Fr. Rajanayagam
Jesuit
Working with Oblates, Sri Lanka
The Ahavoli Family Services Centre in the
Jaffna region of Northern Sri Lanka is a
relatively new venture initiated by the Oblate
Fathers. According to its director, Fr
Rajanayagam, a local Jesuit priest trained in
counselling, the Tamil people here have been
neglected because this area has suffered the
ravages of civil war for more than 20 years.
Since the ceasefire in 2002 many people have
returned to the area in the hope of rebuilding
their lives but as a result of the terrible
trauma suffered by many, the process is slow.
Regrettably the ceasefire has recently ended and
war has recommenced, making life for the local
people very difficult. The Jaffna Peninsula also
suffered devastation from the December 2004
tsunami which caused death, injuries and serious
damage in the region.
The Ahavoli Family Centre is a much needed
facility to provide help and training for the
people to deal with their trauma and to provide
them with the skill to settle conflicts among
themselves and the local communities. Fr
Rajanayagam who knows the people and their
problems, felt that they needed two urgent
initiatives:
- Training of professional counsellors
- Development of Non-Violent Communication (NVC) skills.
Both these training courses began in 2005 and will be completed
in 2007. NUI Galway has supported and helped to further develop the
excellent Counselling Course which was already in place. The
interaction with University staff encouraged the Director of Ahavoli
to enhance and expand the counselling and social care training with
consequential expansion of provision of services to the wider
community of the greater Jaffna region. This suggestion has been
partly implemented to great effect in the local community.
More recently, with support from the IMRS, NUI Galway has entered
discussions with the Director with a view to accrediting the one
year course in family and general counselling at the level of the
University’s current Diploma in Psychology of Counselling. This will
give formal recognition to the excellent work at Ahavoli and will
possibly attract more local individuals to get involved in this
important training.
Working for the promotion of just and peaceful relationships
amongst people.
– IMRS mission Statement
The Ahavoli Family Centre is providing very valuable professionals who will hopefully continue to make a great difference to a community which is torn apart by strife and traumatised by the events of the past. The IMRS and NUI Galway feel privileged to be part of what promises to be a success story and an example of what can be done through cooperation and resources.