International Women’s Day - 2009

SETIK-Kandy commemorates the International Women’s Day on 7th of March 2009 at the Hatton Setik Centre. The theme of the celebration was “Let us Protect Her as our own Mother”. We organized this programme to ensure the rights of women to protect and promote their dignity without discrimination. There were about 475 participants took place at the programme.

The programme started after the sticker campaign which was done by the youth groups of our fields. Introductory address was given by Rev. Fr. George Sigamoney, and he explained about the issues related to violation of women’s rights. In his speech he highlighted the social, economic, political and cultural issues which women face in their day today life.

Our Guest Speakers for the programme were Mrs. Rathnasamy - Assistant Director of Zonal Education in Hatton and Mrs. Suranji Wijenayaka- Att-at-Law. They made their keynotes about the issues of the plantation women such as abortion, less literacy rate in the plantation women, domestic violence and child labour in both Tamil and Sinhala mediums.

After the sessions a common discussion session took place at the programme to get the feed back from the participants and to forward their questions. After the discussion session two women from the plantation sector and rural sector address the audience by sharing their experience with their day today life routine. The programme concluded with an entertainment by a group of women.

National Independence Day Celebration

Setik- Kandy celebrates the National Independence day on 4th February 2009. As we expected to give the opportunity to the people who are unable to participate from the remote areas of the Central Province; this year celebration was held at Youth Training Centre in Innamaluwa- Dambulla. Around 700 people participated at this event from the districts of Matale, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya.

The programme started after hoisting the National Flag along with four religious flags by the religious leaders. In the programme inter religious and inter ethnic cultural presentations included since we always try to build a better relationship among all the ethnic groups. Rev. Fr. Camillus Janz from Setik Institution and Rev. Fr. Desmond Perera-The Parish Priest of Innamaluwa Parish presented at the programme.

A drama and cultural items were presented by youth groups of our fields to highlight the importance of the inter ethnic and inter religious relationship, peace and solidarity. Rev. Fr. Camillus Janz gave the introductory speech and the special guest speech was delivered by Mr. Samanatha Ekanayake - Lecturer of Sociology Department, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka from Sinhala medium and Mr. A. C. S. Crooz from Tamil medium on the theme “Socio-economic issues caused for the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka”.

Youth Camp and the Shramadana Campaign

The Youth Unit of Setik together with the Diocesan Youth Apostolate organized a camp for youth from 28th February to 1st March 2009 which was held in Bogowanthalawa. Our main objective of organizing this programme was to enlighten the youth on their social responsibilities.

The programme was opened by Rev. Fr. George Sigamoney - Director of Setik, Rev. Fr. Camillus Janz, Rev. Fr. Desmond Perera - Diocesan Youth Apostolate Coordinator, Rev. Fr. Roy Clarence - Diocesan Director of the Migrant Commission and Rev. Fr. Lakmal Perera - Coordinator for Setik in Nuwara Eliya District. There were 260 participants from the fields where Setik activities are implemented and from the parish youth groups. On the first day three sessions were held to enable the youth to understand themselves; Who they are? What are their responsibilities in the present context?. After the session those present were divided into groups for discussions and sharing of experiences.

A Shramadana compaign was organized on the second day to clean the environment of four hospitals in the district of Nuwaraeliya. All the participants actively involved themselves in this activity and gave their fullest cooperation to clean the area.
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International Human Rights Day

International Human Rights Day was held on 10th December 2008 at Ambagamuwa Divisional Secretariat office. The programme was organized by Setik Human Rights Unit in coordination with the divisional secretariat of Ambagamuwa. The main aim of this programme was to obtain the birth certificates, national identity cards and other relevant documents of the tea plantation people in the district of Nuwara Eliya. The tea plantation people have to face lots of hardships in obtaining the above said documents to get the citizenship. During this programme we completed the relevant documents and prepared separate files for each individual who don’t have the above mentioned documents. Meantime we were able to issue 68 birth certificates on the spot for 68 people since they were able to provide us all the relevant documents. Meantime 24 people were registered and 14 birth certificates were amended and provided to the relevant persons.

During this programme an art exhibition on human rights violations and children’s rights, was organized for school children. 365 children took part at the art exhibition and 100 certificates were given for the selected arts.

Exhibiting of cutouts on domestic violence, police torture, child labour and migration issues were also took place during the programme. A sticker campaign was carried and 4000 stickers were distributed during this day under the theme “Human dignity and justice for all of us”

Commemoration of universal children’s day - 2008

Commemoration of universal children’s day was celebrated, on 1st October 2008 at the “Elephant Walk” grounds in Katugastota, Kandy. About 250 children of different races and religious participated in it from different parts of the District of Kandy and Matale. The aim and objective of this celebration was to instill in the children positive concepts on peace, cordiality and good-will. The programme included rhythmic songs and dances, short drama and magic show. All the participants enjoyed the day and benefited by the programme.


Over 135 children tool part in the children’s day programme in Nuwara Eliya District. It was in the form of an exposure programme. The children visited Ambewela and Hatton and the children were very happy. The animators of Nuwara Eliya Distirct attached to Setik accompanied the children.

These two programmes were organized by the children’s unit of “Setik”.

Commemoration of International Peace Day 2008

Currently we are in a period of time when Peace is most disturbed, less talked about, and most neglected. In spite of such hindrances “Setik” Caritas Kandy celebrated this International commemoration of Peace Day with a very relevant programme on 22nd September 2008 at the Luxmi Hall, Hatton. This programme was to voice for Peace and commit ourselves to promote Peace in Sri Lanka. The theme of our celebration was “Peace gives live”.

The programme was composed with a blood donation campaign, commemorative celebrations and a dialogue session.

Blood was given for Peace and not for war. People came forward generously, youth and adults to donate blood to enable life. We are very grateful to the medical staff of the Government Hospital of Nawalapitiya who volunteered to give their services to carry out this campaign. Also, we thank the 51 generous blood donors.

The celebration commenced at the Luxmi Hall, Hatton at 10.00 a.m. on 22nd September with an introduction of the days programme by Rev.Fr. George Sigamoney Director of Setik Caritas Kandy. He placed before those assembled the aim and objectives of the day. Traditional lighting of the lamp and the taking of the oath was followed by an Inter Religious prayer service. The religious leaders also presented to the participants their special messages for Peace. The chief priest of Ukkuwelwatte Buddhist temple venerable Nugaliyadda Shantha Ratna thero delivered the Buddhist message of Peace. Rev.Kurukkal of Danawela Hindu Kovil presented his message, Chief Moulavi of Jumha mosque of Hatton delivered the Islamic message of Peace, and Rev. Fr. Nilanga Dias presented the Christian message of Peace.

Debate on the theme of the day “Development of country depends on Peace and not on war” This session was conducted in Tamil language. This was presented by the trainees of the Teachers Training Collage of Talawakelle. This programme was a very fitting finale to the days activities.

A vast crowd of over 1000 participated in the programme. We are very thankful to our partners from abroad and the representatives from National Caritas whose presence with us on that day enhanced our programme.
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40th Anniversary Celebration of Caritas Sri Lanka at SETIK, Kandy

To mark the 40th anniversary of Caritas Sri Lanka Sedec the Justice Peace Human Development Human Rights Secretariat Setik Kandy organized a days’ programme on the 16th June 2008 with its community leaders, beneficiaries, grass-root level committees and school children of the central province. The Chief Guests were Rt. Rev. Dr. Vianney Fernando - Bishop of Kandy, Rev. Fr. Damian Fernando - National Director of Caritas Sri Lanka, Ms. Anne Bousquet - Country Representative of CRS organization. To mark this occasion the animation unit of Setik Kandy organized a trade exhibition which comprised of nearly 20 stalls of the produce of the activities of people and an exhibition and a sale of the 10 sewing centres of Setik, to help the rural people in the Parishes. Prior to this event an art exhibition was conducted among the school children on the following themes. “Let us eradicate child labour,” “Tomorrow’s Sri Lanka”, “Let us protect our resources,” “The migrated mother”. The five houses that were constructed for five poor families were handed over to them on this same occasion. With the help of the CRS organization 18 line rooms were renovated in the district of Matale. In the same four estates 218 toilets were constructed and water facilities were provided for those living in them. This project was completed and the constructions were handed over to the beneficiaries officially by Ms. Anne - the Country Representative of CRS organization.

SETIK Caritas Kandy is working on this problems related to migrants for over five years now. During these five years the number of complaints we received were many. Even though we were able to help these victims’ in different ways still we believe as a country as the Authorities there should do a lot to safeguard our migrant workers who are being trafficked in other countries.

Taking into consideration the plight of the Migrant workers who are being trafficked in other countries the SETIK organization prepared and released a docu-drama based on real stories of migrants titled “Arabi Lamayage Gedara” or “The House of the Arabian Child” on the 16th June 2008, to mark the 40th anniversary of SEDEC- Caritas Sri Lanka. This one episode tele-drama speaks of a family in Sri Lanka in which the mother migrates to work as a domestic worker and her plight in the working place as well as the daughter who was back at home and her story.

On this same occasion we launched the book “The Travails of Sri Lankan Migrants’ it is a study report done by Rev. Fr. George Sigamoney with the Migrants unit of SETIK Caritas Kandy. This book implies the reality the very painful journey of our own sisters who face the battle of life. The dignity and image of a woman and a mother is esteemed in our Eastern society. But sad to say, this beautiful image is disfigured in the very fact of migration into misoriented social situations that inflict deep inhuman harassments and oppressions. The result is our women are treated very shabbily as slaves.

The deportation of returnees empty handed, stories of women displaced in foreign countries, abandoned by agents, driven away by employers or escaping from employers to save their lives, is the cry we hear, on which we need to focus our attention.

As the reality and consequences are not known by these poor women and mothers, they automatically become the prey and the victims, to all these harassments and these women become burdens to their families and to our society.

The highest remittance of foreign exchange flows to our country, through the hard labour of these women workers according to the recent statistics released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka the remittances was Rs. 160,502 million. Isn’t it our responsibility and obligation to protect the rights of these women and give them due respect and dignity?

Our book will help to discover the plight of migrant workers. Asian women crying out to us to take necessary action right now. Our commitment and our attitudes can make a difference. This book will open our eyes to the reality of Sri Lankan Migrant women’s’ plight.