Skills upgrading and training for tsunami victims

Pelham Juriansz

There are a number of craftsmen islandwide who have never been exposed to formal training, but have acquired certain skills while working on the job, as assistants to skilled workmen.

These craftsmen are either working for someone or are self employed performing jobs or tasks that require lower level skills.

After the tsunami there are many such people especially in the coastal areas. Thus the Organisation for Professional Associations (OPA) jointly with the department of technical Education and Training (DTET) and the Project for Rehabilitation and Modernisation of Vocational Training Institution (REVO) strive to provide these men and women with basic know-how in one -day training programs to give them the opportunity to improve the quality of their work.

As Elmore Perera, the President for The OPA pointed out at the MOU between the organisations, the basic reason in giving them this kind of training is to enhance their self worth by giving them training. Now they do not look upon themselves as merely masons or carpenters but there is a certain sense of dignity of labour. The Mason looks upon himself as a building technician.

Ms. Brehme, the German national representing the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) described the work of GTZ. GTZ is also involved in the post-tsunami rehabilitation assistance.

The GTZ is an international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations. For 30 years it has been providing viable, forward looking solutions for political economic, ecological and social development in a globalised world. GTZ supports complex reform and change processes, often working under difficult conditions. Consisting of 42 professional bodies the OPA has trained up to 150 craftsmen. The GTZ has given 100 million Euros for the successful first round which will pave the way for a further round of more advanced training.

The funding on the one hand from OPA comes through the kind courtesy of the Netherlands Alumni Association. On the other hand REVO and DTET are assisting in the preparation and implementation of the skills upgrading and training workshops.

Explaining the situation as far as tsunami rehabilitation, S.P.C. Kumarasinghe, the President of the Netherlands Alumni Association of Lanka said that there were some hiccups in implementing the necessary plans due to a lot of red tape involved.

"However our houses are better than some of the other houses built by some other organisations," explained Kumarasinghe "Sometimes when some are given better houses than what they have they are unable to live in it," added Elmore Perera, the President of OPA.