Times are changing in Sri Lanka’s once, harsh plantation sector
View(s):Times are changing in Sri Lanka’s once, harsh plantation sector with children of several plantation workers in local universities, studying law, management and arts. A few have also passed out as medical doctors.
Much of this change has come with the creation of the Plantation Human Development Trust (PHDT) and its focus on social and human development, using a rights-based approach.
In the past women workers with new-borns carried their baby to work in the fields, keeping them in a cloth sack like a cradle hung on a tree, often in the biting cold. All that has changed with much improved conditions including crèches where the babies are cared for and fed while the mother is at work
These changes were detailed by H.M. Subarath Menike, a Child Development Officer at PHDT at the 20th AGM of the Trust held in Colombo, last week.
She said that with the advent of the PHDT the pathetic era of the plantation sector changed dramatically with a better outlook for children and a better life style for plantation labour.
Presenting the PHDT’s annual report for 2012 titled “PHDT – The Change Maker”, Trust Chairman Harry Sandrasekera, noted the trust has invested Rs 161.7 million in the social development in the plantations in 2012.
While provision of individual housing units remained the key focus in 2012, PHDT has taken steps in improving social development interventions in addition to providing worker housing, The Trust is also involved in providing water and sanitation facilities, improvement to infrastructure and estate worker housing cooperative societies.
(QP)
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