The JICA Alumni Association was set up in 1972 for promoting learning Japan, especially Japanese culture and technology in Sri Lanka. The Association has been conducting various social and communal events every year in collaboration with the JICA Sri Lanka Office.
As part of their social development programme, the JICA Alumni Association recently provided assistance to support ex-convicts to initiate their own professional career and lives after release form prison. This event was closely coordinated with the Department of Police and Prison in collaboration with JICA. Three-day workshop was conducted by the JICA Alumni Association members in prison for 18 prisoners from February 27 to March 1. Agriculture, tailoring, masonry, carpentry are selected on the prisoners skills and interests. Materials, equipment and tools they need for work in these areas immediately after the release from prison were handed over on March 10 when they are released from prison.
Embassy of Japan Deputy Head of Mission Katsuki Kotaro, JICA Chief Representative Yamada Tetsuya, Commissioner General of Prison, Thushara Upuldeniya, Deputy Commissioner General of Prison (Rehabilitation and Skill Development) Chandana Ekanayake and Senior Superintendent of Police (Media Spokesman) Nihal Thalduwa were present.
The Officials from Department of Police and Prison emphasized that generally when the prisoners are released they enter the community without any focus on their livelihood, but this time they are released with some hope, the materials provided are very much useful for them, especially most of them already involved with these types of livelihoos. They highly appreciated JICA Alumni and the JICA for their social intervention, especially to the grassroots level communities.
Yamada highlighted that country’s development relationship has initiated since 1951 with the San Francisco Conference and they have been helping each other since then. JICA implements various project including infrastructure development. But the Human Resource Development is also a key area for JICA’s operations in Sri Lanka and the JICA Alumni Association is one of the outcomes. They implement various social development programmes. We cannot abandon ex-convicts as they are part of our community. Therefore, this support for developing their skills to ease their ways towards a new life is very much helpful, especially during this economic crisis.
Dailynews