Pathana Area Program

Program Type

Community Development

Planned Life Cycle

2012 - 2027

Location

Sri Lanka

Areas of Focus

Health | WASH 

Program Timeline

Status: Active

Progress

1,090children and youth participated in groups and clubs, gathering with peers to develop new skills and positive values

Progress

657people had access to sanitation facilities like toilets at home or school

Progress

410youth participated in life skills training through World Vision programs

A white jeep driving through a muddy path, featuring a rainbow and trees in the background.

Program Details

Context

The Pathana community is located in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. Most families here earn less than $40 a month working as wage labourers on tea estates, where they live in crowded barracks on the estates. Parents feel trapped in poverty, with no land to cultivate and no alternative sources of income.

Lack of privacy and rampant alcoholism mean that children, especially girls, are vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. Child labour is common, with children joining the estate workforce to help their families survive.

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Challenges
Education
Literacy levels in the Pathana community are below the national average. Families are not informed about the value of education, and many children drop out of school or attend irregularly. Most girls leave school by the time they are 16, either to work on the tea estates or to marry. Schools are poorly equipped and lack qualified teachers. Growing up on the tea estates, children have limited access to preschools and early education opportunities.

Food
As a result of low income and lack of land on which to grow vegetables or raise livestock, families do not have proper access to food throughout the year. Children either do not get enough food, or what they do eat is missing nutritional variety. Families are not educated about nutrition and feeding, which has led to a rise in malnourishment, especially among children.

Community Leadership
Community members of all ages, but especially women and children, are unable to advocate for their needs and there is no government support available to them.

Water and Sanitation
Access to water and sanitation facilities in Pathana is low, and good hygiene and sanitation behaviours are not taught or practiced.

Economic Development
Families in Pathana have been working on tea estates for generations and do not own farmland that would enable them to bolster and diversify their income generation.
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An image of children sitting on the ground in a classroom, writing in workbooks.

Results

Unless otherwise stated, data presented on this page reflects the most up-to-date results of World Vision Canada programs reported between October 2022 and September 2023, and any previous fiscal years available. Previously reported data may not match the current presentation as we continuously receive and refine data from our programs. If you have any questions, kindly reach out to us.