A 501(c)(3) humanitarian nonprofit A 501(c)(3) humanitarian nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles, CAorganization based in Los Angeles, CA

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, meaning sacred island, is located about Sri Lanka, meaning sacred island, is located about

31 kilometers off the southern coast of India 31 kilometers off the southern coast of India Former British colonyFormer British colony 1983-2009: Civil war between 1983-2009: Civil war between

government & the Liberation Tigers government & the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

Tsunami hit Sri Lanka on DecemberTsunami hit Sri Lanka on December 26, 2004, claiming approx. 40,000 26, 2004, claiming approx. 40,000

liveslives

DemographicsDemographics Population: 21 millionPopulation: 21 million

Ethnic breakdown: 73% Ethnic breakdown: 73% Sinhalese; 16% Tamil; Sinhalese; 16% Tamil; 8% Muslim; 2% other8% Muslim; 2% other

24% of the population is 24% of the population is 14 years or younger14 years or younger

22% live at or below the 22% live at or below the poverty line (although poverty line (although 70%+ in Northeast)70%+ in Northeast)

27 Years of Devastation 27 Years of Devastation

The Human The Human ConsequencesConsequences

Over 80,000 have lost their lives directly as a result of Over 80,000 have lost their lives directly as a result of warwar

Hundreds of thousands have been displaced over the Hundreds of thousands have been displaced over the yearsyears 300,000+ Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from 2009 crisis 300,000+ Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from 2009 crisis

alonealone Tens of thousands of war amputees, most from land Tens of thousands of war amputees, most from land

mines and shelling/bomb blastsmines and shelling/bomb blasts Population has suffered severe physical, mental, and Population has suffered severe physical, mental, and

emotional traumaemotional trauma Further compounding these problems, over 443,000 Further compounding these problems, over 443,000

people were displaced as a result of the 2004 tsunamipeople were displaced as a result of the 2004 tsunami

Educational Educational ConsequencesConsequences

InfrastructureInfrastructure Destroyed Destroyed

schoolsschools Destroyed roadsDestroyed roads Lack of reliable Lack of reliable

transportationtransportation Lack of safe Lack of safe

spaces & safe spaces & safe traveltravel

Teacher CapacityTeacher Capacity

Disruptions to EducationDisruptions to Education More than 60,000 primary More than 60,000 primary

school children have been school children have been left out of the educational left out of the educational system due to war system due to war

Many students were Many students were internally displaced up to internally displaced up to 12 times or more in one 12 times or more in one yearyear

1/3 of the school-aged 1/3 of the school-aged children have dropped out children have dropped out or never attended schoolor never attended school

Psychological Effects of Psychological Effects of WarWar

The devastation of The devastation of war has left going war has left going back to school back to school challenging both for challenging both for students and students and teachersteachers

Teachers lack the Teachers lack the skills to recognize skills to recognize signs of trauma and signs of trauma and the resources to the resources to provide proper provide proper supportsupport

Psychological Effects of Psychological Effects of WarWar

“ “Collective trauma manifesting as mistrust, dependency on Collective trauma manifesting as mistrust, dependency on relief, passivity and lack of motivation has come to stay. If relief, passivity and lack of motivation has come to stay. If the…people are to recover and participate in any future the…people are to recover and participate in any future reconciliation, reconstruction and development, they will reconciliation, reconstruction and development, they will

have to be given not only appropriate psychosocial care but have to be given not only appropriate psychosocial care but also economic opportunities to re-establish in life.”also economic opportunities to re-establish in life.”

Loss of LeadershipLoss of Leadership

““The loss of leadership and talented, skillful, The loss of leadership and talented, skillful, resourceful persons, the professional, resourceful persons, the professional,

technocrats, and entrepreneurs from the technocrats, and entrepreneurs from the community has had devastating community has had devastating

consequences. Many left over the years due consequences. Many left over the years due to increasing difficulties, traumatic to increasing difficulties, traumatic

experiences, and social pressure from family experiences, and social pressure from family and colleagues, the so called ‘brain drain’.” and colleagues, the so called ‘brain drain’.”

((Somasundaram, 2007, p. 12Somasundaram, 2007, p. 12) )

““Getting children back to school represents Getting children back to school represents perhaps the single most effective remedy in perhaps the single most effective remedy in helping them cope with the enormity of the helping them cope with the enormity of the catastrophe that has so radically altered their catastrophe that has so radically altered their lives.”—lives.”—UNICEF 2007UNICEF 2007

Get Involved with VisionsGet Involved with Visions

visionseducation@gmail.comvisionseducation@gmail.com 1621 Barry Ave. #PH1, Los Angeles, CA, 1621 Barry Ave. #PH1, Los Angeles, CA,

9002590025www.VisionsForTheFuture.owww.VisionsForTheFuture.o

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