Australian Business and Professional Women support the work of BPW Sri Lanka in creating the world's first self-sufficient Global Peace Village for over 150 families from the 500,000 displaced people that daily require feeding and shelter by the Sri Lankan government.

President BPW Sri Lanka, Mrs. Janaki Gunawardena has a vision that this will be the first of many such villages supported by the generosity of BPW. The village in Illukpitiya is on a very fertile plain, with four large derelict reservoirs (tanks). These are to be restored to provide agricultural water.

The overall aim is to provide clean water, homes, a sustainable income and irrigation for families to take them out of poverty forever.150 acres of land is available for a livestock farm and a cow, seedlings and seed has been given to each family. Presently they are housed in makeshift shelters or in refugee camps living from day to day not knowing what the future holds for them in an insecure environment which is the ideal breeding ground for vice and corruption. It is an urgent priority that some action is initiated to move from this dangerous trend and use this precious human resource for the development of the world.

So far 30 houses have been built already each on 40 perches of land that is titled to the recipient family. The village community centre is now built and medical clinics are held there every 3-4 months. Children walk to another village nearby to attend school. In one house was observed a baby, who lay on the floor under a net cover, rather reminiscent of something Australians put over sandwiches to protect from the flies. The house was spotless, the building was 2 roomed, with a bed and 7 big sacks of rice in the corner, the kitchen is under the main roof and lots of pots and pans were hanging out to dry. The house has a garden with vegetables and very small fruit trees, a toilet and a shack were further away. Most of the houses people have been living in are not of this standard. Many did have red brick walls, however most were plant roofs without water or toilets.

Many BPW clubs all over Australia have fundraised to send sums totaling over A$9,000 so far to this project. Our willingness to tackle one of the greatest humanitarian challenges of this century is not only a test of BPW's commitment to human rights and our belief in the fundamental worth of the human person; it is also a step towards building a better and safer world.

Arlene Quinn, President BPW Kalamunda, Global Peace Village BPW Australia Coordinator Contact 0402272868 for more details.