Gemidiriya shares experience at World Bank Sustainable Development Week
The Gemidiriya Community Development and Livelihood Improvement Project
was recognized as one of the most successful models in poverty
reduction and rural development at the Sustainable Development Week (SDW)-
2006 held at the World Bank head office, Washington DC recently.
The Sri Lanka presentation at the SDW saw a full house of attendance with
senior researchers, heads of divisions and practitioners of the World Bank.
The presentation went on for three hours and it was described as excellent by
the participants. The presentation was done by the CEO of the project Dr.
Gamini Batuwitage and the Senior Program officer, Micro Finance, M.P.Karunaratna.
Gamideriya is not really about access to services or financial assistance, rather, it is all about people having power and faith about their own abilities. If anyone has doubts on community-driven development, come and visit the people of Gemidiriya
- Peter Harrold-
The former Sri Lanka country director of the World Bank who is now the Head of the policy making division of the Bank, Peter Harrold delivering the introductory remarks gave a brief account on how well the project intervened in poverty reduction in the country and about its expansion adhering to principles.
Recalling his memories visiting the Gemidiriya project sites as the country director with the World Bank senior vice president for South Asia, Praful Patel, Harrold said, " Gamideriya is not really about access to services or financial assistance, rather, it is all about people having power and faith about their own abilities. If anyone has doubts on community-driven development, come and visit the people of Gemidiriya".
A notice displayed at the World Bank headquarter in Washington to inform Gemidiriya presentation
Delivering the concluding remarks the Bank's senior advisor Luis Coirolo, expressed his confidence that the project will expand rapidly due to the solid foundation, quality and the commitment displayed by the project staff and participants.
Coirolo is managing a community driven development project in Brazil covering 38,000 villages.
Gemidiriya project has already been granted to plan the second phase.
The first phase of the project was started in 2004 with a US$ 51 million grant from the World Bank. The Bank has agreed to finance the estimated US$ 181 million cost of the project for 12 years, after reviewing the successful operation of the model.
Gemidiriya Project Director, Dr.Gamini Batuwitage and Microfinance specialist Mr. Karunarathne Presenting Gemidiriya Successes to World Bank offices
During the last two years the project has shown steady progress and today it covers 535 villages. At the SDW the Gemidiriya Micro Finance (MF) scheme was highly recognised as one of the most successful MF projects. The project will cover one thousand villages by the end of year 2007.
In Gemidiriya villages, people have saved Rs 53.5 million from their income and have earned Rs.7 million as interest income. They maintain a loan repayment rate of 99%. They have invested Rs.142 million in the village economy to improve their livelihood.
In the Gemidiriya MF scheme there are 71,000 members who have formed 11762 small groups. Of them 80% are women. Loans are provided only for livelihood improvement and income generating projects. The significant feature is that the Gemidiriya project has achieved all this success within two years of implementation.
