Higu S7 | NICE-24S-1119A | 2024-11-19 - 2024-11-28 | AGRI,SOCI | Age: 18 - 99

This project is actively working for SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDGs 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), organized together with Green Volunteers for Green Future (GV4GF) since 2012 (since 2017 in this place!). Higurakgoda is a settlement, established in 1956, under the government development plan. Families were brought here from different parts of Sri Lanka and asked to settle here while doing paddy farming. Different parts of Sri Lanka have different kinds of subcultures. In here all of them are mixed and emerge a new subculture. Now 3rd generation is living here with their 2nd generation parents. During the 21st century, technology has changed rapidly but it has not reached these areas because of language barriers, unawareness, narrow perspectives, and so on. As a country, everyone should be a part of the country’s development process but unfortunately, these rural communities are somehow rejected by the administration. But actually, communities’ active participation is essential to overcome the burdens and to establish a just society. Some families are doing other activities to live. Making bags, packing spices, and maintaining plant nurseries are among them. We are working closely with paddy farmers as well as other families who have no land to do agriculture.

Work: Basically, our projects consist of two parts. First three days we worked at the one place that is our main work, helping a family to do their work in the nursery. Mixing soil and composts, filling the bags, cutting flowers, and planting the branches are among the main work. Second four days, we moved around the village to meet the community to do our next part of the project. During this week you can meet a family, youth/children society members and watch their activities, women’s/farmers groups, visit village school, etc. Among work scheduled volunteers participating, 1. Help to family to do their work in nurseries 2. Cultural exchange programs with villagers including youths. 3. Activities with children 4. Work and assist with self-help group member’s activities 5. Visit village kindergarten

Accomodation and food: Village house with a host family, located close to nice paddy fields. There is electricity and purified drinking water available. Mobile phone connections are working. Internet is available, but not strong and no Wi-Fi. You can use toilet papers here. You have to wash your cloths by hand and have to hang outside for drying.

Location: Higurakgoda

Location and Leisure: Higurakgoda is located at Polonnaruwa District. Polonnaruwa is the second ancient kingdom in Sri Lanka and declared as a world heritage site. Lots of ruins are still there including stone carvings, palaces, temples, pagodas, shrines, parks and lakes etc. and most of them are more than 1100 years old. This is a on the very populated destinations among the tourists. Total area is religious and thousands of pilgrimages visiting daily and for religious ceremonies. Lots of ruins still can see 27km around the city. Majority of the population is depending on paddy farming. Polonnaruwa is another low population density area recorded 122 people per square KM. Project site is located 256 km from Colombo.

Airport: CMB

Train/Bus station: Colombo - Volunteers need to arrive at Katunayake Bandaranayake International Airport by the end of Nov. 18 and can leave there after 22:00 of the last days. 7 hours by bus to the site. You will meet at the Colombo Government bus terminal in the morning on the first day.

Requirements: Necessary = High motivation to work with people, some knowledge about nursery work, adapt/ respect to village life local culture and rules, Desirable = language skills of Sri Lankan, experience of joining/ coordinating international workcamps, team work some sports 220/ 180 EUR for 10/ 6 days to be paid on your arrivals. 20 EUR less for repeaters of GV4GF workcamps and vols. from less expensive countries. There is optional service of 50 EUR to pick up at the airport and one night stay in the guest house, following day breakfast and moving to the meeting point are included.

Language: eng

Extra Fee: 220 EUR

Local SDGs (2030 goals) of the family, Higu and Sri Lanka