Empowering the rural poor:
WB lauds Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s rural poverty alleviation program Gemi Diriya has proven
remarkably successful in empowering the poor and raising incomes in some
poorer provinces, said World Bank Sri Lanka Director Naoko Ishii in a
statement issued in Colombo yesterday.
To date, the program has financed 2,140 community infrastructure
subprojects, generated about 18,500 jobs, and provided livelihood
activities to 140,000 households.
World Bank Sri Lanka
Director Naoko Ishii |
It has mobilized substantial resources by promoting savings and
village credit, and by linking communities to financial institutions and
private sector.
Gemi Diriya approach proved extremely successful in transferring
control over decision-making and financial resources to rural
communities, and in building community institutions that are empowered
and able to negotiate with the government and private sector on an equal
footing, said Meena Munshi, World Bank team leader for the project. So
far nearly one million in Uva, Southern, and Sabaragamuwa Provinces have
benefited from this program.
The second phase of the project will benefit the poor in North
Central and Central provinces.
The World Bank yesterday approved a US$75 million IDA credit for it.
The beneficiaries of the Gemi Diriya project is expected to rise to
seven million people in 5,000 villages by the time of its completion in
2016.
The World Bank also supported the first phase of the program with an
IDA grant of US $ 51 million.
IDA credit usually has a 20 years maturity with a 10 year grace
period. |