Empowering and healing children through learning empathy skills

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Empowering and healing children through learning empathy skills

Sri LankaBatticaloa, Sri Lanka
Organization type: 
nonprofit/ngo/citizen sector
Project Stage:
Idea
Budget: 
$1,000 - $10,000
Website:
http://www.esdflanka.org
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Project Summary
Elevator Pitch

Concise Summary: Help us pitch this solution! Provide an explanation within 3-4 short sentences.

ESDF-SL aims to foster peace and development through empowerment, awareness building, training and development among multi cultured people.

About Project

Problem: What problem is this project trying to address?

The area selected for this project is called Kalkudah zone in Batticaloa district ,eastern province, Sri lanka. Last 25 years the people from this area are affected and traumatized due to brutal war, ethnic insurgencies ,tsunami and flood. In current situation, number of domestic violent incidents are recorded comparatively high in this area. The Kalkudah zone consist two major ethnicities of Tamils and Musilms. Due to the past war and violent incidents both communities hold fear ,hatred and distrust among each other .These conditions ended with polarization and divisions among them. Therefore, people in this area in a greater need for healing and hearing for their deep rooted pain. There should be a common ground for people where they can connect to each other in a human level.

Solution: What is the proposed solution? Please be specific!

Establishment of culture of empathy in this community will be the solution to bridge the gap between people and to heal the past pain among the traumatized people . Schools are acting as one of the influencing intuitions among Sri Lankan culture. It can be a connecter for traumatized and polarized people. If we transform the consciousness and behaviors of individuals by nurturing empathy skills for school members, we will create mass of people who will practice empathy to create supporting community and to build united community with trust and co existence. Empathy is an innate nature of human beings. Social learning and bitter experience people’s hearts are closed. Children are naturally compassionate . Therefore, providing empathy skills based on nonviolent communication (NVC) techniques for students will promote peace. After providing empathy skills to students, teachers and parents ,then empathy circles will be formed to sustain culture of empathy in their schools.
Impact: How does it Work

Example: Walk us through a specific example(s) of how this solution makes a difference; include its primary activities.

Establishment of culture of empathy in this community will be the solution to bridge the gap between people and to heal the past pain among the traumatized people . Schools are acting as one of the influencing intuitions among Sri Lankan culture. It can be a connecter for traumatized and polarized people. If we transform the consciousness and behaviors of individuals by nurturing empathy skills for school members, we will create mass of people who will practice empathy to create supporting community and to build united community with trust and co existence. Empathy is an innate nature of human beings. Social learning and bitter experience people’s hearts are closed. Children are naturally compassionate . Therefore, providing empathy skills based on nonviolent communication (NVC) techniques for students will promote peace. After providing empathy skills to students, teachers and parents ,then empathy circles will be formed to sustain culture of empathy in their schools and in this community.
Sustainability

Marketplace: Who else is addressing the problem outlined here? How does the proposed project differ from these approaches?

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About You
Organization:
Eastern Social Development Foundation -Sri Lanka
About You
First Name

Ramanusha

Last Name

Poopalaratnam

About Your Organization
Organization Name

Eastern Social Development Foundation -Sri Lanka

Organization Country

, XX, Batticaloa

Country where this project is creating social impact
Your role in Education

Social Worker.

The type of school(s) your solution is affiliated with

Public (tuition-free)

How long has your organization been operating?

More than 5 years

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Innovation
How long has your solution been in operation?

Still in idea phase, but looking to launch soon

Now that you have thought out your entry, help us pitch it.
Define your company, program, service, or product in 1-2 short sentences [136 characters]

ESDF-SL aims to foster peace and development through empowerment, awareness building and development among multi cultured people.

Identify what is innovative about your solution in 1-2 short sentences [136 characters]

Imagine and present for others'feeling and needs as steps to a path of transformation towards peace and development

Social Impact
What has been the impact of your solution to date?

Last year we provided NVC and empathy skills to 30 government workers and 30 Women rural development society(WRDS) members. Series of trainings were conducted and 10 of them participated a training of training programme. This project resulted impact among the individuals who under gone trainings and influenced change in the community. We collected the information from victims who go to government officials, hospitals and Government offices . From our evaluations we found that government service providers gained empathy skills and communication skills and treat the victims compassionately and effectively to help and empower them. The conflicts in the WRDS are decreased according to the information from the evaluation. The WRDS members also shared that the level of conflicts at their homes are reduced as they practice their empathy skills with their family members. Their tolerance and understanding for other ethnic groups and ex militants also improved.

What is your projected impact over the next 1-3 years?

•Empathy and hearing will be common practices among the school community in Kalkudah zone.
•Teachers and students will be available with the skills of empathy, healing and empowering.
•The past pains of young people are healed.
•Practice of empathy became a part of school system and culture.
•The tolerance, understanding and accepting different people from different background and different ideologies.
•Resource persons and multipliers to provide empathy skills will be available.

What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?

The possible challenge of the project is to get the support from the school principal,, school administration and teachers . As the schools focus mostly only on the better public exam results and pass rates of the students, they might not be willing to give their full support and cooperation for these types of programmes. Therefore, the principal and school admistration should be convinced that this programme will contribute to the improvement of the studies of the children . Therefore, explanation of the projects and potential benefits of the project should be clearly communicated to them.
Another potential barrier is that might be to get government’s approval for this type of projects. Therefore, prior to start this project, it should be properly informed to the government.

Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact

Teachers and students gain knowlege and skills in empathy to facilitate empathy groups

Identify three major tasks you will have to complete to reach your six-month milestone
Task 1

Provide training sessions on empathy skills to teachers

Task 2

Provide training sessions on empathy skills to students and orientation for parents

Task 3

Students’ empathy circles and teachers’ empathy circles are formed

Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone

Establisment of empathy culture in the school enviornment and better relationship between different communites.

Identify three major tasks you will have to complete to reach your 12-month milestone
Task 1

Students and teachers go for exchange visits to other villages and organize common practice groups

Task 2

Regular empathy circles are included in the school systems

Task 3

Evaluation of the one year activities and skilled and committed empathy practioners will be identified for sustainability.

Founding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world [125 words]

In our need assessment s , we collected information regard child abuse, child rights and gender based violence. In that survey ,we have found that how much these children are affected and misguided. The women from last year project who participated NVC trainings shared that how empathy skills and practice groups helped them to deal the challenges and empowered them. They shared that after they learnt NVC and empathy skills, they started empathizing children’s emotions. There was a positive shift in their children’s behaviors after that .Most of the children from this area is affected and traumatized. In our school visit for our need assessment, we interviewed some of the children. They shared their fears and pain of their lives. These experience motivated to start a project to teach empathy skills for students and teachers.

Sustainability
Tell us about your partnerships

GBV desk of base hospital
Health department
Local NGOS
Social care centre
Probation department

What type of team (staff, volunteers, etc.) will ensure that you achieve the growth milestones identified in the Social Impact section? [75 words]

ESDF‘s staff will work on the planning, coordination, implementation of the project. Peace animators, volunteers will be also take part in the implementation. Local and international resource persons for empathy skills ,Nonviolent communication and healing will be invited from for the trainings sessions and for the formation of practice groups. Consultants will be hired to for consultation and support to improve effectiveness of the project. external evaluators will be hired for the monitoring and evaluation purposes and improvement. Part time workers will be hired for the coordination.

Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list