A Savisthri member posing as the World Bank representative

This shows the Galle District member Padmini, depicting the role played by the World Bank representative. This was organized to create an awareness amongst the community regarding the impacts and threats levelled against Sri Lanka through International Organizations.

Savisthri Cultural Group

This photo shows the cultural group of the Savisthri Youth Campaign which participated in the rally held to commemorate the World Fisheries Day.

Participation of the Savisthri members at the World Fisheries day forum

This photo shows the Savisthri members of the Galle District out of all the Savisthri members who participated at the conference held to commemorate the World Fisheries day held in Sri Lanka on 27,28,29.01.2008, exerting pressure as the representatives of the world organizations to implement adverse plans in the country. Approximately 300 members of the 06 Districts where Savisthri programmes are being implemented participated in the peaceful march held on this day.

Youth forum in the Matara District

The camp held in the island, Garaduwadoowa in the Matara District. A crowd of youth both males and females participated in an educational workshop for the purpose of getting knowledgeable regarding the country's national problem and for the establishment of national unity. Their view was that this workshop had exerted great pressure for the change of youth tendencies.

Galle Youth Camp at the Kakukanda area.

Galle District Youth Camp was held in the area where those who were battered by the tsunami catastrophe had been re-settled. At the end of this camp, they had been anxious as the youth belonging to the families of Savisthri members to formulate a one year plan (2008) for commitment to the Savisthri Programmes and the Disaster Management Programme after the tsunami.

Are chemicals necessary for cultivation?

The natural disaster tsunami which struck the coastal belt of Sri Lanka on 26.04.2004 severely affected the village Thotamuna in the Matara District. The Savisthri members who were undeterred by this calamity did much work to get the soil fertilized which was heavily mixed up with the salinity contents of the sea water with the tsunami and had started a joint garden on a land 5 perches in extent. Now all sorts of vegetables, fruit trees are grown. Most of the produce is being used for home consumption and the excess is sold out and the additional income they get is made use of by the members for their necessities. Taking this as an example Savisthri members of Mini Bank Societies have commenced home gardens of their own which has become a blessing for them.

Tour to the North

On the 27th , 28th , 29th and 30th March 2008, Savisthri National Secretary Padma Pushpakanthi and District Co-ordinator, Monaragala District K.P.Somalatha along with the representatives of the PPD Organization had proceeded to Jaffna for the purpose of exchanging their experiences. The two Savisthri representatives revealed that the Jaffna community is facing immense difficulties due to the inability to market their produce due to the war situation prevailing and as a consequence their produce like onions, plantains are not sold and are often used as manure. They pointed out that no facilities were available for school children to further their education, the difficulties faced by the ordinary people and the fisherman due to the war going on between the government forces and the rebel group (LTTE) and restrictions placed on fishermen like the short time allowed to fish in the sea etc. They are not allowed to fish beyond the limit of the sea allocated for them. Fishermen are given licenses to fish within the limit allocated for them. There were instances where they were shot at for going beyond the allocated limit.

Those who met our representatives had told them that the communities in both the North and the South should get together and make impacts to stop the war.

An Alternate Market for Matara

An alternate market is being held in the Piladuwa village right through out the day on the last in the Matara District Secretary’s Division in the District of Matara organized by the Piladuwa Mini Bank Society formed by 20 needy women in the village. These members of the Mini Bank Society are in the habit of pasting hand written posters in the village as an advertisement regarding this sale and they get the assistance of members of the Mini Bank Societies at Matara Thotamuna, Dondanduwa, Samagi. Matara too and they contribute by providing their products too for sale at this sales outlet. There are 15 women who are engaged in the sales activities and items to the tune of Rs. 15,000 are sold out every day. Vegetables, fruits too are kept for sale. Three members are paying their loan instalments with the profit they get from this sale. This is a landmark in the Savisthri Alternate Economic Activity. Through the news letter we sincerely wish them success in the future.

Why do we work?

A two day special residential training programme was held on 2008.04.03, 04 at the Subodhi Hall at Piliyandala to make the Savisthri activists knowledgeable regarding the structure of the Society, approaches to community development, regarding the social, economic and political issues in the country, programme of the Savisthri organization, development of communication skills, formation of public relations, development of the qualities of the social activists with the aim of making the work of the social activists of the Savisthri organization fruitful.

The members of the Management Board of the Savisthri viz. Sirimal Piris, Herman Kumara and Sarath Fernando and Padma Pushpakanthi and Gamini Ruberu representing the staff conducted this workship and all the Savisthri activists participated to make it a success.
Mr. Sirimal Peris explained vividly the factors, social structure and maintenance of social relations and the personal vision of the society that should be in a good activist. Padma Pushpakanthi gave a clear and concise description of the history of the Savisthri Organization and the long track the members have made to reach the present position. Gamini Ruberu explained the activities of the Savisthri Organization to minimize the existing issues in the society. Herman Kumara raised the query why we remain in the Savisthri Organization and explained the duties and what we should do. Sarath Fernando explained vividly the present market position and said that we should strive hard with a firm determination so that we could change the position and free ourself from the tendency that there is no remedy for it.


The agreements reached

• Make a file consisting of information pertaining to existing situations and the activities that are expected to be carried out at District and National levels.


• All activists to make a firm determination to develop their skills to work with great zeal.