A water purification unit was installed in Welioya, in the Mullaitivu District on September 19. The project was implemented by LAMP; an international non-governmental organization under the financial assistance of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
Country Director of KOICA Sri Lanka Office, Lee Dong Ku; District Secretary of Mullaitivu, Ketheeswaran; Nishantha of the Divisional Secretariat of Welioya; Directors of the LAMP, Ahn Tea-Ju and Jin Sang Min were also present.
The project is being implemented in the Welioya Divisional Secretariat area; one of the areas most vulnerable to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in Sri Lanka.
Being a war-affected area, the villagers in Weiloya District Secretariat also suffer from poverty, poor living conditions, and lower access to public services such as education and healthcare. The major drinking water source in the area is groundwater wells which are easily contaminated with secondary pollutants such as agro-chemicals, and chemical fertilizer are considered as not suitable for safety drinking water. The high prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease in Welioya witnesses the poor quality of the drinking water.
Addressing the need for safe drinking water, KOICA and the Lamp decided to implement a water quality enhancement project worth of 317,730 USD in Wilioya District Secretariat division in Mullaitivu District.
It is 3-year project starts from 2017 to 2019 and water purification units with 60m depth ground water collecting system will be established in three villages enabling the people to buy safe drinking water at a very lower cost. Further, this project will form a specific community-based organization (CBO) in each beneficiary village to sustainably manage the water purification units established by the project. In addition, community awareness on drinking water and sanitation is expected to be raised during this period.
The Government has recognized the importance of providing safe drinking water to all the regions in the country in its midterm (2018-2020) and 8 years plan; vision 2025 (2018-2025) to ensure healthier nation that can contribute to the sustainable development of the country. With the aim of supporting Sri Lankan government’s vision, the government of the Republic of Korea continuously provides the necessary financial and technical supports bringing the other interest parties such as INGOs and UN organizations together to realize Sri Lanka’s development effort. This project marks another milestone in this journey that strengthens the 40-years long diplomatic ties between the two nations.