Offical Website of PALM Sri Lanka
PALM CDSG (G) Ltd is a non-governmental community development organization which adopts a holistic development approach in implementing a package of community development programs, which are initiated with community mobilization processes.
Unity in Diversity
To work with difference multi ethnic communities through a community governance approach to strengthen coexistence and reduce poverty by focusing on entrepreneurial & social business approaches.
The mother organization of the company was initiated in the 1985, by the
Ms. Natacha, Mr.Maarten Van Woerden, Mr. Oppewal Sjoerd and group of
Dutch volunteers who were moved by the poor and isolated living conditions of the plantation workers in the Central Province.
Activities such as the construction of houses, dispensaries & schools,
were combined with health & educational programs. Funding was received
from individual donors of the Netherlands, simultaneously a small partner
NGO was formed, called: stitching PALM, who supported with funding for
ten years. In 1989 PALM was registered under the NGO registration act in
Sri Lanka.
During the beginning of the nineties the organization began to realize that long – term sustainability could only be achieved if more emphasis is put on strengthening the local component both in the organization as well as among the target groups.
A Technical Coordinator Mr.Saman Wijebandara was appointed in 1991 to coordinate & assist in the design & construction of the water supply schemes. Basically, this employment became the corner stone for the rapid development in the years to come. An evaluation in 1992 clearly proved that health, sanitation & the supply of safe drinking water was going hand & the health promoters soon became mobilizes who looked livelihood needs of the target groups, demanding more programs which could sustain them in many ways.
The vision & input of the mobilizes, who derived from the target groups added to a new & effective holistic approach of the organization, in which one development aspect could not be seen isolated but in a total context of well being & an uplifted living standard of the community.
A Community Mobilization Coordinator Mr.Sunil Dombepola was appointed in 1994 to initiate Community Mobilization activities evolved as an added mechanism to: unite & strengthen the community capacity to handle and manage different type of community based project interventions. Also, participatory planning & monitoring concepts are adopted most meaningful way to create community engagement for their community development activities. Multi stakeholder’s engagement also promoted throughout the entire mobilization process. Many mobilization strategies have been adopted to implement holistic community development approach with the stakeholder’s active participation to promoting participatory development concept in practical way.
The organization developed its first lone term plan for five years & completed the implementation successfully. This initiated a long – term cooperation with external development partners such as Novib of Netherlands, Helvetas of Switzerland, Norad of Norway etc. this five years plan was a major milestone to the PALM in terms of its institutional development where the organization grew up to a systematic & leading development organization today. This 5 years plan was focused an infrastructure development (safe drinking water, sanitation and plantation housing). Strong community mobilization component and Environment friendly agriculture component.
An external evaluation was carried out in 1998 in assessing the outcome of the first long – term plan. Based on this evaluation & learning of the five – years plan, the second phase plan was formulated for 2000 – 2003. At the organization level a major change happened in year 2000 as the founder member of PALM & first team leader Ms. Natascha Sennema withdrew from her post & was succeeded by a local member the Deputy Team Leader to her post.
PALM’s development program was continued as an extension of the last four – year plan. During the interim year of 2004, the past program was evaluated by an external team, in which the outcomes will be analyzed & amalgamated to the new phase. Hence the year 2004 accommodated adequate time on analyzing the Marginalized development context, which included an external evaluation, carried out by Prof. Sinnathamby & Ms. ZiaNiazi of Pakistan on the ongoing program. Outcome of the evaluation strongly emphasized the relevance of “holistic participatory development approach” of PALM to the sector & continuation of its integrated development program. The evaluation also highlights the necessity of actions towards the mainstreaming of PALM’s development model. PALM’s integrated development program has mainly focused in addressing the social poverty which being the most deprivation in the sector through a systematic empowerment process. These main programs were (1) Social Mobilization & training, (2) Infrastructure Development program, (3) Natural Resource Management Program & (4) Empowerment support Education Program were implemented in an integrated manner complementing the sectional goals & ultimately contributing to PALM’s development vision.
By analyzing the input so far, the Organization has been convinced in enriching its approach by recognizing the social empowerment as the core program in the future. The outcome of the four-year program has clearly shown the relevance of PALM “s development approach to the plantation sector & healthy expansions according to the resource availability.
After tsunami disaster in 2004 December that PALM got an opportunity to expand its development approach to eastern province in 2005 April. From 2005 to 2008 that PALM eastern branch was able to implement tsunami relief and recovery project in eastern province covering three districts with the leadership of Mr.Sunil Dombepola. In 2009 PALM board was passed the resolution to form PALM community development servicers guarantee limited to function it an independently with the separate governing body.
PALM Community development Servicers Company Guarantee ltd has been engaging with local and international partner organizations by implementing difference type of community development programs in the east, north and north central provinces by highly committed and dedicated multi ethnic staffs who were appointed from the island wide.
The integrated development program, which was implemented in the Marginalized Community during the past period, has clearly contributed in disseminating a “Community driven development approach” to the Marginalized sector, which has now been widely accepted by local & national level. The understanding & collaborative partnership of the funding organization of the past phases namely MECY CORPS, PRACTICAL ACTION, DIAKONE, Give2Asia, CARE Australia, ILO, Big lottery fund UK, BERENDINA, USAID, UNDP, ONUR Melania Foundation & PALM Netherlands were a major strength to the program. It could be seen that the funding partners may change their development scopes & find difficulties in continuation of such partnership. However, PALM emphasizes the attention on ‘Needy marginalized sectors’ with alternative approaches.
PALM CDSCG LTD has emerged about 16 years ago by imitating an alternative effort to contribute for possible improvement of life style of 30 years’ war and disaster effected Marginalized people by considering their vulnerability. This initiative matured into a major community development program in the sector, which has a national level recognition today. According to the learning’s of initial stage of PALM, it realized that project-based approaches are not sustainable & needs the aspects of integrity & long term-based planning.
A remarkable impact in terms of social empowerment due to the successful dissemination of PALM development program could be noticeable amongst the marginalize communities within the east north Sri Lanka. Thereby continuation of the program needs to be critically analyzed for further justification of the PALM’s development model.
The integrated development program, which was implemented in the marginalized community during the past period, has clearly contributed in disseminating a “Community Driven Development Approach” to the marginalized community, which has now been widely accepted at the local and national level.
The understanding and collaborative partnerships of the funding organizations of past phases, namely: NOVIB, HELVETAS, NORAD, OXFAM, WORLDBANK, STROMI Foundation, Mercy Corps, Practical Action, Diakone, Give2Asia, BARNET, CARE Australia, International Labour Organization (ILO), Big Lottery Fund and USAID were a major strength to the organization. In due time some of the funding partners changed their development scopes and continuation of the partnership was found difficult.
PALM keeps emphasizing their attention on the marginalized communities with alternative development approaches.
PALM Foundation emerged about two decades ago by implementing an alternative effort to contribute to the improvement of the livelihoods of marginalized people considering their vulnerability. This initiative matured into a major community development program within the sector, which has a national level recognition today.
According to the learning’s of the initial stage of PALM, it realized that project based approaches are not sustainable and need the aspects of integrity & long term based planning.
A remarkable impact in terms of social empowerment due to the successful dissemination of PALM’s development program could be noticed amongst the marginalize communities within its working area. Therefore, continuation of the program needed to be critically analysed for further justification of PALM’s development model.
The year 2004 accommodated adequate time for analysing this marginalized development context, which included an external evaluation, carried out by Prof. Sinnathamby from the University of Peradeniya in Kandy and Ms. Zia Niazi from Pakistan on the ongoing program. Outcome of the evaluation strongly emphasized the relevance of “holistic participatory development approach” of PALM to the sector and continuation of its integrated development program. The evaluation also highlights the necessity of actions towards the mainstreaming this model.
PALM’s integrated development program has mainly focused in addressing the social poverty which being the most deprived in the sector through a systematic empowerment process. These main programs are:
1. Social Mobilization & Training
2. Infrastructure Development
3. Natural Resource Management
4. Empowerment Support Education
These were implemented in an integrated manner complementing the sectional goals and ultimately contributing to PALM’s development vision. By analysing the input, the organization has been convinced in enriching its approach by recognizing the social empowerment as the core program in the future.
PALM Community Development Services Company is registered as a Guarantee Limited in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka.
Mr.IM.Asmir , Ms.Sharona.I.W , Ms.Sharona.I.W , Ms.R. Ilanila , Mr.G. Muralitharan , Mr.G.M.Wimalasena , Mr.NM.Mohamed Nifras , Mr.Y.B.hussain , Ms.S.Prashane , Mr.H.M.Anver , Mr.P Kuselarajah , Mr.J.Ranjithkumar , Mrs.M.Sharmila , Mrs.J.Manimegalai , Mr.K.D. Nilantha Kumar , Mr.B.Navaneethan , Ms.A.G.Deepika Priyadarshanee , Ms.Anusha Priyadharsani Somarathna, Mrs.J.Nirmala , Ms.C. Samantha, Mrs.S.Priyatharshini, Ms.R.Kayathry, Mr.D.M.Ariyarathna , Mr.R.B.Rasika Thusitha Kumara , Mr.R.Kathirgamanathan , Mr.V.Shivakumar , Mr.S.Kavithas , Mrs.S.Krishnadevi , Mrs.K.Vijayakumary , Mr.S.Naguleshwaran , Mr.R.Rajeswaran , Mr.J.Muralitharan , Mr.P Kabiluxan , Mr.Sivasamy Vasanthakumar , C Chandrasekaram, Ms.S.I.S.Samarasingha, P.Ranchitha, Brintha
