Citizen forum concerns about the budget preparation

An awareness program was conducted to the citizen forum in Fisher Cooperative Society Center on 20^th of June 2014 in Trincomalee. The purpose of organizing the awareness program was to enhance the knowledge of citizen forum members over budget preparation, budget circle  and people participation of local government’s budget preparation  because citizen forum concerns to submit their proposals for the annual budget of prodeshiya sabha. It concerned to shape and updates the knowledge about those areas of the citizen forum. 

Mr. Subramaniyam, the former Assistance General of Local Government intervened as the resource person to share his knowledge and experience related that subject with the citizen forum members. The former Assistance General of Local Government explained the existing situation of preparing budget of the Pradeshiya Sabha comparing the existed aspect because he was one of chief responsible officers related to the local government. He emphasized the important people participate to prepare the annual budget of Local Government as the people’s right. About 23 members took part to the awareness meeting as 11 male and 12 female.

We always try to develop and shape the knowledge of citizen forum members about various issues related to local government. The citizen forum often concerns participate to the process of preparing annual budget of Pradeshiya Sabha submitting people’s proposals. Members actively participated to the program.  

Workshop to prepare an action plan for the citizen forum

One day program was organized to prepare an action plan for the citizen forum in the coop city center in Addalachchenei, Ampara on 27th of September 2012. More than 30 participants consist of bath male and female members who represented of five villages such as Addalachchnei, Alamkulam, Palamunei, Olivil and Thiraikeni engaged with the program. Participants can be categorized as young and elder male as well as female but the major part of participation was female.

As first step, preparing the action plan was completed identifying key problems that people are facing on existing development situation in the area. Different areas of development were considered as a group as well as individual analyzing economic, social, political and cultural situation.

Group discussions were conducted to identify the burning issues in village level. Secondly, every identified issue was collaborated commonly as local government level. We were able to identify more than ten main issues and prioritized intervening all participants on development in the local government of Addalachchenei.
 Identified major areas-
1.Alienation between administrative officials and citizens
2.Issues of education
3.Problems of occupation( fisheries and agriculture)
4.Issues of health
5.Problems of common services
6.Issues of house and lands
7.Deterioration of community
8.Issues of widows
9.Irregularities of “Samurdi”
10.Issues of markets
11.Conflict between human and elephants
We attempted to look those issues as gender aspect being separated two groups as male and female. Women priorities are different than male selections. We will prepare a systematic action plan considering bath selections. We have planned to share the responsibilities on the identified issues convening stakeholder meeting as well as we are going to hold discussions with relevant authorities handing over this document as a petition.
We will base on this document when we discuss with any responsible official on development issues in the area. Some representatives from CAFOD organization such as Miss. Torry and Miss. Tenja as well as project coordinator of Budget Monitoring program also participated

LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR YOUTH

Leadership training was conducted for a youth group related to the citizen forum in Ampara district at the coop city center in Addalachchenei on 28th of August 2012. The citizen forum has a separated youth group which engages with programs related to the CF. There were more than 15 young participants as well as two volunteers and one elder female. Everyone is young boys except volunteers. Most of them were finished school educating but there were few participants who are yet going to school. Everyone is in better education level according to their intervention to the training program. They engaged to the training with feeling.

Trainers used some creative strategies to aware the young people on leadership qualities as well. They mainly paid attention for practical tools than theory sessions in the training program. So, young people got reasonable understanding about leadership qualities through practical activities.

The leadership training basically focused on the main three categories such as Attitude, skill and Knowledge. Participants’ expectations were taken out using plash cards. All of them related to the above parts.

Special part was the drama session. Participants were educated for organizing community and communicate ideas by using drama among societies. Young participants practiced that session creating short drams on taken understanding.

In conclusion, the leadership training was success according to the young feed backs. They had an excellent opportunity to get understanding about leadership qualities being in pleasure movement.