Our speaker for The Jaffna Club's November meeting will be Mr Stephen Hall, Head of the Halo Trust in Sri Lanka until January 2024.

The Halo Trust, based in the UK, has been removing landmines and unexploded ordinance (ammunition) in the war affected areas since 2002. With a budget this year of US$7.5million, Halo employs 1,300 people in the Northern Province. 40% are women. Stephen said Halo is the second largest employer in the North after the garment factories!

When land is cleared it is returned to the owners. Recently large areas in Muhamalai, about 30km along the A9 from Jaffna Town, were returned and are now reoccupied by farmers.

It is important and interesting how this returned land can be made productive for the farmers and for the Province and nation. A potential investment or grant giving opportunity. And a potential source of agricultural produce for some of our members and viewers of this video.