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    6Dec, 2019
    Disability Action Forum 2019

    Celebrating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities – 3rd December.

    The Election Commission of Sri Lanka, Muslim Aid Sri Lanka, and the British Council Sri Lanka hosted a Disability Action Forum 2019, to celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3 December) at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute, Colombo 7.

    The Disability Forum 2019 was the extension of Active Citizen Priyankha Jeyaraj’s social action project Nethraloka, which began as a project to empower and bring awareness about the visually impaired. Priyankha is an Active Citizen and Facilitator of British Council’s Active Citizens programme; and the Head of Volunteers for Muslim Aid Sri Lanka.

    Team Muslim Aid, the organization’s dedicated volunteer team, under the leadership of Ms.Priyankha and support from the Election Commission of Sri Lanka, Muslim Aid Sri Lanka and British Council Sri Lanka, organized the forum featuring wonderful performances by participants from two schools that serve the needs of disabled persons, especially children, by providing special education, rehabilitation and vocational training. The forum served as a platform for the youth from these institutes to showcase their talents.

    The event started off with a registration process designed to be inclusive for disabled persons, and everyone had to go through a voting scenario that included use of a wheel chair, cane etc to show how the disable are included in the process of voting and how their rights can be exercised and preserved.It also reinforced the message that inclusion is paramount in every aspect of life, in every building, workplace, homes and even on the roads, if we are to uphold and preserve their rights.

    Mr.Tikiri Kumara, Development Officer of the Disability Unit of the Election Commission of Sri Lanka, speaks on the role of inclusion in the voting process and about the International Day of Persons with Disabilities

    Election Commissioner and Chairman of Election Commission of Sri Lanka, Mr.Mahinda Deshapriya, graced the event and delivered his keynote speech on the significance of the day and inclusion in the elections process and empathy.

    Participants performing a song and dance
    Participants performing a dance routine

    Muslim Aid Sri Lanka has supported disabled persons and their families through income generation, water and sanitation and volunteer projects, since 2015. Speaking at the event Mr. Faizer Khan, Country Director of Muslim Aid Sri Lanka said
    “We need to think about ways of supporting persons with disability in better ways than welfare and charity. We need to provide them access and space, but change the way of approaching them with sympathy. We must include them into our mainstream society by action, and empower them in ways to be independent financially and socially; so that they will be part of our society, rather than be welfare receivers or depend on others. They could become tax payers to the country and their productivity will be added to the country’s economy”.

    6Dec, 2019
    Celebrating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities(3 December)

    Muslim Aid Sri Lanka, the Election Commission of Sri Lanka, and the British Council Sri Lanka hosted a Disability Action Forum 2019, to celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3 December).

    The Disability Forum 2019 was the extension of Active Citizen Priyankha Jeyaraj’s social action project Nethraloka, which began as a project to empower and bring awareness about the visually impaired. Priyankha is an Active Citizen and Facilitator of British Council’s Active Citizens programme; and the Head of Volunteers for Muslim Aid Sri Lanka.

    Election Commissioner and Chairman of Election Commission of Sri Lanka, Mr.Mahinda Deshapriya, graced the event and delivered his keynote speech on the significance of the day and inclusion in the elections process and empathy.

    Source : Ada Derana

    15Nov, 2019
    Students and Staff of the Vocational Training Authority honoured at the Youth and Community Resilience Project Showcase & Active Citizen Certificate Awards Ceremony 2018/19.

    In September 2018, Muslim Aid Sri Lanka supported by the British Council teamed up with the Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka to instigate the Youth and Community Resilience (YCR) Programme – an initiative that aimed to reach youth engaged in technical education by providing social skills development training that have been identified as essential to perform as an effective Employee, Entrepreneur and overall as a responsible “Active Citizen’ of the country.

    The purpose of the programme was to enable students to understand different cultures, communities and their norms and values through group work and activities under social skill development. The YCR programme has succeeded in this regard, as stories from the active citizens serve to prove so. Students who were part of the programme have become socially aware and this is a promising development; as it has the potential create a paradigm shift in their communities regarding socio-political issues. The programme has thus created a network among students and provided them an invaluable platform to build professional relationships among them

    Ms.Gill Caldicott, Country Director of British Council and Mr.Faizer Khan,
    Country Director of Muslim Aid Sri Lanka
    lighting the Oil Lamp designed by the students of the VTA. — at Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies

    Ms. Amy O’Brien,
    1st Secretary, Peacebuilding and Reconciliation Adviser – British High Commission of Sri Lanka and Dr.Yousuf K. Marikkar, Vice Chairman, Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka — at Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies.

    Hundred youth who were enrolled for technical education courses at Vocational Training Centers, and twenty five VTA lecturers from different religious and cultural backgrounds were trained through the Active Citizens Training Framework & Toolkit used in the British Council’s Global Active Citizens (AC) programme by the British Council. To honour and celebrate the completion of the training and successful implementation of Social Action Projects by the VTA Staff and Students, an Awarding Ceremony and Project Showcase was held on the 29th of October at the BCIS Olympus Auditorium, BMICH. The occasion was graced by Mr. Ravi Jayawardana, Chairman – Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka as the chief guest , and other distinguished guests; Ms. Gill Caldicott, Country Director – British Council, Mr. Faizer Khan , Country Director – Muslim Aid Sri Lanka, Ms. Amy O’Brien, 1st Secretary, Peacebuilding and Reconciliation Adviser – British High Commission of Sri Lanka; and Mrs. Chulangani Perera, Director General – Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka The event featured a video documentary, depicting the journey of the YCR programme participants and its impact. Followed by a 6-chair panel discussion; moderated in all 3 languages, which was a sharing of experiences by students and an instructor of the Vocational Training Authority Sri Lanka; an Active Citizen Master Facilitator and a parent of one of the students. Ms. Vinoja, a VTA student from Batticaloa, who successfully implemented a community project and attended the awards ceremony expressed her thoughts on the programme saying “I was a shy and quiet person, but through the Active Citizens Training I have gained leadership skills and improved my ability to communicate effectively. At the same time was given the opportunity to build good relationships with other youth and communities who follow a different faith, particularly the Muslim Community”. 


    Panel discussion – Project journey – sharing experiences :
    VTA lecturer sharing his thoughts on the impact of the Active Citizens programme on Youth and Community Resilience
     — at Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies.

    Panel discussion – Project journey – sharing experiences : VTA student from Anuradhapura
    sharing her AC journey
     — at Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies.

    A showcase of 10 community projects conceptualised, developed and delivered by the VTA Active Citizens from 3 districts (Anuradhapura, Batticaloa and Trincomalee) was later declared open for viewing, where guests were able to witness the efforts of Active Citizens, their immediate achievements and the outreach of social initiatives that had potential to resolve community issues in the long run. Speaking at the event, Mr Faizer Khan Country Director MASL said: “I believe that by building community resilience, the youth will emerge as leaders and be able to adapt to changes and face any challenges they may face. This will create community cohesion and positively contribute to the sustainable development process of the country”


    Special guests and other invitees walk through the community project showcase

     — at Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies.
    Active Citizen explaining her project to Director General of VTA
     — at Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies.

    Ms Amy O’Brien from the British High Comission has a closer look at the projects on display — at Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies.

    Following the success of Phase One, the YCR programme is expected to extend its reach beyond the three districts of Anuradhapura, Batticaloa and Trincomalee. This customized social skills development programme using the active citizens core methodology (with additional input sessions) is projected to be institutionalised at Vocational Training Centers to reach almost 35000 youth in 212 centers of by the Vocational Training Authority in Sri Lanka as a complementary learning module to the technical skills curriculum.


    Students of the VTA receiving the certificate for successful completion of the Active Citizens social leadership training — at Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies.

    Students of the VTA receiving the certificate for successful completion of the Active Citizens social leadership training — at Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies.

    Students of the VTA receiving the certificate for successful completion of the Active Citizens social leadership training — at Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies.

    Chairman of the VTA delivering his speech — at Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies.


    Ms.Gill Caldicott, Country Director of British Counciil delivering her key note address — at Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies.



    19Aug, 2018
    Active Citizens workshop

     The Active Citizens workshop was organized by British Council and conducted by Muslim Aid Sri Lanka from 5th of October 2016 to 9th of October 2016 in Dampe Village, Piliyandala. The participants were selected from the representatives from community based organizations from different communities and representatives from volunteer groups.

    Active Citizens is a social leadership programme which promotes intercultural dialogue and social responsibility as key leadership competencies in the 21st century. Active Citizens is run by the British Council in partnership with local and international organizations who provide expertise in areas such as youth and social entrepreneurship, equal opportunity and diversity, migration, social inclusion and engagement, and active citizenship.

    The partnership between Muslim Aid Sri Lanka and British Council was instigated in 2015 to deliver the Active Citizens programme. Through this endeavour, Muslim Aid Sri Lanka strived to build the capacity of volunteers from community based organizations and those who are working at the  the grassroots level to bring changes in the community

    The participants  attained a better understanding of the concepts of identity and culture; whilst learning learning methods of dialogue as a tool for building empathy, trust and understanding within and across cultures. They developed an understanding of ‘community’ and its relationship with identity and culture. The group applied  their learning to their own community to identify the problems they would like to address and the people they need to engage to achieve their objectives. They then focused on planning a Social Action initiative in their community, considering the process in different levels of detail and complexity.