(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – The Republic of Korea has, through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), provided a grant worth USD 6 million to Sri Lanka to help communities affected by Covid-19 in the Central and Uva Provinces.
According to the Cabinet approval received by the Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena as the Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government, the Ministry of Public Administration and the Korea International Cooperation Agency have recently signed the grant agreement to strengthen the socio-economic resilience of the people of Central and Uva provinces affected by the Covid epidemic.
The Department of External Resources also functions as a stakeholder of the project, which will be implemented from 2022 to 2025.
The project is expected to improve drinking water facilities, sanitation facilities, personal safety, and primary health care facilities, reduce post-harvest damage, increase food security and household income.
Under the project, the selected communities will have increased access to sustainable, safe water and adequate sanitation, reduced prevalence of WASH-related diseases through the promotion of personal hygiene as well as learnings on advanced environmental practices and infrastructure. Further, they will also have improved water and sanitation services at preventive and curative primary health care facilities.
This project will be implemented in Nuwara Eliya, Walapane, Haguranketha, Kotmale and Ambagamuwa Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Nuwara Eliya District and Mahianganaya, Ridhimaliyadda, Haldummulla, Badulla, Welimada and Bandarawela Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Badulla District.
Accordingly, 72,400 families in Nuwara Eliya district and 19,350 families in Badulla district will directly benefit from this and about 900,000 people indirectly.
The United Nations Human Settlements Program or UN-Habitat is responsible for implementing this on behalf of the Sri Lankan government.
The coordinating role of the entire project has been assigned to the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government.
The relevant agreement was signed on behalf of the Ministry of Public Administration by its Secretary Priyantha Mayadunne, and KOICA Country Director at the Sri Lanka Office Kim Myung Jin on behalf of KOICA.
