Regency ACN LT project research update

President Mario and Rotarians Thilal, Prabhu and Gehan met with ACNielsen [ACN] MD Dwight Watson [himself a tsunami survivor], Crystal Nathan and Udayana Seneviratne on 26 January to finalize the way forward of the long-term project. Here is a progress report:

Objectives

• Understand the key problems/issues;
• Ellicit their current needs in the short term and long term;
  
• Assess the kind of relief activities/measures that are currently implemented;
• Evaluate their reaction to various project ideas;
  
• Model village
  
• Livelihoods project [within the model village] and
  
• Educational project [within the model village]
  

Discussion Guide

Everyone went through the discussion guide and it was agreed upon. Our Rotarians wanted the research team to probe a little more in terms of what the respondents expected from the project ideas so that they could customize the project thus making it more relevant. In order to do so, the ACN team requested the Rotarians to give some write ups for each of the project ideas. These would then serve as concept boards which could be checked out in the groups. The revised DG is attached in the Long-Term Project link. Please provide any feedback before the 5th of February.

Logistics

It was decided that the recruitment for these groups would take place at the refugee camps in that area. However a problem that remains is the identification of one village/area to make the research findings more purposeful and it was agreed by the rest of the team. We would now speak to the Batticaloa team and narrow it down to one village and a total of 4 groups will be conducted.

It was decided to have the groups scheduled during the 11^th – 13^th of February 2005. Since the rotary team is well versed with the terrain of the land, at least one of them would accompany the ACN team to Batticaloa for the groups. We offered to look after the transport and lodging of the moderator who would conduct these groups. It was also agreed that the Rotary centre in Batticaloa would serve as the venue for these groups