Project Dashboard below. WUSC is also in the process of developing a page on its website where much of the material developed by ASSET will be available for download and use by those interested in continuing to develop the skills training sector in Sri Lanka. The ASSET resources will soon be accessible through the following link: https://resources.wusc.ca/project/asset/ WUSC Sri Lanka will be continuing its operations in Sri Lanka and is continuing to implement the Uniterra volunteer cooperation program supporting capacity building of organizations supporting women and youth to attain sustainable livelihoods across Sri Lanka. Our new country office is located at the following: WUSC Sri Lanka No. 446/14A Meegaha Place Thimbirigasyaya Colombo 5 Tel: 011-2599492 We look forward to continuing to support Sri Lanka’s development and once again, thank all for their support in making ASSET a success. Yours truly, Doug Graham Country Director Sri Lanka

Last Friday, ASSET hosted a farewell lunch for Country Director Doug Graham, which also marked its successful completion of the four-and-a-half-year project cycle. The few remaining ASSET staff members joined the Uniterra team to wish Doug their heartfelt thanks for supporting them round off ASSET on a triumphant note. #WUSC will continue its presence in Sri Lanka through their dynamic volunteer program #Uniterra.

Handing over of a ‘Peace Puzzle’ painting to the VTA The Vocational Training Authority (VTA) of Sri Lanka has been a long-standing partner of WUSC Sri Lanka since the VTAs inception in 1995. It was therefore fitting that as we close the ASSET Office, that on the 26th of March, 2019 the VTA was presented with a ‘Peace Puzzle’ painting that was produced as part of a youth empowerment and peace building initiative under the Government of Canada funded ASSET project. The pain...ting was part of a national exhibition One Nation: Many Colours that was held in both Colombo and in Batticaloa. This particular ‘Peace Puzzle’, which is a collection of individual paintings each telling a story was the work of 20 youth who were following an ASSET supported computer graphic design training course at the Kavantissa Vocational Training Centre (KVTC) in Tissamaharama, Hambantota District. Over a three-month period, the trainees participated in a creative program integrated into the graphic design course designed by Canadian Artist, Paul Hogan. Through ‘mystery painting’ the art was created. Through their painting, each youth shared their story with the rest of the group. Once individual paintings were completed, 12 were selected to be mounted on a large grid frame, which formed a puzzle-like mural. Using the combined images, a longer story could then be created. During the creative process, the youth had fun, connected with each other and learned to reconcile differences through stories and images. The ‘Peace Puzzle’ project created space for youth trainees to nurture bonds of understanding and friendship that grew beyond the duration of the process itself. Receiving the painting on behalf of the VTA were the Director General of the Vocational Training Authority, Mrs. H.Chulangani Perera and the Director, Career Guidance, Job Placement & Promotion Mr. Saman Kalasuriya. Present from WUSC Sri Lanka were: Country Director WUSC Sri Lanka, Mr. Doug Graham; Deputy Project Director, Mr. Timothy Edward; Manager, Gender Equality & Social Inclusion Ms. Puvaneswary Ponniah; and Manager, Skills for Employment, Mr. W. Denzil Fernando. For more information on the One Nation: Many Colours initiative, you can use the following links to access videos that highlight: the exhibition in Colombo; how to create a mystery painting; and images of the initiative from across the ASSET operational regions. #wusc #Srilanka #VTA #peacepuzzle #youth #peace #reconcilliation https://www.youtube.com/watch https://www.youtube.com/watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLqHh6OvsMk&t=247s https://drive.google.com/open https://drive.google.com/open

The Lanka Impact Investing Network (LIIN) and Institute for Development of Community Strengths (INDECOS) were excited about their new partnership to empower female entrepreneurs and strengthen social enterprises in the Matara District. On Friday March 22nd, LIIN Chairman, Chandula Abeywickrema and Director Dr. Michael Nirmal De Silva ran a workshop for 30 of INDECOS's leading entrepreneurs. The workshop focused on impact investing and social entrepreneurship, allowing these w...omen to ask questions to grow their businesses and encouraging them in sustainable and environmental business development. WUSC Volunteers Miranda Podolinsky and Danielle Hak coordinated this training between the two organizations, creating a lasting partnership which will continue after their placements have concluded. #WUSC #LIIN #INDECOS #Trainings #volunteers #impactinvestments #socialentrepreneurships

"On the afternoon of the 19th March, 2019 the WUSC ASSET team were honored to be invited to 'Canada House' in Colombo where Canada's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Mr. David McKinnon and the team from Global Affairs Canada thanked the WUSC team (those present and those absent) for their efforts over the past 4 years in the successful implementation of the ASSET project and for achieving outstanding results in creating opportunities for women and youth. The W...USC ASSET team were very appreciative of the support received from our colleagues at the High Commission throughout the project, which increased the impact of the project. The ASSET project is in its final stages of closure and officially closes on the 31st of March, 2019, though WUSC looks forward to continuing to contribute towards the development aims and ambitions of Sri Lanka through our ongoing Government of Canada funded Uniterra volunteer programme." See more

ASSET Demobilization Continues... Today, 12th March, 2019 the official handing over of one of the ASSET vehicles to Navajeevana Rehabilitation Center took place.Our Country Director Mr.Doug Graham and South Regional Team Leader Mr. Iroshan Halgamuwa presented the keys of the car to Mr. Geeth from Navajeewana Rehabilitation Center. Navajevana was a key partner of WUSC's in the South for the implementation of the ASSET program and in particular for supporting community outreach through social mobilization activities in addition to providing skill training for differently abled in the Hambantota District.

Dear friends of WUSC Sri Lanka and ASSET stakeholders, The end of the ASSET project is drawing close. We wanted to update you on the status of our offices. The first office to close was our Southern office based in Matara which wrapped up operations on the 31st of December, 2018. Iroshan Regional Team Leader South, is now based in the Colombo until the 31st of March, 2019. On the 28th of February, 2019 both the North & North Western office based in Vavuniya and the Easter...n office based in Batticaloa closed. The Regional Team Leaders (Senthoran, Siva and Yoga) are working from home until the 31st of March, 2019. In Colombo, we are in the process of closing the main Colombo office at 16 Jawatta Road. This involves: submitting the final reporting to Global Affairs Canada as well as to the Government of Sri Lanka; sifting thorough our historical archives; handing over project assets to partner organizations and bidding farewell to the ASSET team. ASSET formally closes its doors on the 31st of March, 2019. However, WUSC Sri Lanka is not closing its doors. The Uniterra volunteer cooperation program has moved to a new office, headed by Harshani Samarajeewa, which will serve as the country office for WUSC Sri Lanka. The contacts for that new office are: 446/14A Meegaha Place Thimbirigasyaya Colombo 05 Sri Lanka

WUSC staff have always stood up for ensuring equity for women and have worked towards ensuring Women's rights are protected. #iwd2019 #balanceforbetter #womensrights #equity World University Service of Canada (WUSC-EUMC)

WUSC Sri Lanka would like to recognize International Women's Day 2019! We are confident that our work in support of gender equity and social inclusion through ASSET will continue to progress and that our partners will ensure that women's access to skills training and employment to strive for equity and social inclusion and to contribute further to the economic development of Sri Lanka. ASSET supported 1,693 women through skills training and 1,339 women through Recognition of Prior Learning certification. #IWD2019 #balanceforbetter #buildingsrilanka #labourforce #wusc #youith #women

"Witnessing the Continuing Impact of the ASSET Program" While ASSET stopped programming at the end of December, 2018 and is now in wind down mode, the effects of ASSET continue to be seen. On the 5th of March, Dr. Anver M. Mustapha, the chairman of the Eastern Chamber of ICT (ECICT) was in the WUSC Colombo office to collect the official registration documents and seal for the ECICT. They are now an official body and look forward to continuing to develop their linkages. While in Colombo, the Chairman of ECICT followed up with linkages developed through ASSET and informed WUSC that they are looking for greater collaborations with ICT Apex bodies. WUSC Sri Lanka congratulates the Chamber on this important step in their development and wishes them all the best going forward.

We are excited to be a part of Lanka Social Ventures 2nd International Conference on Social Enterprise and Social Finance "THINK SOCIAL,PRODUCE SOCIAL, BUY SOCIAL" this year. We had the opportunity to hear our own, #uniterra #ceci leave for change Volunteer David Keenan at the panel discussion on How to improve access to capital and finance for Social Enterprises? Some great topics being discusses. #u3 #uniterra #socialenterprise

Last month, a MOU was signed among WUSC SL, Northern Provincial Tourism Association (NPTA) and Northern Province Tourism Bureau in terms of provision of skill training for un-employed youths and capacity building of NPTA in future as exit strategy of ASSET project. Event was held in WUSC SL National Office in Colombo with the presence of Asia Program Manager WUSC-Ottawa. Thanks for everyone who came out!!