Economic and social development of marginalised women and girls The project will be implemented with 5 local partner organisations adopting the consortium approach, implementing in different geographical locations, covering 3 districts (Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Matara) in Sri Lanka. The consortium project will contribute to the five areas of the country programme: Organisational development, Sustainable agriculture, Business development & financial inclusion, Gender equality promotion and Social Inclusion & reconciliation. Trainers' Coop, one of the implementing partners under the consortium, will support the other organisations to improve their institutional & individual capacities and skills in organisational development, finance management, good governance, leadership, etc. The consortium intervention will target rural, marginalized, war-affected, vulnerable communities in the selected locations. The project is expected to improve the living conditions of 3250 families while enhancing the women empowerment, youth development, women entrepreneurship development, gender sensitized policy and practices for the small-scale farmers, strengthen fisheries, increase access to land & financial resources, increase the income of the targeted community at the end of five years. The expected long-term impact of the approach is to achieve the sustainable socio-economic development of poor and marginalized communities with equal rights. The Kaviya Self Development Women Centre, one of the partner organisations comes under the consortium project and covering the Batticaloa district was able to establish three new cooperative societies in selected three new villages. Further to the completion of baseline data collection and the PRA of those particular villages, the VDP (Village Development Plan) were made for each village and reviewed the existing plans as well and under the project, the VSLA was introduced to the newly formed villages and the poorest of the poor people. Meanwhile, the savings for the cooperatives and revolving loans system were initiated at the cooperatives as well. The task force committee, which is the platform for both duty-bearers and rights-holders, was formed in one division. They have been introduced a complaint box to place at each GN (Grama Niladhari) office, where the community can put their suggestions and as well as complaints, and when the task force meeting takes place, theses issues also will be discussed. Further, there were awareness sessions conducted to the communities on government services which is available for each village and how to access them. This concept was initiated at the previous cycle and since it brought up the massive results for the communities in the rural villages, it has been adopted by the other We Effect's partner organisations as well. The second partner organisation Trincomalee District Yoth Development AHAM is working with three primary cooperatives and initiating women entrepreneurship, increased services to the right holders, mainstreaming gender equality though cooperative approach. The partner organisation was able to conduct mobile services to assist the war affected communities to get the legal documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, land titles. More than 300 primary cooperative members were trained on leadership, human rights, management, saving and credit, women rights, gender base violence and cooperative values and principles. Nearly 50 youth members got the carrier guidance and linked with the service providers. At two divisional secretariat divisions conducted the right-holder and duty bearer discussions and more than 500 community members were benefited and were aware on the government services available for them and how to access the services and claim their rights. Third partner organisation, Sobakantha Environmental Development Foundation, working with the fisher community is promoting the cooperative business (environmental friendly oven made dry fish production) with 200 women and men members. The Morawakkorale Milk Producers' Cooperative Society which is working with dairy farmers in rural communities in plantation sector and National Professional Trainers' Cooperative Society are the next partner organisations comes under the project . Since they have very recently commenced their project in August the results will be updated in March