EDITIONS: | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |   [ MANRECAP ] Bulletin No.12 Jan 2006 - April 2006 No. 12 Article #1: Santhipuram - village progress  1.1: Construction of Multi Purpose Cooperative Society Outlet Building The construction of this building completed via Women Rural Development Society, Santhipuram taking over the responsibility of Community Managed Rehabilitation with Funding and Facilitation by MANRECAP. This has fulfilled the long standing aspiration of the people of Santhipuram of having a Permanent building for MPCS outlet. This has provided an opportunity to the Community to purchase their Basic commodities at controlled Prices from a central spot. 1.2: Planting of Shady and Fruit Trees In a locality were there is scarcity of water and where the soil is saline, under the guidance of MANRECAP Agricultural Staff and in collaboration with Women’s Group, method of preparing pit with special compose to plant Shady and Fruit trees has been successfully completed. This augur well for the future as surroundings in Santhipuram will have Shady and Fruits tress. The planted tress are being well maintained by the respective Women’s Groups. 1.3: Training in Palmyra based Products For the past 06 months 15 Women from Santhipuram have been undergoing Training in producing Palmyra based products under the Guidance of an experienced and Palmyra Development Board approved Resource person. Currently they are involved in finding a sustainable marketing out let. Once this is established this will be a sustainable Income generating endeavor.   Article #2: Sewa Village / Ganeshapuram / Pali Aru - Overall Progress   2.1: Production of Seedlings for Home Garden In the above mentioned Villages, via already established Nursery Farms, with Community Participation, suitable seedlings for Home Garden and for Highland Crops have been produced and distributed among Families so that even with limited water available for irrigation, they are able to cultivate these vegetables. This now provides vegetables which supplies the much needed vegetables in their daily meals which in turn provides the much wanted nutrition for the children and for the adults.     2.2: Seasonal Cultivation Focusing on Maha Season in order to utilize the Rain water, variety of Bean seeds, vegetables, cuttings of Manioc and Sweet potato were supplied to the Community. People utilized this profitably to cultivate them in their land and harvested these vegetables and they utilized part of it for their daily consumption and the balance they sold to obtain a small profit.     2.3: Supply of seedlings of Shady and Fruit plants At the Plant Nursery established at Sewa Village and Ganeshapuram the seedlings following plants were cultivated in the existing Green House: Red Lady Papaw, Mango, Jack and Lime. These were consequently distributed to the Community during the rainy season at the rate of 08 nos. fruit trees to each family to be grown in their private lands and the shady trees to be planted in public places. Under this activity Pre school and Multipurpose Halls and Schools were supplied with Fruit and Shady trees and these trees were planted and maintained by the Students, Teachers and Parents of Children attending schools and by the Community at MPH & Pre school buildings.     Article #3: Sewa Village - Village Progress   3.1: Construction of Semi Permanent Houses The construction of this building completed via Women Rural Development Society, Santhipuram taking over the responsibility of Community Managed Rehabilitation with Funding and Facilitation by MANRECAP. This has fulfilled the long standing aspiration of the people of Santhipuram of having a Permanent building for MPCS outlet . This has provided an opportunity to the Community to purchase their Basic commodities at controlled Prices from a central spot.   3.2: Harvest of Vegetable The following vegetables cultivated at the Nursery Farm under the direct responsibility of Farmer Organisation were harvested- Beet root, Brinjal, Capsicum, Tomato and Green Vegetable (Keerai). Part of this production was consumed happily by the Community members and the balance sold and the profit made was absorbed into the funds of Farmer Organization.   3.3: High land crop cultivation With the limited water available people were eager to cultivate at least some vegetables in the newly acquired land. This is very much encouraging as in the near future once arrangements are made for water for Irrigation they will be fully involved in Vegetable cultivation.   3.4: Community Water Supply All preliminary works connected with the construction of Tanks and supply lines are under way. Under this scheme community will be supplied with pipe borne water from the 02 existing tube wells with one Ground tank ( elevated up to 5 feet) and partitioned into 4 compartments to supply water to 4 neighbouring families. Currently community is involved in cutting drains for laying supply pipes.     Article #4: Ganeshapuram - Village Progress “Gnanasagaram” the wall Magazine has successfully issued its 5th monthly issue which is supplying current news to the news starved youth.   4.1: Maveerar Library This Library established within the MPH is continuing to supply books, novels , periodicals and News papers to the Community.   4.2: Evening classes These classes mooted with the idea of uplifting the educational capacity of the students is continuing with the help of devoted educated youth who are conducting classes.   4.3: Cement Block making enterprise All the required quantity of Cement Blocks required for the construction of 200 nos. Semi Permanent Houses constructed at Moonrampiddy by ZOA was produced and supplied by the Block making groups of Ganeshapuram. Beside the Group members earning their wages RDS made a profit of Rs. 26,302.00   Article #5: Pali Aru - Village Progress With facilitation by MANRECAP Surveyors completed blocking out 88 piece of land of half an acre extend.   Article #6: Kurai / Seethuvinayagarkulam - Village Progress   With the collaboration of Farmer Organization and with the contribution of the Community Red Lady Papaw is cultivated in Polythene bags. Farmer Organization will be responsible for selling these seed lings to the Community members in MANRECAP Focal villages who require it and make a profit. 6.1: Fresh water fish With the intention of encouraging growing of Fresh water fish 10,000 nos. of good quality fresh water fingerlings were introduced into Kurai Tank. This will enable the Community have access to Protein rich food and to earn a profit during harvesting of matured Fish. The 02 Communities in these villages were traditionally engaged in Cultivation of vegetables and other Field crops. Their main draw back was marketing of their products in order to uplift their standard of living. In order to remedy this MANRECAP in collaboration with Kachcheri, Mannar organized sales of vegetables produced here to be sold at Kachcheri premises .This was a two way success as the Farmers from Kurai and Seethu earned a substantial profit via selling their products at a higher price than at Manthai West Market, people of Mannar were able to purchase fresh vegetables at a lower rate prevailing at the Mannar Market.   Article #7: Nursery Farm – Common activities New Nursery farms at PAli Aru ,Seethuvinaygarkulam, Vattupithanmadhu and Puthukakam are being establishes with Community Managed Rehabilitation. According to the soil condition, need and demand of the respective Villages Ornamental Plants, Fruit trees and vegetables seedlings will be produced and supplied to the Community at a nominal rat whereby both Farmers as well as Farmer Organization will benefit.   Article #8: Thethavady Maruthankulam   There are 26 families living in this Village. This Village does not possess a common Community building to conduct Pre school, conduct CBO meetings and other Community activities. This age old aspiration is to be fulfilled soon as most of the construction work undertaken by the Farmer Organization under Community Managed Rehabilitation has been completed. All the Villages contributed in this activity as this will be their First Community Building.   Article #9: Puthukamam   In this Vuillage most of the Internal Roads were in a depleted condition. Community prioritized Roads which are mostly used by the Community which totaled up to 2.8 KM. RDS took over the Community Managed Rehabilitation and with the fullest support of the Community are in the process of fully renovating the identified total length of the road. Specially the women of this Village took part enthusiastically to manually spread Earth and Gravel. 9.1: Elevated Water Tanks With the intention of supplying Clean Drinking water to the School children and to the people living in the Southern part of Puthukamam, 02 Elevated Water Tanks are being constructed under CMR undertaken by RDS. This will fulfill the access to Clean Drinking Water of the People and to the Students.   Article #10: Vattupitahmadhu and Samyapuram In these 02 villages , specially at Samyapuram ,access to Drinking Water was a traditional problem. With the idea of solving this Tube wells have been already constructed and quality of water assured. Currently in order to establish a Drinking Water supply system elevated Water Tanks and laying of pipes works are under way. While individual pipe connections will be established for each house hold at Samyapuram 02 water outlets at strategic points identified by the community will be constructed at Vattupithanmadhu to provide easy accessibility for drinking water to the Community.     Article #11: Contribution of partly burnt Paddy Husk in the preparation of Compose for Fruit plants   Commonly fruit trees like Mango, Jak, Lime, Pomegranate Cashew and Guava are grown in our Village. Before planting Seedlings of these fruit trees preparation of pit for planting is of utmost importance. The Pit must be of 02 feet length, breadth and depth. One week before plating of the fruit tree the pit is filled with Compose made up of 1:1:1 ratio Top soil: partly burnt Paddy Husk: Sand. At our Focal Villages like Sewa Village and Ganeshapuram, fruit trees were planted in the following manner. As mentioned above pit is of 2 feet length, breadth and depth and is filled with Compose made up of 1:1:1 ratio Top soil: partly burnt Paddy Husk: Sand. Before depositing the Compose, base of pit is filled up to 06 inches with partly burnt Paddy Husk only. Advantages of preparing a Pit of this nature: Attack by White ants is completely eliminated Plants grow quickly and strongly As the Paddy husk has the ability to absorb and retain water , irrigable water requirement is reduced by half Minimize evaporation of water from pit by covering the base of tree and top of pit with a layer of Compose By utilizing the freely available Paddy husk maximum MANRECAP BULLETIN Editor and publisher: MANRECAP All correspondence should be addresses to: T. Saisho, MANRECAP / JICA, District Secretariat, Mannar, Sri Lanka Phone: 023 – 2250029, Fax: 023-2250067, Internet address: http://www.manrecap.com  Comments and Suggestions: info@manrecap.com  PREVIOUS MONTHLY BULLETINS | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |