Development and Peace

Published purpose

The decades-long conflict between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and Sri Lankan government forces ended in May 2009. Approximately 300,000 civilians were displaced in the final stages of the conflict, and most were placed in government-controlled camps. These internally displaced people (IDPs) are now returning to their home areas and are starting to rebuild their lives. However, they continue to require humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs. In addition, a number of IDPs remain in the camps, where they are completely dependent upon assistance. CIDA's contribution is supporting Development and Peace to meet the basic needs of vulnerable returnees. Project activities include the provision of inputs to enable returnees to produce nutritious and varied food in order to improve the quality of their diet; the provision of non-food relief items to households and children; and, the provision of daily nutritious lunches to vulnerable pre-school children for a ten-month period in order to maintain the health of these children as they and their families make the transition back to more complete self-sufficiency.