NEWSLETTER-JANUARY-2013

HELP-O HELP-O is a NGO established in 1992 under the Social Welfare act of Sri Lanka. It implements many projects for environment protection and programs for the grass root level community in Sri Lanka. HELPO ECO GREEN LTD HELPO ECO GREEN COMPANY is compiling to assist & addressing waste management, energy needs and sanitation through utilizing otherwise discarded waste materials to upgrade the green productivity. HOLDE WOMENS CO-OP HOLDE Womens co-op is a cooperative society based on Galle district working for the housing & livelihood development in the area. Womens leading social services are doing for poverty alleviation.

HELP-O
What is Environmental Ethics?
Environmental ethics believes in the ethical relationship between human beings and the natural environment. Human beings are a part of the nature and so are the other living beings. We often ignore the fact that even plants and animals are a strong part of our lives. They are an integral part of the environment and hence have a right to be considered a part of the human life. On these lines, it is clear that they should also be associated with our guiding principles as well as our moral and ethical values. We are cutting down forests to make our homes. We are continuing with an excessive consumption of natural resources. Their excessive use is resulting in their depletion, risking the life of our future generations. Is this ethical? Thus human beings are disturbing the balance in the nature. The harm we do, as human beings, are causing to the nature, is coming back to us by resulting in a polluted environment. The depletion of natural resources is endangering our future generations. The imbalance in nature that we have caused is going to disrupt our life as well. But environmental ethics brings out the fact that all the life forms on Earth have the right to live. By destroying the nature, we are depriving these life forms of their right to live. We are going against the true ethical and moral values by disturbing the balance in nature. We are being unethical in treating the plant and animal life forms, which coexist in society.

FAO (Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)

Achieving food security for all is at the heart of FAO's efforts - to make sure people have regular access to well enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. FAO's mandate is to raise levels of nutrition, improve agricultural productivity, make better the lives of rural populations and contribute to the growth of the world economy. HELP-O also joined with this program & conducting home gardening project in community level to ensure the food security.

HEALTHY LIFE-HEALTHY DRINK

Galle District Housing & Livelihood Development Womens Co-operative society organized a special project activity of FAO (Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) & HELP-O to enrich the nutrition level healthy of community by conducting Kola Kenda (Herbal Porridge) hut in morning of the day at Thotagamuwa Co-operative branch.It was opened by the hand of Mr.Chathura Welivitiya-Chairman/Chief Executive of HELP-O. Although people believe that Kola Kenda is good for them, The truth is even more pleasant. Kola Kenda nourishes and rejuvenates the whole system of the human body. It gives one clear, healthy and glowing skin. It also stops premature graying and encourages hair growth and prevents hair from falling. These are the cosmetic benefits of Kola Kenda. Kola Kenda made with Gotukola, Mukunuwenna, Erabadu, Polpala, Neeramuliya, Kohila, Haathavaariya, Penela, Eramusu, Karapincha, Olinda Kola, Yakinarang (for the cure of asthma). Kola Kenda improves the digestive process and its anti toxic properties make it a tonic for the whole body & increasing immunity. With the success of this Kola Kenda hut people are having a habit to drink a glass of Kola Kenda in every morning while they are going for exercising or work. Other important thing is that all the leaves from their home garden which was cultivate by themselves under the financial support of FAO project & now they are earning from this valuable activity & save for their community branches. They are trying to expand these best practices to other areas as well. Kola Kenda is a refreshing way to start the day it is an all-fresh and all-natural way to go.

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SUPPORTIVE PROJECTPROJECT FOR BALANCED SUPPORTIVE FOR BALANCED DEVELOPMENT IN DEVELOPMENT IN TRINCOMALEE TRINCOMALEE After the conclusion of the war, north eastern areas of the country are growing with new development projects in different sectors. Physical development was highlighted to rebuild in new way to achieve the development goals of national government. In that sense, environment factor has less priority with the trend of present development. However it is need to ensure the balance development in every sector to feel the success of sustainable development of the country. With that intention HELP-O is implementing Green Bio Energy City Project in Trincomalee to find a sustainable solution for waste management & alternative energy need in city level. By now we could complete major 03 biogas plant projects in Trincomalee & 02 biogas plants are working & other major one will open in very soon to facilitate for the market in Trincomalee urban area. After completing the biogas projects, next step of the project is to conduct a tree planting program within city & conduct a workshop to aware the community regarding the climate change & how can we find a solution with new technologies. As a highly tourist attracted area, Trincomalee is belong to eastern province & waste generation possibility also increasing. To find a solution for that situation we proposed to implement biogas plants in every major places of the city. It will make big impact to the environment of the area.

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GOOD MARKET CONCEPT APPLICATION IN SRI LANKA Sewalanka Foundation Organized a residential workshop to promote sustainable agriculture in Sri Lanka. HELP-O representatives were participating for this workshop & there were key areas to study such as social enterprises & good market concept. Through this monthly newsletter we will discuss about good market concept. What is the Good Market??? Farmers, producer groups, and social enterprises throughout Sri Lanka have developed products that are good for our health, our communities, and our environment, but they often find it difficult to market these products domestically. At the same time, there are many educated consumers in Sri Lanka that dont want to feed their families pesticides and preservatives. They are looking for healthy, natural foods and household products. They want to buy locally and support rural communities. The Good Market is a place for ethical producers and ethical consumers to come together. It will be a place to meet friends, enjoy a family outing, and find a range of healthy, environmentally friendly, ethical products that are not readily available anywhere else in Sri Lanka. It is ideal destination for all kind of gather.

The market will feature: Poison-free fruits and vegetables Artisanal food and snacks Fair-trade crafts Handmade original art Natural health and beauty products Non-toxic home and garden products Live entertainment and more

The Good Market - Colombo EVERY THURSDAY at the DIYATA UYANA market stalls next to the Parliament roundabout and Waters Edge in Battaramulla. The good market Colombo offers Sri Lankan flavors per excellence as typical local as well as Western sweets, pickles, fresh vegetables, fruit juices and coffee variations. Its the perfect place to find small presents as coconut jewelleries, bags, bright colored various clothes, organic tea.

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GOOD FOR THE PLANET.GOOD FOR THE COUNTRY.GOOD FOR YOU.

Good Market is a great initiative to not only give consumers the choice to buy organic and socially conscious produce/products but also to provide advocacy for a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. Meanwhile, Saaraketha, an agricultural enterprise that empowers rural small holder farmers to embrace sustainable methods of production, is another key vendor at the Good Market. Prasanna Hettiarachchi, founder/Chairman of Saaraketha, had this to say about the market: The Good Market bears testimony to a society that is evolving to embrace a greater awareness of the circle of life, a greater sense of inclusivity and understanding, on the choices we make and the impacts they have. Principals of good market Fresh Fruits, Vegetables, Spices, Herbs, Grains, Legumes, etc Eggs and Dairy Products Prepared Foods Arts and Handicrafts Health and Beauty Home and Garden Products Service Providers Events and Activities

All vendors have been screened according to Good Market standards and the market will feature more than 35 vendors Dairy selling organic fruits and vegetables; natural and artisanal food and snacks; fairtrade crafts; natural health products; nontoxic home and garden products; original art and more. The Good Market will be held every Thursday from 12 noon to 8 p.m. The market is a place for ethical producers and ethical consumers to come together a place to meet friends, enjoy a meal, and find a range of healthy, environmentally friendly products that are not readily available anywhere else in Sri Lanka. The Good Market is entirely a volunteerdriven event, in partnership with the market vendors.

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SEE NDO (SUSTAINABLE ENERGY EXHIBITION & DWELLING OVERVIEW) 2013 Housing and Energy Education & Trade Fair was organized by Ministry of Road Development, Power & Energy & Housing & Construction-Central Province in 18th, 19th & 20th of January 2013 at Kandy City Center. HELP-O participated for that by introducing biogas technology. This event organized to promote the energy conservation concept & introducing alternative energy techniques among general public. The need for alternative energy sources is getting urgent, hence the development of renewable energy is moving fast. Nationally and internationally various individuals and research companies are creating new and exciting energy systems. Politician's world-wide are drafting policies and are making agreements to make greater use of these energy sources. The first problem is that the fossil fuels are depleting in a rapid rate and are harder to retrieve. The consequence is that we can be facing an energy crisis in the future if we are not careful today. The energy prices will sky rocket and not be available for many individuals or countries. To avoid this doom scenario we need to find alternatives and used them to their full potential. Luckily this is already happening.

The second problem is that the fossil fuels that are widely used today are harmful for the environment. In the early seventies and eighties there were people and even scientist who preach otherwise, but today the negative effects are showing. The earth warming is going up and climate is changing. There are parts in the world were there be more rain and sunshine and others parts will become dryer then they already are. Another negative effect is that the ozone layer is getting thinner which also leads to a warming up the earth. These two effects compliment each other and make it even more crucial to make another step in a different direction. This step will lead us to the use of renewable energy.

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Another problem lies on the development of small economies. Because the energy prices for crude oil are going through the roof, these countries suffer even more. Many of these countries need crude oil for their electricity and means of transportation. These high oil prices have their effect on almost everything. The monthly electricity costs for households increase among others like transport cost and prices for basic products. Hence, these high oil prices make it harder for these small countries to grow there economies. The solution for the above problems can be resolved by renewable energy. Our beautiful planet gives us the opportunity to make proper use of sunlight, flowing water, strong winds, and hot springs and convert these into energy. These energy sources are abundant and free to use. We must be sure that we convert the energy the right way, without causing other problems that can again hurt our environment. Luckily the many efforts by individuals and companies show that this can be done.

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ACHIEVEMENTS THROUGH RENEWABLE ENERGY USING BY SAMBODHI HOME Galle Sambodhi Home establishes to serve for the mentally and physically disabled as well as society's discards. There are more than 60 different able persons look after to give Hope for the Silent Voices. HELP-O was really fortunate to help to them by constructing a biogas plant for sustainable waste management & providing alternative energy source. After one year we have review about the progress of this project & benefits for them. It says that there is no LP gas usage & main energy source for cooking is biogas. Biogas use to prepare tea for 60 persons in three times per day & prepare rice & curry for 60 persons in three times per day. It is a considerable saving of energy for future.

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SriLankan Airlines, the National Airline of Sri Lanka, is an award winning carrier with a firm reputation as a global leader in service, comfort, safety, reliability and punctuality. Launched in 1979, SriLankan is currently expanding and further diversifying its wide range of products and services in order to drive the country's ongoing boom in tourism and economic development. The airline's hub is located at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, providing convenient connections to its global route network of 60 destinations in 33 countries in Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Far East, North America and Australia.
BIOGAS TO USE IN A NEW WAY

As one of the major service provider, Sri Lankan Airline ltd could achieve different targets through quality service providing for their customers. In that way they are finding sustainable solution for organic waste management through biogas technology. HELPO Eco Green Ltd introduced the biogas technology for organic waste management & plant construction almost finished now. It will open in the near future to get more environmental benefits. They are hoping to use biogas for cooking purpose in the main canteen. Expectations of the biogas plant construction are to organic waste management & to use the generated biogas for heating waste incineration chamber. This will be a better environmental friendly solution & new experience to the world in a way they are trying to use the biogas while finding better answer for organic waste handling.

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SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & LEADERSHIP THROUGH YOUTH GROUPS Islander Center of Sewalanka Foundation is conducting wide range of program including

3-month residential training programs for rural youth leaders Specialized training programs and workshops for leaders of community organizations Retreats for dialog and strategic planning Organic agriculture demonstrations, experimental plots, nurseries and seed banks

Representative from HELP-O has participated for this 03 month residential training on sustainable organic agriculture, community development & leadership training for youth groups. It was a more important opportunity for youth to expand their knowledge regarding the organic agriculture & its sustainability to workout in village level development. These programs include a mix of men and women from different regions of the country. Their full-time multilingual staff provides facilitation and translation support, so that participants have an opportunity to share ideas, build understanding and develop new friendships across conventional linguistic, religious and regional divides. Sustainable agricultural practices are fundamentally a more ecologically based approach to raising food. These practices are based on understanding of, and respect for, ecological principles. In such systems, growers find themselves working with the ecology of the system, rather than against it.
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"Sustainable" agriculture refers both to economic and ecological sustainability. Any farming system that is going to be truly sustainable must be so in both senses; a farmer cannot stay in the farming business if the farming operation is not economically viable, regardless of how fine it may be ecologically! While there is considerable debate about exactly what constitutes sustainable agriculture, in general it is defined in terms of practices that not only allow for quality of life and agricultural production for this generation, but also for generations into the future. Sustainable agriculture doesn't necessarily mean "organic" farming (farming without use of synthetic chemical inputs), although increased attention is paid to "organic components," particularly in fertility and pest control. Such training are more valuable to future program of HELP-O in related to the home gardening & agriculture practices in community level. This new knowledge is helping to expand the village level community networking program & ensure the agriculture sustainability to open the employment opportunities.

ENTIRE LIFE LIGHTEN BY HOLDE WOMENS CO-OP

Homeless people are encourage to become home owners

HOLDE Womens Co-op is pioneer community network in southern province & it is helping for poor by working with womens group. In every village they are formulating small womens groups to work together. Each of group members is actively participating for the progress of network to serve for each other. In that way we have find more success cases among that community. Mrs.M.Deelika didnt have an own house to live for their family & they lived in her mothers home. After getting the membership in HOLDE Womens Co-op she could construct an own house for her family. She could get the loan facility from HOLDE Womens Co-operative society in stage by stage in housing construction. At the first stage she applied for self employment loan it was a help to start a new business in small level in village. With the success of the small business she began the construction of new house & she again applied for housing loan facility. It was a support to finish the half of housing construction. Second time also she could get the housing loan facility & finalize the roof construction also. Now they are living in this house & this dream will not realize without the helping hands of HOLDE Womens Co-op.

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THINK LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS "Let every individual and institution now thinks and act as a responsible trustee of Earth, seeking choices in ecology, economics and ethics that will provide a sustainable future, eliminate pollution, poverty and violence, awaken the wonder of life and foster peaceful progress in the human adventure."
John McConnell, founder of International Earth Day

HELP-O Newsletter To subscribe to HELP-O newsletter or to send comments regarding the publication, contact HELP-O communication unit

HELP-O No364/18A, Samagi Mw,Dangedara, Galle,Sri Lanka

T.P/Fax- (++94)91 4380121/ (++94)91 2226818 E-mail- helpogn@wow.lk /helpo@sltnet.lk Web-www.helpo-srilanka.org Web-www.helpoecogreen.com

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