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Records of the Department of
Wildlife Conservation show that on an average 56 humans and 121
elephants are killed each year due to the ongoing human-elephant
conflicts (HEC) prevalent in many district of Sri Lanka. |
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When anyone is
killed by a wild elephant, the Department of Wildlife
Conservation has a compensation scheme. Rs. 50,000.00 is paid to
the spouse or the next of kin. Another 50,000.00 is made
available for the children of the victim to share. This is the
figure irrespective of whether there are one or many children in
the family. However the money is not given immediately but kept
in a Savings Account till the child or children reach the age of
18 years. Therefore this is not available to the child when
he/she needs it most i.e. to be able to afford schoolbooks and
equipment required for school. |
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BECT found
that elephant conservation measures could not be implemented
without addressing the needs of the people who are affected by
elephant depredation. Hence there is an immediate requirement
for funds to help these children throughout their education.
BECT decided to assist these children in a tangible way. The
Department of Wildlife Conservation gave the BECT a list of
72 families of those who had been killed by a wild elephant
after 2003. The staff of the BECT visited each of these families
and obtained details of their present socio economic situation.
They also looked at the immediate needs of the school going
children. |
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The majority
of the victims had been farmers or labourers, so these families
are basically very poor. Many of the children in these families
could not go to school since they could
not afford to buy schoolbooks etc. |
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Family of a victim (Kotitagoda,
Moneragala District) |
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After the
survey the Biodiversity & Elephant Conservation Trust made out a
list of the requirements of school children from the
families interviewed. We
distributed parcels of books to all these children before the
new school term started.
BECT is
attempting to find donors to support these children to continue
their education. Support can range from providing books/
clothes/ food/ money to full or partial sponsorship. |
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In 2007, books were donated to 72
children from 64 families
in 8 districts.
In 2008,
106 children from 60 families received
school books in 8 districts. In 2009, 126 children from 67
families in 11 districts received school books. |
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Donation
of school books at Mattala (Hambantota district) |
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Donation
of school books at Madatugama (Anuradhapura district)
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Donation
of school books |
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Children
who received school books |
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