In Devapuram, Batticaloa, 44-year-old Anthony Sivarasa has been selling food from a pushcart for six years. With his daily earnings of about Rs. 2,500, he supports his wife, Sivanita, and their three daughters, aged 15, 12, and 10, who all study at BT/Vantharoormulai Sithy Vinayakar National School. For Anthony, each day’s work is more than a livelihood; it’s his way of keeping his family’s dreams alive.

The village where Mr. Sivarasa lives was heavily devastated by the last civil war, with families displaced and later resettled. He was affected by the terrible war of the past too. Today, he continues to serve not only as a food vendor but also as an activist for his village. In this community, families of the missing are still engaged in the struggle for justice, while many youths are falling into drug addiction.

In Devapuram, under the Kiran DS Division, the traditional Rural Development Society had once been active but later became non-operational, leaving the community without a vital voice. Recognising the need to rebuild such structures, the Network of Civil Organisations for Kiran DS Division was developed and strengthened through AHRC. As part of its Village Level Strengthening Programme, the Kiran Divisional Secretariat was selected, and Mr. Anthony Sivarasa’s leadership was prioritised. His longstanding commitment and role as President made him a natural choice to be inducted into the programme.

Through this initiative, Mr. Sivarasa received a series of trainings from human rights awareness, documentation, and advocacy to networking and personality development. With these tools, he began to take on a stronger role in his village, becoming a spokesperson for his community’s struggles and raising their concerns with diplomats and foreign embassies. Alongside this, he organised awareness programmes for local youth, determined to guide the next generation away from cycles of vulnerability.

Two examples highlight his impact:

• In Kiran Murakodanchenai, when drug use among school students began to rise, Mr. Sivarasa worked closely with AHRC and the Santhivelly Police Station to confront the issue. His initiative has already shown promising progress in reducing the problem.

• In monthly meetings with AHRC and other members, he also championed the reconstruction of a broken water route connecting Tigilivettai, Pulibainthakal, Koraveri, and Kudumbimali. Within a short time, he mobilised the network to take bold steps toward restoring this essential resource.

Today, under his leadership, many such initiatives have taken root. Beyond these immediate achievements, Mr. Sivarasa continues to work on long-term plans to strengthen traditional village-level organisations and ensure that future generations inherit a stronger, more resilient community.