After the conclusion of Sri Lanka’s 30-year internal conflict in May 2009, the rehabilitation of 12,000-14,000 ex-combatants from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), as well as their social and economic reintegration into civilian society, was the top priority for the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation. The ex-combatants varied in both age and education level, with some as young as 14, while others were adults in their 60s. Successful reintegration meant providing these rehabilitees the proper vocational training and resources to guide them on the rightful path to restoration and prepare them for re-entering into civilian society as peace-loving and productive citizens. Additionally, it was crucial to track rehabilitation progress in a transparent manner and match rehabilitees with training programs aligned to set them on the right track.
Virtusa’s contribution to the rehabilitation process was threefold. Virtusa set up a Digital Learning Center to provide IT training for rehabilitees. Virtusa contributed its digital engineering expertise to develop the Rehabilitation Management System (RMS) to ensure a transparent rehabilitation process. Since the rehabilitation center was located in an area of water scarcity, Virtusa also helped construct a tube well to provide basic necessities for the rehabilitees.
The goal of the RMS was to assist the Bureau of the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation (BCGR) in managing the end-to-end rehabilitation process and providing complete accountability and transparency.
The RMS streamlines the monitoring and management process of rehabilitation. The system allows for the implementation of:
Information security was a major concern due to the highly sensitive nature of the data being collected. Virtusa utilized an encrypted user ID and password login system and secure data segregation and transfer between the BCGR and training centers to ensure information security. In addition, the RMS featured dynamic profiling functionality for onboarding and offboarding.
Virtusa established a state-of-the-art Digital Learning Center (DLC) in Vavuniya to provide IT training for rehabilitees and developed a tiered training curriculum to meet the varying levels of IT experience among the rehabilitees. The DLC was officially declared open by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on April 1st, 2010.
When rehabilitation was completed and the camp concluded, the DLC was transitioned over to the Vavuniya Campus of the University of Jaffna in January 2012 as a training resource for their IT faculty.
The Rehabilitation Management System and the Digital Learning Center have provided thousands of ex-combatants and rehabilitees with valuable IT education and employment opportunities, allowing them the chance to successfully reintegrate into civilian society – and ultimately, enabling a new beginning.
Virtusa has received numerous awards and recognition for the DLC and RMS projects, including a spotlight feature in the United Nations Global Impact (UNGC) Responsible Business Advancing Peace case study, which highlighted Virtusa’s contribution to government relations and local stakeholder engagement.
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