After decades of displacement and uncertainty, Arundhavamalar’s story is one of enduring hope, resilience and the power of community support.

For decades, Arundhavamalar’s life was defined by displacement. Born in 1980 in a small village in Palaly, she grew up in a close-knit community of around 30 families. Her father was a fisherman, and her mother a homemaker. Life was simple but full of joy, surrounded by her eight siblings and friends from school. 

However, the civil war disrupted that peaceful life, forcing her family to leave everything behind. On August 13, 1990, as violence escalated, her family—like so many others—was forced to flee their home, seeking refuge at the Palavy welfare center in Point Pedro. This was only the beginning of years of uncertainty and hardship. 

“We tried to return home after the 2004 tsunami, hoping to rebuild,” she recalls. “But the conflict resumed, and we were displaced again in 2005.” 

From there, she and her family moved from one temporary refuge to another—Vanni, Valajarmadam, Mathalan—before finally reaching Jaffna in 2009 by boat. There, they lived in the Allarai Internally Displaced Persons site in Chavachcheri. Eventually, their journey took them back to Polikandy, where they struggled to rebuild a life from scratch. 

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A New Beginning 

Throughout these years of displacement, Arundhavamalar’s survival depended on the kindness of relatives and the few opportunities available. Her elder brother’s business provided some stability, but Arundhavamalar’s biggest concern remained her children’s education and well-being. 

Through the Expanded Support for Durable Resettlement and Reintegration (EDRR) project, she received assistance in rebuilding her life. Implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in partnership with the Government of Sri Lanka, the initiative helps resettled communities build sustainable livelihoods and reintegrate into society.

To read the full article please head over to its original place of publishing srilanka.un.org