Vital Assistance to Internally Displaced Persons Returning to Northern Sri Lanka - World Vision 2010

The decades-long conflict between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and Sri Lankan government forces ended in May 2009. Approximately 300 000 civilians were displaced in the final stages of the conflict and most were placed in government-controlled camps. These internally displaced persons (IDPs) are now returning to their home areas and are starting to rebuild their lives. However they continue to require humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs. In addition a number of IDPs remain in the camps where they are completely dependent upon assistance. CIDA's contribution is supporting World Vision to meet the needs of returnees in the areas of water hygiene and hygiene education and child protection. Project activities include: the rehabilitation and clean-up of community wells; the provision of hygiene kits to women and children; the promotion of hygiene education; assistance to vulnerable children; the provision of mine risk education to children and families; and building the capacity of local authorities and communities to address child protection needs in the areas of return.