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| Chamila a happy 'model' having received the full Hair and Beauty treatment form the trainees |
There have been a host of highlights during my short visit to
Colombo.
Meeting the ‘’employment training’ providers and delegates
stands out. The second cohort of Hair and Beauty trainees is well on the way.
All are loving the course and those I spoke to have grown in there aspirations
for the future. The training staff are supportive and clearly go that extra
mile in order to expose the trainees to a wide range of skills and opportunities. It was so encouraging to meet Cheryl the director
of the training school. She is already planning
addition modules and courses that would speed these young women to future success
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| Harpo awarding a certificate to a Hospitality Course delegate |
And what perfect timing !! I was able to join the second cohort of the
Hospitality training who received their certificates yesterday, comprising 8 young
men and 1 woman. Harpo the CEO of Harpo’s
Cafes and Restaurants, Plus Asoka and Neil, who led on the training werepresent. It was a
simple but very happy ceremony. Of the 9
trainees 5 have work (one in Singapore working in a pastry shop/café) , but on
past successes I’m sure the others will be assisted into work soon. It was encouraging to hear that ALL 18 of the first cohort are
now in work – most but not all in Hospitality field. Katherine and I bumped into 2 of them at
Barefoot café , a very pleasant surprise in a very pleasant café. One of the lessons we have learnt is that the
training , whether Hair & Beauty or Hospitality does a lot more then teach
a skill, it opens up a new world for many of these young people, builds
confidence and self-esteem enabling them to believe they are worthy of a job.
How good it that?!!
. A BIG thanks to Cheryl, Harpo and their teams for all the
hard work and dedication to this venture.
AS from Feb 2nd the session for those with a Disability
has gone weekly, an increase from twice a month. The plan is to increase this
to 3 days over the next few months. This session is often the only structured
stimulation and development that a group of disabled young people receive. This takes place at the Asha Centre, plus there
is outreach to disabled children and young people in their homes building trust
with both the child and the parents. This is a partnership with the RCCI a wonderful
organisation that has a day centre caring to over 80 young people every day.
What other highlights?
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| A hard day at the office with Katherine |
The centre is finished! Although the electricity connection
is still taking its own sweet time. But
it was good to see both floors being used. We also have a new teacher Margot
she has recently retired as an English teacher from a prestigious school in
Colombo. She is clearly very skilled and capable and will be a big support to
Sister and the work.
Sri P school looks very smart . Asha provided some addition
funds for repairs and decoration, so now the outside of the block and all the
primary classrooms are bright and cheery.
There are many more highlights, many aren’t as easy to
depict through a photo such as the long and numerous chats and discussions with
Katherine our every so wonderful Development worker. The amount of ideas and plans that have been dreamed and talked about could
fill a library. If we succeed in putting into practice just a small percentage
it would be significant. Sister Concepta
described Katherine as being ‘’like an angel’’ , I’m not going to disagree.
I also need to thank
Dushy at Samutthana, who has hosted the ‘Asha desk’ in their office . Thanks for being
a great support to Katherine and making the journey so painless.
WE must all do what we can , with what we have’’ FDR
Of course none of this would be possible without the support
of ordinary people, living out the words of FDR. Ordinary people mainly in the
UK but also the US and other parts of the world, including Sri Lanka. You
really are making a difference.
