PARAPROFESSIONALS IN VILLAGE-LEVEL DEVELOPMENT IN SRI LANKA : THE SARVODAYA SHRAMADANA MOVEMENT

To remedy this lack, model programs in six countries were studied. This report, the fourth of the series, details Sri Lanka"s Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement (SSM), a private voluntary organization that began in 1958 and has since gained national status (involving 2,500 villages) and international acclaim for its holistic development approach. In SSM, development starts at the village level with 3-6 day initiation camps in which village volunteers, directed by SSM district leaders, work to meet some felt need such as building a village access road. Afterwards, with enthusiasm high, village groups are formed, SSM workers (considered paraprofessionals) are selected, and programs such as preschool/day care, health, and community development are begun. Several variables affect worker performance: (1) Since workers are often selected by local village or SSM authorities with the village simply concurring, they may not be perceived as community representatives. (2) SSM workers are adequately trained to perform basic services but lack skills for more complicated or long-term projects. (3) District workers often lack the materials, money, time, and/or skills to adequately support and supervise inexperienced SSM workers. (4) SSM stipends cannot compete with regular job earnings, but other factors, including gaining recognition and increasing job skills, often motivate villagers to join. On the whole, SSM"s success in attracting wide support among rural populations has been limited by two ongoing problems: the very poor remain largely uninvolved and villagers tend to lose their initial level of interest. Recommendations include: improve training so workers can better design and implement projects; upgrade the quality of district/regional workers who supervise and train local workers; and create more leadership roles to allow for greater specialization and to lessen burdens. Appendices include a village health survey form and training course outlines.