The plantation people of Sri Lanka harvest some of the world’s finest tea, yet they don’t get to enjoy it themselves. Instead, they are only allowed to take the bitter dust of the leaves. Poverty and poor cash management, unsatisfactory living condition, lack of safe water and sanitary facilities, low level of education, ignorance, difficult terrain, poor transport facilities with poor access to health care services, language barrier are some of the major factors affecting their economic and social wellbeing negatively.

This project aims to facilitate the integral human development of the plantation community, started from Matuwagala estate expanded during the period to Rabukkanda, Lellopitiya and Galaboda estates. It has been intended to strengthen and empower the community and organize them in order to establish sound relationship with government authorities and estate management to obtain their services easily and quickly. Support was extended to the communities to organize themselves to Self Help Groups, Community Based Organizations and Vigilant Committees in respective estates.

This project also included the youth and mainstreamed them together with the community into the society through the activities    conducted. Multiple community welfare projects also were implemented such as renovating water storage systems, wells and water tanks, community centers, religious places, child development centers and dispensary, establishing libraries, provision of furniture for community centers, provision of tool bags for the labourers etc. These activities were instrumental in empowering people since they are contributing factors for a more effective and efficient result of their labour. Community leaders were capacitated with training programs conducted both at the diocesan and national levels.