Stepping out to a new beginning

The Marvell Sarvodaya vocational training centre in Batticaloa opens its doors even to ex-combatants from the formerly LTTE-held areas

After decades of war, the options available to the youth of the Batticaloa district are limited. This is why the new vocational training centre - the Marvell Sarvodaya Vocational Training Centre stands like a beacon of hope to the youth opening up a host of new opportunities and helping them rebuild their lives.

Opened on January 23 by Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne, the founder of the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, the centre was funded by the Marvell Charitable Fund of the USA and Give2Asia, a US based non-profit organization established by the Asia Foundation to promote philanthropy in Asia.

Work began the day after the opening, with 200 students attending the first classes. “One thing that I find particularly special about the centre is that it provides students with alternatives to getting themselves involved in the war,” says Sharadha de Saram, the Advisor for Give2Asia. “I was amazed by the number of ex-combatants who applied for courses; I was also glad to know that they would be able to have a livelihood apart from war and a good future ahead of them.”

While the government vocational training centre in the area catered only to those living in government-controlled areas the Sarvodaya centre accepted applicants from both government and former LTTE controlled areas. Understandably, the students are happy about this, but even more so are their parents who were apprehensive about their children’s future.

Located in Satturukondan on 27 acres of land, the centre consists of five buildings, with plenty of room for expansion. It can accommodate around 200 students, with residential facilities for 100, which will be useful to some of the students who previously had to miss their classes because of the long distance they had to travel to the centre.

Its modern spacious buildings and well ventilated lecture halls apart, the centre will also serve as a refuge during any disaster. It is the only building in the area that is built with safety mechanisms, and could therefore serve as an emergency shelter. Given the vulnerability of Batticaloa in such a scenario, each course will include a disaster preparedness and management component, along with peace building, conflict management and leadership.

One of the key courses on offer is the Agricultural course, but the Motor Bike Repair and Mechanism course has the biggest demand. This is because there has been a significant increase in the number of motor cycles in the district. Another interesting fact is that the number of female students enrolling in the course has far exceeded the male. “It is nice to see that there is no gender bias in courses traditionally considered as being suitable for men,” says Ms. De Saram.

The centre offers six courses- Agriculture and Livestock, Food Technology, Building and Construction, Electrical, Motorbike Maintenance and Repair, Aluminium Fabrication and Carpentry and Information Technology. The courses are for nine months with an additional three months for training.At the end, the students can sit for the competitive government exam, a qualification widely recognized.

“One thing we would like more people to notice is the positive side of civil society,” says Ms. De Saram. “Many people abroad condemn Sri Lankans for not making proper use of the funds given to them, but they fail to see the positive impact on society by the simple act of giving without any ulterior motives or agendas. Marvell Sarvodaya is a classic example of this generosity.”