Ecological Conservation & Plantation People (EC&PP)

Promoting ecological conservation and climate justice through the active involvement of local communities in 13 Dioceses and advocate & lobby for the dignity of the plantation communities who are commemorating 200 years of their arrival to the country in 2020s.

Awareness session for Conference of Major Religious Superiors (CMRS) on the Plight of Plantation Community and CSL’s intervention toward Betterment of their Lives

An awareness session for the major Religious Superiors of the CMRS on the social issues of the plantation community in Sri Lanka was held Monday 28 November, 2022 at the Good shepherd Vocational Training Centre at Bolawalana in Negombo. Rev. Fr. Luke Nelson, Director of Caritas Sri Lanka- SEDEC (CSL) delivered a speech on plight of plantation community

“A small gesture of charity in the face of Hunger” Feeding Program by Missionaries of Charity Sisters and Caritas Sri Lanka

  “There is so much indifference in the face of suffering, May we overcome indifference with concrete acts of charity” – Pope Francis  Background Sri Lanka is currently going through the worst economic crisis since its independence in 1948. Years of economic mismanagement, corruption, short-sighted policy making, and overall lack of good governance left Sri Lanka

Catholic Relief Service Representative undertakes visit to Galle Diocese in Sri Lanka

The Executive Director of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Mr. Senthil Kumar visited CODESEP ( Community Development Service for Plantation) in the Ratnapura Dioceses on a fact-finding mission from 5th and 6th December 2022. Rev. Fr. Luke Nelson , Director, Caritas Sri Lanka , Rev. Fr Lasantha Fonseka, Director ,Caritas Sed Galle and Rev. Fr. Anthony

Mangrove Tree Planting Campaign organized by Caritas Jaffna – HUDEC

Mangrove forests are unique eco-systems that have ecological, biological, and socio-economic functions. These types of plants play a vital role in maintaining the equilibrium of the eco-system and ensure the stability of our world. Mangroves are nature’s fundamental barrier against soil erosion, an ideal place for sea plant growth, and a refuge for fish, and

Restored well-opening ceremony at Mandativu Maha Vidyalayam – Jaffna

Mandaitivu Maha Vidyalayam is a government secondary school located in Jaffna District. There are 200-250 students studying in the school. Under the ‘Stepping Stone to Safeguarding Sri Lanka’s Natural Environment’ (SSEP) project by Caritas- HUDEC Jaffna an Environmental Children’s Group was formed in this school. However, the students faced severe drinking water problems here since

Annual Review and Project Design Meeting – Stepping Stone Environmental Project (SSEP)

The SSEP Annual and Project design meetings were held on the 5th and 6th of December 2022 at the St. Jhon Mary Vianney Clergy house, Bulutota, with the participation of 45 project coordinators and field officers. In addition, a few Diocesan Directors from Colombo, Jaffna, Kandy, Kurunegala and Rathnapura were also present during the two-day

World Children’s Day Celebration

Caritas Chilaw and Colombo celebrated the World Children’s day 2022 with the Environmental Children Groups that they have formed under ‘Stepping stone to safe guarding Sri Lanka’s Natural Environment’ project, (SSEP).                                                Colombo Caritas Colombo Seth Sarana celebrated the Children’s day 2022 at Muturajawela on 01st of October 2022. A group of 120 children from Moratuwa,

Awareness Creation on Advocacy and Lobbying for Environmental Justice Issues.

An environmental advocacy related workshop was organized by Caritas Sri Lanka with the active collaboration of Caritas Sethmini Ratnapura under the Stepping Stone to Safeguarding Sri Lanka’s Natural Environment (SSEP) project. This workshop was held on 4th October 2022 at Caritas Sethmini Ratnapura. The SSEP team from National Centre and the staffs from Colombo, Chilaw,

Information Sharing Sessions among the Journalists & Reporters On the Lives & the unresolved Social Issues of the Plantation People In Sri Lanka

Information Sharing Sessions among JournalistsTwo separate Information Sharing Sessions for the Journalists of Mass media were conducted by CARITAS SRI LANKA – in Tamil stream on the 1st June at Nuwara Eliya Parish Pastoral Centre and in Sinhala stream at SED Galle Centre on the 8th June 2022.  The Media personals from the Plantation Dioceses of

Caritas Sri Lanka commemorating the World Environmental Day

Caritas Sri Lanka (CSL) conducted a major cleanup and tree planting Campaign Island wide to commemorate the World Environment Day on 05th of June 2022. Around 2000 adults, youth and children participated in these events. The 2022 World Environment Day campaign under the theme, “Only One Earth” calls for collective, transformative action on a global scale

‘Lighting the lives of the Plantation People’- LLPP An Empowerment Program to better the lives Of the people of the Plantation Community in Sri Lanka

The Plantation Community in Sri Lanka mainly consists of the Indian Origin Tamils who are presently known as the ‘Malayaga Tamils” meaning Upcountry Tamils. As per the historical evidence, the arrival of the 1st batch of Indian Origin Tamil Speaking workers happened from 1823 to 1824, thus making 2023/2024 as the 200th years of their

Tree Planting Campaign at Kahagalla- Haputale

Caritas Badulla- USCOD organized a tree-planting campaign at Kahagalla, Haputale on 26 March 2022 under the Stepping Stone Environment Project implemented with the support of the funding partner, ‘MISEREOR’ The tree-planting campaign was organized by the Village Level Children Group (VLCG) with the support and coordination of the Village Level Elders Group (VLEG) formed under

Caritas Colombo-Sethsarana organized a Beach Cleanup Campaign at Diyalagoda

Caritas Colombo-Setharana organized a beach clean-up campaign on 31 March 2022 from 10am to 10:50am at Diyalagoda. Over the recent years, the environmental composition in Diyalagoda has been rapidly changing due to high levels of human activity and other human-related environmental issues.  During a community gathering in view of forming a Village Level Environment Group by

Visiting SED Galle on the SSEP

Caritas Sri Lanka National Centre team made a Monitoring and Evaluation visit (M & E) to Galle Diocesan Caritas Centre under the “Stepping Stone to Safeguarding Sri Lanka’s Natural Environment Project’ (SSEP) on 30th and 31st March 2022. Rev. Fr Lasantha Fonseka, Director of SED Galle and Mr. Priyantha Indunil SSEP Project Coordinator of the

Mangrove Planting Campaign in Batticaloa

Protecting and restoring mangroves is hugely important in the battle against human-induced climate change. By realizing all the importance of planting mangrove trees, under the  project ‘Stepping stone safeguarding Sri Lanka’s Natural Environment’, Caritas EHED Batticaloa Diocesan center organized a Mangrove Planting Campaign on 17 March 2022.   This tree planting campaign was organized by

M & E Visit to Mannar and Vanni under the Stepping Stone Environment Project (SSEP)

The ecosystem can be safeguarded from degradation only when humans start working towards it. In achieving this objective Caritas Sri Lanka with the collaboration of 13 Diocesan Centers, covering the entire island is in the process of forming 156 environmental groups, under the project titled, “A Stepping Stone to Safeguarding Sri Lanka’s Natural Environment” funded

Pre-Orientation for the Plantation Programme at Mahagastota, Nuwaraeliya

A 2-day pre-orientation programme was held in Mahagastota, Nuwaraeliya on 29 and 30 November 2021 under the new programme designed for the empowerment of the tea plantation communities in Sri Lanka. The programme comes with a 10-year vision and is titled, “Lighting the Lives” – Empowering the Green Gold Harvesters, which is an extension of