Hi
Its so good to be here, to spend time with the team, visit the projects and meet the young people we see every year.
We have visited the school and spent time with Ms Silva, planning for the group from Eston Park who arrive tomorrow (Tuesday) and start running activities there on Weds. 19 pupils and 3 staff who have not been before. The pupils here are very excited – I’ve had little groups running up to me in the street, asking when the visitors are coming.
We’ve spent several afternoons at the Asha Centre, running the after-school club. These sessions have been particularly energetic because our friends David and Mary Davies from London have been leading them, with their 3 young sons – Nathan 10, Jonah 8 and Daniel 4. David is the brother of Steve Carrick-Davies, a trustee, who was out here with us last year with his family. David has got hold of a guitar and the children from Athidiya have loved all the singing and the games – and the novelty of the small boys. David has also painted the rooms – all looking fresh and clean now – and we’ve been doing bits of artwork during the sessions for display.
The land for our new community centre has been cleared, and we’ve just received the first set of drawings for the building from the architect. Its great to see all our discussions visualized – no doubt there will be many further refinements.
Our family group this year includes our friend Shani, 16, Pauline’s daughter (Steve’s oldest friend) – as well as Katherine of course. Shyla and Katherine have taken Shani to Colombo today, for the essential visit to Odel, Paradise Road and Barefoot – once the Eston Park group arrive tomorrow, the days will be full and there’ll be no time for shopping.
Steve, Omar and I are going to visit RCCI, the special needs school we support - to celebrate with them the fantastic news that their kitchen project is the FIRST project to secure its funding through See The Difference - a new video-based fundraising site, launched a few weeks ago. Here's the link to the site and the video:
http://us1.campaign-archive.com/?u=4e8059de68fe10375c37bf6ed&id=e18d1a63c4&e=9d1ab32b64
More soon
Radhika & Steve
Monday, 19 July 2010
Sunday, 11 July 2010
Update
Sorry for the lack of recent blogging, been having serious internet problems so here's what we did in the last week.
Before starting at the school on Tuesday morning we were given a brief tour around some of the other projects the nuns from the Koralawella convent were working on. We saw the school for the disabled that we'd been told about the night before and it was truly amazing. A dance lesson was taking place as we arrived and we were treated to a impromptu performance and then shown around the reasonably sized centre. Unlike so many of the places we have seen working in difficult circumstances, the 'Happy Days' centre was brightly painted, with artwork on the walls and even a huge rainbow on a wall. The children were all happily working away, and were eager to show us what they were producing; in each of the three rooms there was a different activity, as we walked through each of the three rooms we saw teachers helping produce paper tissues flowers, aprons and bracelets. We were lastly shown the multi-sensory room, an incredible room filled with all sorts of resources and a wall of photographs showing all the different children the room was benefitting. We were both suprised to see someone older than us on the wall but discovered that the centre aims to support these children until the age of thirty five, trying to help them become self-sufficient. Not only did what we learnt about Happy Days sound amazing, but the place itself was so cheerful and positive that we both left pretty cheered ourselves.
Our time at the school itself was lovely. Having volunteers working there was new for them so we had the benefit of being a novelty as well as being loaded with colouring pencils. The next few days ran smoother than we could have hoped for (with the exception of the day of the power cut: midday sun + no fan = not fun.) as the children were incredibly eager and seemed to really enjoy everything we threw at them. They seemed genuinely sad when we left and their heightened confidence in spoken English actually took us by suprise. And as always, it was a fantastic experience for us, not only do we both now know the Hungry Caterpillar's diet off by heart but also got to have a go at starting something new. It was amazing to be able to bring something completely new to a project (AshaTrust already supports this school with a breakfast club and rice packets but we haven't worked here before), to get a chance to establish our own links and to maybe have laid some foundations from which anything could happen!
Working at the centre was much more managable after we decided to hold our own and take a group at a time. Under Sister's watchful eye the children were wonderfully well behaved and so we powered through story books and activities and managed to produce some lovely work.
On the Thursday, the end of our sessions coincided with the arrival of 'The Doctors', more friends of Asha who have been travelling the country for the last month and now have arrived in Columbo to see if there is anything they can do. It's exciting to see people getting involved who might be able to help Asha expand into new areas and clearly Sister agreed as the following days session was replaced by a 'instant show'. She got the children on board by explaining "instant coffee, instant tea, instant show... Mavan, do a dance!"
It's been a great chance to get right into the heart of things- having to organise, plan and adapt independently has shown us just how much hard work it can be, but also just how exciting and rewarding.
We're currently hiding from an incredible rainstorm in Kandy and are in danger of a power cut at any moment so we're off to brave the rain and looking forward to the next lot of work in about a week which will hopefully be up on the blog as we go!
Katherine and Shyla
Before starting at the school on Tuesday morning we were given a brief tour around some of the other projects the nuns from the Koralawella convent were working on. We saw the school for the disabled that we'd been told about the night before and it was truly amazing. A dance lesson was taking place as we arrived and we were treated to a impromptu performance and then shown around the reasonably sized centre. Unlike so many of the places we have seen working in difficult circumstances, the 'Happy Days' centre was brightly painted, with artwork on the walls and even a huge rainbow on a wall. The children were all happily working away, and were eager to show us what they were producing; in each of the three rooms there was a different activity, as we walked through each of the three rooms we saw teachers helping produce paper tissues flowers, aprons and bracelets. We were lastly shown the multi-sensory room, an incredible room filled with all sorts of resources and a wall of photographs showing all the different children the room was benefitting. We were both suprised to see someone older than us on the wall but discovered that the centre aims to support these children until the age of thirty five, trying to help them become self-sufficient. Not only did what we learnt about Happy Days sound amazing, but the place itself was so cheerful and positive that we both left pretty cheered ourselves.
Our time at the school itself was lovely. Having volunteers working there was new for them so we had the benefit of being a novelty as well as being loaded with colouring pencils. The next few days ran smoother than we could have hoped for (with the exception of the day of the power cut: midday sun + no fan = not fun.) as the children were incredibly eager and seemed to really enjoy everything we threw at them. They seemed genuinely sad when we left and their heightened confidence in spoken English actually took us by suprise. And as always, it was a fantastic experience for us, not only do we both now know the Hungry Caterpillar's diet off by heart but also got to have a go at starting something new. It was amazing to be able to bring something completely new to a project (AshaTrust already supports this school with a breakfast club and rice packets but we haven't worked here before), to get a chance to establish our own links and to maybe have laid some foundations from which anything could happen!
Working at the centre was much more managable after we decided to hold our own and take a group at a time. Under Sister's watchful eye the children were wonderfully well behaved and so we powered through story books and activities and managed to produce some lovely work.
On the Thursday, the end of our sessions coincided with the arrival of 'The Doctors', more friends of Asha who have been travelling the country for the last month and now have arrived in Columbo to see if there is anything they can do. It's exciting to see people getting involved who might be able to help Asha expand into new areas and clearly Sister agreed as the following days session was replaced by a 'instant show'. She got the children on board by explaining "instant coffee, instant tea, instant show... Mavan, do a dance!"
It's been a great chance to get right into the heart of things- having to organise, plan and adapt independently has shown us just how much hard work it can be, but also just how exciting and rewarding.
We're currently hiding from an incredible rainstorm in Kandy and are in danger of a power cut at any moment so we're off to brave the rain and looking forward to the next lot of work in about a week which will hopefully be up on the blog as we go!
Katherine and Shyla
Monday, 5 July 2010
Day One
Things didn't go quite as smoothly as planned today. Though the cloudy sky helped make acclimatising to the weather much easier than expected, it might have been the only thing! Hardly Sri Lanka novices but still we managed to get lost... three times! Thinking we knew Colombo like the back of our hand might have been a little premature.
Nonetheless, it was a good day. When we (eventually) arrived at the Asha Centre in Athidiya we were met by a group of about 35 children with Sister Concepta, Mrs V and Rosemary (a new teacher/assistant who we hadn't met before but was lovely). We were presented with a beautiful few flowers and the children seemed as pleased to see us as we were them, although we couldn't help wondering why there were 25 more than we'd been told to expect!
A quick revaluation of plans and we split into two groups: years 1-5 in the room with Shyla and 6-11 in corridor with me. Poor Shyla had only a few minutes to plan the next hour and a half before everyone was settled and looking very expectant. Introductions done with we both launched into games, writing, drawing and a few bemused rounds of consequences.
After we had finished at the centre we set off in a tuk tuk who ‘knew the way’ to the Korulawella convent, where we were meeting Sister Priyani to make arrangements for tomorrow. Sister Shaira, who works at the school we'll be at was actually away at a computer class when we called, apparently all the teachers are getting a paid for course to learn IT proficiency which sounds great, so although we didn’t find out much new (what does it matter, we’ll only get lost anyway!) we heard an amazing story of another of the nuns.
She works at a school for disabled children that she set up after visiting the homes of local people in the area and seeing how little quality of life these children had. The parents were largely unable to cope and even, in some extreme cases, had tied their children down while they went out to work. Despite the complete lack of space to help these families, she was determined to do something, even if it meant teaching them on the beach, which is exactly what she did. From there she has progressed, now running a school with five teachers and over one hundred and fifty children, albeit in a small space. Transport is arranged to get these children from their homes as in the majority of cases their parents are unable to bring them, therefore giving them access to learning and stimulation that was previously inaccessible. She told us proudly that she’d recently had a room built for the severely disabled, allowing them to leave their homes and provide for them and give respite to their parents.
We had been invited to visit this project, along with the Montessori nursery of another of the nuns tomorrow before we start work at the Korulawella school.
A tiring day ahead then, but it all sounds very exciting and we can’t wait to start… as long as we don’t get lost that is!
Katherine and Shyla
Nonetheless, it was a good day. When we (eventually) arrived at the Asha Centre in Athidiya we were met by a group of about 35 children with Sister Concepta, Mrs V and Rosemary (a new teacher/assistant who we hadn't met before but was lovely). We were presented with a beautiful few flowers and the children seemed as pleased to see us as we were them, although we couldn't help wondering why there were 25 more than we'd been told to expect!
A quick revaluation of plans and we split into two groups: years 1-5 in the room with Shyla and 6-11 in corridor with me. Poor Shyla had only a few minutes to plan the next hour and a half before everyone was settled and looking very expectant. Introductions done with we both launched into games, writing, drawing and a few bemused rounds of consequences.
After we had finished at the centre we set off in a tuk tuk who ‘knew the way’ to the Korulawella convent, where we were meeting Sister Priyani to make arrangements for tomorrow. Sister Shaira, who works at the school we'll be at was actually away at a computer class when we called, apparently all the teachers are getting a paid for course to learn IT proficiency which sounds great, so although we didn’t find out much new (what does it matter, we’ll only get lost anyway!) we heard an amazing story of another of the nuns.
She works at a school for disabled children that she set up after visiting the homes of local people in the area and seeing how little quality of life these children had. The parents were largely unable to cope and even, in some extreme cases, had tied their children down while they went out to work. Despite the complete lack of space to help these families, she was determined to do something, even if it meant teaching them on the beach, which is exactly what she did. From there she has progressed, now running a school with five teachers and over one hundred and fifty children, albeit in a small space. Transport is arranged to get these children from their homes as in the majority of cases their parents are unable to bring them, therefore giving them access to learning and stimulation that was previously inaccessible. She told us proudly that she’d recently had a room built for the severely disabled, allowing them to leave their homes and provide for them and give respite to their parents.
We had been invited to visit this project, along with the Montessori nursery of another of the nuns tomorrow before we start work at the Korulawella school.
A tiring day ahead then, but it all sounds very exciting and we can’t wait to start… as long as we don’t get lost that is!
Katherine and Shyla
Thursday, 29 April 2010
Had a walk around Athidiya
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
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Pans, plans , plans
This morning we met an architect Chinthaka who came to look at the land and have a chat about the building. It was very useful to get an insight into the rules and procedures of the local planning department, as well as chat through some of the possibilities for the building itself. Dead exciting!!
While we were at the land the neighbour kindly got some king coconut down off OUR tree and chopped the top off for us to have a refreshing drink. Sister Concepta says she wants the new centre to be an ‘’Oasis of love’’. Well at the moment it’s an oasis of plantain/banana’s, king coconut and other fruit. Not sure which is better.
While we were at the land the neighbour kindly got some king coconut down off OUR tree and chopped the top off for us to have a refreshing drink. Sister Concepta says she wants the new centre to be an ‘’Oasis of love’’. Well at the moment it’s an oasis of plantain/banana’s, king coconut and other fruit. Not sure which is better.
Rather annoyingly my camera is ca-put, which means I wont be able to add any photo's from this trip. Fortunately I have about three hundred and fifty million from previous trips.
Sunday, 25 April 2010
We Made it!
.JPG)
We made it!!
We had an ash free flight on Thursday night arriving Friday 16.00 Sri Lankan time, to be met by torrential rain, lighting bolts and thunder. All very dramatic. Despite a long flight, torrenal rain (and a torrid 3 hr jouney from airport across Colombo) Tony and Glenda were determined to visit Anukshie, Punchi and co who had invited us all for dinner. So after a whistler stop, checking into Tropic Inn we were off… no time to waste.
Yesterdayhad been a day of talking and listening, first with the principle at the Sri Punyakami school in Athidya, followed by a long chat with Sister C and Shyamini. Spent a long time discussing the new centre – what services would/could be run and what the building would need to look like to be able to accommodate all of this. All very exciting!! The ideas were folllowing , from under 5's work to elders, from disabled kids to boster classes for A level students. We are hoping to meet an architect to get an idea of what’s possible and costs.
Today travelling south to Galle to meet family and checking out a few hotels on our way back. Radhika and I are leading group of 29 going out in the summer; it would be good if there have somewhere to stay.
Yesterdayhad been a day of talking and listening, first with the principle at the Sri Punyakami school in Athidya, followed by a long chat with Sister C and Shyamini. Spent a long time discussing the new centre – what services would/could be run and what the building would need to look like to be able to accommodate all of this. All very exciting!! The ideas were folllowing , from under 5's work to elders, from disabled kids to boster classes for A level students. We are hoping to meet an architect to get an idea of what’s possible and costs.
Today travelling south to Galle to meet family and checking out a few hotels on our way back. Radhika and I are leading group of 29 going out in the summer; it would be good if there have somewhere to stay.
Steve
Monday, 19 April 2010
Still here!
well I'm still in Blighty having got trapped as a result if the volcano. Hopwing to get out later this week, if poss.
So watch this space.
S
So watch this space.
S