Sri Lanka Tourist Road Signs Developed with USAID to Come up First in Eastern Province

02nd February 2012, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Sri Lanka's Road Development Authority has developed roadside signs to help guide tourists with support from the US Agency of International Development which are likely to come up first in the Eastern Province.

"Tourism roadside signage plays a key role in making Sri Lanka a visitor-friendly destination," USAID said.

"Effective road signage may draw visitors into exploring a town or attraction instead of just driving past and also improves the overall visitor experience, making it easier and safer for tourists to find key sites, facilities and services."

The road signage guideline were developed as part of the agencies Connecting Regional Economies (CORE) Project.

The local government body in Trincomalee in north eastern Sri Lanka and the Eastern provincial council has allocated funds for signage.

Sri Lanka to Produce 10,000 Skilled Craftsmen in 3 Years to Meet Surging Demand Backed by USAID & Germany

21st January 2011, www.news360.lk

Sri Lanka has commenced a program to produce 10,000 skilled craftsmen within the next 3 years to meet the surging demand for skilled workers from the local construction industry.

According to the CEO of the Chamber of Construction Industry Dakshitha Thalgodapitiya, this will be done via two separate programs backed by the Government of Germany and also the USAID.

Thalgodapitiya said the German backed program has undertaken to train 5000 craftsmen from the District of Batticaloa in the East.

While the USAID program which is also now on, is aimed at producing 5000 skilled craftsmen from the Northern Province.

“We have started both programs” added Thalgodapitiya.

Germany has pumped in US$ 1.4 million Euros for the Eastern project while USAID has committed US$ 2.5 million for the Northern project.

The Chamber’s CEO said this program is also aimed at providing livelihood support for the people affected by the 3 decade conflict.

According to him Batticaloa has been given high priority, as it has been impacted heavily owing to the conflict and the Tsunami.

The youths from the North and East will be given training covering skill areas such as “Masonry”, “Carpentry” and “plumbing” etc.

Each youth will undergo 6 months training and upon completion will be given a National Vocational Qualifications level 3 Accreditation.

Both programs will go up to 2014, starting from now onwards, added Thalgodapitiya.

USAID in Sri Lanka Creates 10,000 Jobs in North with Local Firms with Rs 4bn Investment

02nd August 2010, www.island.lk

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)/Colombo, the development office of the U.S. Embassy, has recently forged four new business alliances with Sri Lankan private companies, under USAID’s Public/Private Alliance (PPA) Program. These partnerships are expected to create 10,000 full-time jobs in northern Sri Lanka.

These four alliances are all with Sri Lankan private companies. USAID’s investment of about Rs.1.1 billion is generating an additional Rs.2.9 billion investment from the private sector for a total investment of approximately Rs.4 billion in the construction, business process outsourcing, and apparel manufacturing sectors.

Construction Alliance

An alliance between USAID and a Sri Lankan construction consortium would establish seven mobile training centers for construction craftsmen in the Northern Province. Training would be provided to 5,000 persons over a period of six months including three months of on-the-job training.

Jaffna Garment Alliance

USAID has established another PPA with a leading garment textile firm in Jaffna which manufactures and exports denim textiles to U.S. clients including Levi’s, Jones New York, J.C. Penny, Tema, and Charles Voegele. This alliance would create 1,800 full-time jobs over the next three years.

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Alliance

To help fill workforce gaps in BPO and IT, USAID would team with leading BPO and IT/English language training companies to establish professional IT and English skills development training centers in each of the five districts in the Northern Province. Courses in Business Process Outsourcing, Enterprise Java, and English Language Skills would be offered at no charge to over 3,000 under- and unemployed students who will then participate in on-the-job training schemes with private firms.

Northern Garment Alliance

USAID is establishing another PPA with a major garment manufacturer to expand its operations to northern Sri Lanka.

This alliance is expected to initially employ 750 full-time staff and market its finished apparel to such firms as Tommy Hilfiger, Polo Ralph Lauren, Columbia Sportswear, Next, Tesco, and Burberry. Emphasis would be placed on supporting widows, single mothers, and families with disabled members.

USAID Launches $2bn Business Alliance Program in North/East of Sri Lanka to Create 5000 Jobs

20th April 2010, www.dailynews.lk

The U.S. Agency for International Development announced a new business alliance program with Sri Lanka’s private sector.

Partnering with five local businesses, the USAID Public-Private Partnerships for Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka (PPP) Program is expected to create around 5,000 full-time jobs in the North East.

These five alliances are all with indigenous Sri Lankan private companies. USAIDs investment of about Rs.600 million will generate an additional Rs.1,400 million investment from the private sector for a total of about Rs 2 billion.

The sectors include aquaculture, apparel manufacturing, logistics, and horticulture.

By establishing a ready-made garment plant in Omanthai, near Vavuniya in the Northern Province, an alliance between USAID and a leading garment manufacturing and export company will create 1,000 jobs for the internally displaced people, including young widows.

An alliance between USAID and a Sri Lankan aquaculture company will bring expanded production in the Eastern and Northern provinces with the dual goal of increasing fish-based income and enhancing the aquaculture supply chain of high value seafood products. By the end of the three-year project, 1,300 smallholder farmers will increase their net income by 300 percent.

A leading logistics company will invest in logistics activities to help farming communities.

Through this alliance, farmers in Northern and Eastern provinces will have an opportunity to increase both their production and income.

At least 1,500 farmers and fishermen will benefit from this alliance.

Cold storage units will be built in Jaffna, Ampara, and Batticaloa.

An alliance between USAID and a Sri Lankan horticulture company will improve the productivity and profitability of fruit and vegetable farming in Jaffna, Vavuniya, and Mannar by minimizing post harvest losses and by enhancing farmers skills in modern farming.

Around 1,100 farmers will participate in the program.

In order to rebuild economic security in the Eastern Province, the alliance with a local garment company will invest in a ready-made garment factory in Samanthurai in Ampara.

The ready-made apparel manufacturing plant will consist of 15 to 20 machine lines and more than 1,000 employees.

USAID Asia Pacific Director Says Sri Lanka a Peaceful Nation

15th November 2009, www.news.lk

The United Nations has said that Sri Lanka’s war has ended and the country is peaceful. It claims that the government’s forward march is successful. Aje Chhibber, USAID Asia Pacific Director said the support of the international community to rebuild Sri Lanka is very essential. Technical as well as financial assistance is of special importance.

The Sri Lanka Government had assured the United Nations that resettlement will be completed by January. According to the schedule, the Government is resettling the displaced in their places of origin. He said they were satisfied about it. He received an opportunity to visit the North during his Sri Lanka tour. He was able to witness the health facilities extended to the liberated civilians and they were living satisfactorily. He rejected accusations by some groups about the situation in welfare camps.

The Sri Lankan Government has given priority to de-mining. The agriculture launched in welfare villages is a good idea. The UN representative was optimistic that there will be a new Sri Lanka within several years if these programmes were continuously launched.

USAID Funds Dairy Project in East, Sri Lanka, With Support from Land O’Lakes and CIC Agribusiness

11th November 2009, asiantribune.com

The U.S. Ambassador, Patricia A. Butenis, officially opened a new ice cream plant in Batticaloa District as part of a dairy revitalization project that will increase the incomes of 4,000 dairy farmers and create new jobs in the former conflict-affected area.

The project is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the development agency of the U.S. Government. USAID provided $3.75 million to initiate the project, leveraging funding from Land O’Lakes, a leading U.S. dairy producer, and CIC Agribusiness, a major Sri Lankan agricultural company.

Ambassador Butenis said, “The U.S. Government is proud to support this effort to revitalize the dairy industry in the East. This project will increase the incomes of participating farmers, ensure that the quantity and quality of milk produced in Sri Lanka improves, and reduce dependence on imported milk products.”

The project has established a network of farmers from Batticaloa, Trincomalee, and Polonnaruwa districts, teaching them new skills to increase the quantity and the quality of milk production. Before the conflict, the Eastern Province provided 30% of all milk production in the country, reflecting the great untapped potential of the dairy industry in the east. This project alone is expected to increase national milk collection by 9%.

Following the plant opening, Ambassador Butenis met with a group of mostly female dairy farmers who attended the event.

Image: U.S. Ambassador Patricia A. Butenis with women farmers in Punani.