USAID Improves livelihoods of Kirinda Fishermen

On a hot afternoon in January, hundreds of fishermen paused their midday activities to join local and national government officials, religious and community leaders, and representatives of the US government to officially open the new United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Kirinda Harbour Mechanics Workshop at the base of the Kirinda Harbour in the south, a USAID press release said.

Chairman, Ceylon Fisheries Harbour Corporation Abeyagoonesekara said, he was proud that everyone could come together and work so hard to create a new beginning for the fishermen of Kirinda”.

Kirinda is known as the fishing capital of Tissamaharama and thousands of people depend on the harbour for their livelihoods. Just over two years ago, still visibly devastated by the tsunami, many of these same fishermen gathered here to celebrate the completion of another USAID project, the dredging of the harbour.

USAID Mission Director Rebecca Cohn said it was clear that more than simply dredging needed to be done to ensure long-term sustainable economic growth at the harbour. “When we saw the state of the mechanics workshop and found out that there was no other place to maintain and repair harbour equipment in the area we knew we could help,” Ms. Cohn said.

“Based on a strong relationship forged during the dredging efforts and the collaborative spirit of the people of Kirinda, USAID is proud to have had the opportunity to rehabilitate the mechanics workshop.”

The mechanics workshop was built as part of a USAID’s Transition Initiatives programme which is aimed at strengthening the relationship between community members and their local government leaders.

Ms. Cohn complimented the collaborative work efforts of the Ceylon Fisheries Harbour Corporation and the Harbour Management Committee, “We are optimistic that the relationship between the CFHC and the community-led committee will continue to blossom and evolve, making the harbour a true gathering place for all members of the community”.