The Korea International Cooperation Agency, (KOICA) provided a grant worth 195,000 USD to the United Nations Human Settlement Programme in September 2020 for the project Marglinalised Estate and Rural Communities in Nuwara Eliya District in Sri Lanka to Minimise Health Hazards of Covid-19 and Socioeconomic Implications of the Pandemic. The final handing over of the facilities of the project was held in Nuwaraeliya on 9th February. The project is an extension of the “Human Development Initiative through Empowerment and Settlement Improvement in the Plantation Settlements in Sri Lanka 2016-2018” funded by KOICA.

Representatives of the KOICA Sri Lanka Office, including the Director Ms. Kang Youn Hwa, The United Nations Resident Representative for Sri Lanka, Ms. Hanaa Singer Hamdy, Country Programme Manager of the United nations Human Settlemenet Programme Dr.Chanaka Thalpahewa and the District Secretary, Nuwaraeloya District Mr. Mr. Pushpakumara were present at the ceremonial ribbon cutting ceremony held at the Mahagasthota Agrarian Producers' Special Co-operative Society Limited, Nuwara Eliya.

The project specifically targetted to provide aid in dealing with the negative socio-economic impacts of the COVID19 Virus. Safety messages were disseminated with instructions on how to minimize the spread of the virus. The social impact of the pandemic such as intimate partner violence and other forms of rights violations were also addressed through the interventions. The project also intervened in increasing the Food Security and the Resilience of the marginal communities in the area.

The project is in direct contribution to KOICA’s efforts to support emergency responses, especially on COVID-19 and KOICA's strategy to strengthen resilience towards sustainable development and establish an economic foundation for socially vulnerable groups.

KOICA country Director, Ms. Kang Youn Hwa addressing the gathering at the handing over mentioned “KOICA has provided support of over 1.6 Million USD to Sri Lanka’s Education sector, Health sector and the Agricultural sector in their COVID19 response during the last year. KOICA continues to stand in solidarity with the Government of Sri Lanka and extends fullest support in their battle against COVID19.”  

The delegation also visited sites of several of their joint interventions during their visit.