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Sewalanka has distributed fishing boats to 47 fishermen from the Ampara district |
New boatyard for Kalmunai
Kalmunai, a coastal town on the east coast of Sri Lanka is well on its way to recovery post-tsunami with the opening of a multipurpose boatyard.
The launch of the newly constructed boatyard, which is set to reinvigorate Kalmunai's fishing industry, was a major milestone in a joint community project between local fishing organisations, Sewalanka Foundation, the Royal Norwegian Embassy and Dutch Oxfam (NOVIB). The project is aimed at restoring the lives of tsunami-affected fishermen.
The facility will provide a hub for the community's fishermen to build, repair and maintain boats, as well as for fish processing, packing and distribution.
In addition to helping the community to build the boatyard, the Royal Norwegian Embassy and Sewalanka have distributed fishing boats and equipment to 47 community members from the Ampara District Deepsea Mechanised Boat Owners and Fisheries Cooperative Society.
The opening of the boatyard, which took place in December 2006, was attended by community members and officials from the partner organisations and led by Sewalanka Ampara District Director Mr Faleel and Administration Officer Mr Athula Nimal De Silva.
Official proceedings included boat and equipment demonstrations to community members, Sewalanka staff, Department of Fisheries staff, Deep Sea Society and local dignitaries. Three boats were handed over to local fishermen. The remaining 44 were distributed in January.
Although large quantities of fish are caught in Kalmunai, post-harvest losses tend to be very high. In order to address this issue, Sewalanka and NOVIB are working with the Fisheries Cooperative Society to establish a fish processing facility and ice plant.
Different courses on fish processing, ice packing, distribution and sales have also been developed to assist the fishing community to rebuild their local industry. The fishermen will learn how to obtain maximum prices for their goods and how to sell their produce to different markets. To foster a sustainable local industry, Sewalanka's Eastern Field Director, Deepal Chandrathilaka has worked with local organisations to devise a plan to market the fish caught in Kalmunai directly to areas across the Island.
As part of this arrangement, SEDCO, Sewalanka's enterprise development company, has been successful in establishing relationships with supermarkets and other retail chains. The companies have agreed to purchase pre-packaged 'Sewa Fresh Fish' from the fishermen in Kalmunai.
This arrangement will ensure a regular income for the area's fishermen and help to stimulate the industry district-wide.
