Submission ID 131958
| Issue/Objective | Our focus is a village in Killinochchi district, Sri Lanka, home to a marginalised ethnic group, the "Malayalam Tamil", who live on low arid land that is prone to seasonal flooding and lacking transportation connections to nearby towns. They have restricted access to water and land, limiting food production. Intergenerational malnutrition, mainly micronutrient deficiency, is highly prevalent among women of childbearing age in this community. The case study's main objective is to understand the Canadian diaspora's role in reclaiming health equity and addressing malnutrition in post-war Northern Sri Lanka. |
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| Methodology/Approach | This case study is based on the data collected through direct participation and observation by the authors, and discussions with the villagers and members of the diaspora organisation, in the period from mid of 2022 to the latter part of 2024. |
| Results | A group of Tamil diaspora in Canada helped rebuild rural villages in Sri Lanka's Northern Province after the recent economic crisis. They visited communities and discussed local challenges. They assisted villagers in setting up the women's co-op and sustaining it by providing seed funding, which enabled the village community to engage with the state departments to collectively voice their rights such as land and water rights. They also addressed malnutrition by partnering with SUVADI, a local community health organisation, to co-create community-led solutions. Diaspora members in Malaysia and the UK further supported the effort by funding wells, bicycles, and road drainage improvements. |
| Discussion/Conclusion | Canadian diaspora engagement with the local community over the years has empowered villagers, enabled them to raise their voice for their rights, and built connections with the community health organisation and the co-operative federation of the district. In the current context, to overcome the gap in international donor funding and state assistance, the role of the diaspora becomes more significant. This case study exemplifies how diaspora engagement reclaims health equity in a fragmented and uncertain world, which applies to similar contexts in the Global South. In addition, Canada has diverse diaspora groups which can be aligned with and leveraged to advance Canada's mission of building health equity beyond national borders. |
| Presenters and Affiliations | Prabu Nadaraja Suvadi Health Shribavan Kanesamoorthy Suvadi Health |
