Had a very quick walk about Zone 6 of Athidiya , all the new houses are occupied now. These are one floor but with a ‘’slab’’ not a roof , to enable a second floor ro be built. Amazingly a couple all have already built a second level. Another has turned their small space into a shop leaving just a tiny area of about 6x4 to sleep.
One of the issues with the new homes is that there is little ventilation and so when people cook it just fills the whole place with smoke – actually this was an issue in the old places also, although there was probably move ventilation. As a result there has been a high level of respiratory issues. You may recall that last year we had worked with Practical Action who had designed a chimney to extract the smoke when cooking.
The next step was to contact an organisation called NERD (the name doesn’t work so well in the British context) they would construct and test a model making sure it worked and then we could get some local men trained to construct them into the new homes . Unfortunately this kind of fell off the to do list what with the land and building and the everyday stuff. But yesterday Shyamini and I went in seach of NERD and after an intrepid adventure full of near misses and other near death experiences we came upon the NERD. So it was that the two wanderers did speak to many people, who suggested we spoke to many other people. But it came to pass that the two seekers did speak to the big man who kindly agreed to do the needful and then communicate through the magic of the either. Good stuff!
Wednesday
Today we visited the school in Koralawella, where we have been supporting a breakfast club. Milk provided before school starts each day, to the fist 100 children. (in addition some provision is made for a few children who are very vulnerable). Previously before the project attence at the school was rubbish, now it’s 90% . The children come for the milk but when in school stay for the day.
Also 75 of the poorest children are given a lunch packet twice a week .
We also funded tuition for 12 children , who have 10 of whom have just taken their O’ levels, all passed and 8 will now be taking up A levels.
Thursday
Today up early as I wanted to be at the school in Athidya early and take some video of the Breakfast Club.
From there we visited RCCI, an organisation that works with disabled children and young people. Asha has been supporting their work with autistic children, we agreed to fund 8 originally, they now have 15 autistic children. The teachers are great, lots of patience and clearly well trained.
For lunch we met up with Beulah and visited Sioll centre a day care centre in Buttaramulla. The children that attend in the morning had already left by the time we got there, but there were a few children waiting for their poarents being entertained by a couple of the staff.
It’s been a good day.
Tomorrow will be another long day as we leave at 6 to travel to Palama. A new village consisting of 40 families who have moved from the shanties of
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