In 1986, when the people displaced by the Kanthale dam project became destitute, the government provided relief. However, widespread corruption by local authorities in distributing these goods created further hardship. Local leaders in Kanthale, together with this emerging organisation, intervened and drew significant public attention to the issue, helping to resolve it to a considerable extent.

While many other organisations withdrew to Colombo and disengaged, the Community Education Centre (CEC) remained in contact with the affected communities and continued its work. By 1990, CEC was active in 18 villages around Kanthale, running several programs including:

• Village-level women’s and peasants’ associations
• Youth collectives
• Pre-school programs
• Osu Nivasa (traditional medicinal homes)

In 1998, 18 village-level women’s associations united to form the Eastern United Women’s Organisation (EUWO). Since then, EUWO has implemented a wide range of programs addressing both community needs and national-level issues such as human rights and good governance.

Present Activities include:

• Women’s leadership development
• Food sovereignty initiatives
• Income-generating and entrepreneurship programs
• Economic and social development of women
• Programs fostering unity among ethnic and religious communities
• Community school initiatives

A unique feature of EUWO is its inclusivity—all programs bring together Sinhala, Tamil, and Muslim women, strengthening solidarity across communities.

• DATE : 12th of September 2025
• STARTING TIME : 6.30 AM
• DISTANCE FROM NICD: 145km
• TRAVELLING TIME: 3 hours 30 minutes
• Maximum number of participants is 30
• Breakfast will be provided at NICD or hotel
• Lunch will be provided on the site, local food and fruits will be provided by the community.