Divi Neguma as a model for achieving Millennium Development Goals

U K S Mihindukulasooriya

The Divi Neguma programme is one of the major national development events in contemporary Sri Lanka. It has been implemented throughout the island in accordance with the community participation methodology.

Technical guidance, financial assistance and basic raw materials are provided by the state sector while land preparation, land use planning and maintenance of the crops are carried out by the beneficiaries themselves. Accordingly, 150 families have been selected from each Grama Niladaris’ divisions and supervision and facilitating components for the beneficiaries were entrusted to the four government officials worked at the grassroots level.

The programme is supposed to address the following components of the rural economy in Sri Lanka.

1. Upliftment on the livelihood of low income families.

2. Renovate the minor irrigations such as canals and tanks in the rural areas.

3. Construction of necessary toilets of the rural schools.

4. Construction of the rural road network.

5. Modernization of the Kindergartens and provide the necessary equipment.

6. Modernization of the maternity centres and provide the necessary equipments.

7. Extension of existing rural drinking water schemes.

8. Extension of existing rural electricity schemes.

9. Rehabilitation on the flood damaged areas.

Guidance and assistance

These components would fulfil the basic human needs in the community life of rural Sri Lanka. It is estimated that 78 percent of the Sri Lankan population belongs to the rural sector. If the Divi Neguma strategies would achieve its objectives in a fruitful manner, the poverty related issues in Sri Lankan society would evaporate forever. Also, it should be noted that the government is planning to double the per capita income in the year 2015. Millennium development goals are to be achieved in the same year. So, the macro level millennium development goals have been converted in the Sri Lankan context in micro level activities under the agenda of the Divi Neguma programme.

The first objective of the MDG is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. In order to achieve the said objective, the programme is being introduced and implemented following activities at the grassroots level in Sri Lankan society.

1. Introduction of one hundred home gardening projects at each Grama Niladari Division.

2. In addition to the guidance and assistance provided to the selected beneficiaries by the government officials, fisheries and animal husbandry projects were offered to the selected target groups.

3. The programme is aimed to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables by 25 percent among the beneficiaries.

4. Eradication of malnutrition status in the rural communities by increasing the food cultivation, animal husbandry and domestic fisheries industry in Sri Lanka.

5. Encourage the usages of technologies in agriculture and industry sector in order to increase the domestic productivity. Divi Neguma programme architecture has been designed to provide basic infrastructure facilities for montessoris in order to upgrade the level of primary education in Sri Lanka. This is co-related with the second goal of the MDG. The second goal of the MDG is to provide universal primary education for all.

Teaching materials

The Divi Neguma programme has already planned to offer teaching materials, equipment and other common amenities for the Kindergartens. In addition to the Divi Neguma programme, the Childcare and Women’s Affairs Ministry has already provided a glass of milk for every nursery student on daily basis free of charge.

One of the key components of the Divi Neguma programme is to ensure maternity health. This factor is directly linked with three goals of the MDG. Improvement of the maternal health, reduce child morality and promote gender equality and empower women have become three main pillars of the MDG. The Divi Neguma programme has taken following steps to protect the maternity health.

1. Modernization of two maternity centres at least in one Divisional Secretariat division and provide basic amenities, such as, medical equipment, proper seating arrangements, drinking water and audiovisual equipment.

2. Encourage women to consume additional amounts of fruit and vegetables which are grown in their own gardens.

3. Improve the government service delivery pattern towards the women. To do so, special programmes have been designed by the divisional secretaries of the respective divisions. Certain field officers attached to the divisional secretariats were entrusted to carry out special programmes for women. In this exercise, women’s development officer, Counselling officer, social services officer, human resource assistance and Samurdhi development assistance were given special task to promote and protect the women related activities.

4. Family midwife attached to the respective Grama Niladari divisions had been entrusted to carry out various nutrition programmes for women to reduce child morality and malnutrition issues related to them.

Healthy lifestyle

The sixth goal of the MDG is to combat the HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases. Under the Divi Neguma programme happy family concept has introduced to many families. The beneficiaries have been requested to maintain their garden in proper manner. Also, they were advised to follow the curtain productivity concept for their day-to-day activities.

The personal hygienic factor and correct health habits are practised by the village level health officers, such as, family midwife and Public Health officers. Prevention of such diseases, beneficiaries were trained to clear the gardens on regular manner, usage of organic fertilizer which they produced from their own lands, drink pure water and consumed balanced diet. It is evident that most of the beneficiaries had prevented from such diseases due to an awareness campaign conducted under the Divi Neguma programme. So the programme could be defined as a multi sectoral approach for the development.

As far as the issues on environmental sustainability, the Divi Neguma programme has approached with the productive outcomes. The programme has increased awareness and understanding of environmental sanitation and the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This has emphasized at its first stage. Also, the programme has provided financial allocation for community healthcare services and ensures safe water and toilet facilities as well. In collaboration with the local authorities, divisional secretaries launched an efficient garbage collection system.

Develop a global partnership for development would be the ultimate objective of the Divi Neguma programme. In order to do so, it will gradually overcome the barriers for development. Therefore, the Divi Neguma programme seems to be a Sri Lankan model for achieving the millennium development goals.

The writer is a Government Agent/District Secretary, Moneragala