News, news and more news!

Firstly apologies for the length of this update, it’s a bit of an essay!  There is so much to update you on though so here goes…

Asha Centre, Badowita

Supporting the most vulnerable in the community

We’ve had some great sessions for those with disabilities.  The teachers at the RCCI come up with new ideas each week on how to teach and support the children and young people who attend. From making kites to playing hopscotch, each activity is a tool for learning.  For example, by playing hopscotch, the children can improve their physical mobility and coordination and also revise counting not to mention the all important element of team work!

Hopscotch

We also have parallel bars at the centre so that those with physical disabilities can practise learning to support themselves in order to promote walking in the future.  Kumar, our physiotherapist, has also recently referred some children and adults to hospitals and Social Services so that medical treatment can be given or essential equipment provided to those who need it.

Rupawatti with some of the young people
with disabilities who come to the centre

Our great parent advocate, Rupawatti, is now a trainee teacher!  She has shown such an enthusiasm for supporting those with disabilities that it was decided the children who attend the disability session could really benefit more from her support and her enthusiasm.  She is happy in her new role and getting involved with the activities that take place and supporting the children who attend.  

Those involved with the project feel that we are really at the stage where we can begin to give support during the week.  Discussion with the RCCI and other partners are taking place as to how this support can be provided and when it can start – watch this space!

Empowering women

The sewing group is doing well.  Upaseeli, the teacher has built a good relationship with those who attend.  We have about 10 women attending regularly and the group is slowly growing as word gets around what it is all about.  The group has also bonded well and bring each other treats to share each time like ‘kiribath’ (milk rice – a popular dish in Sri Lanka made from rice and coconut milk) and biscuits.  It’s great that the group are getting on so well and could be a good ‘vehicle for change’ in the community!

Some women attending the group have some knowledge of sewing whilst others are beginners.  Upaseeli’s aim is to bring them all up to a certain level so that they can all participate in the making of a product that can be sold in Sri Lanka and the UK.

On Saturday, 2 of the group were able to attend a 1 day workshop in Colombo where 2 talented seamstresses living in Singapore came over to teach some women to make a beautiful patchwork purse.  This was possible through the link with Seema, the kind and generous lady who put us in touch with Upaseeli and who runs sewing groups with other women living in difficult circumstances.   The two women, Isuri and Ruwaida, who attended the workshop came back singing its praises pleased with what they had learnt.  They had been given material and equipment to practise and it will be great to see their finished products.  Upaseeli was also at the workshop so she can teach the women who were not able to attend at the centre in Badowita.

From this...

...to this, in a matter of weeks!

Supporting young people find stable work

The team and I are also in the process of looking at whether there is demand for further employment training in the area.  We have been putting up flyers in the area in English and Sinahala and this week, I went with Maleena, one of the trainers at the hair and beauty training academy to visit some of those who had previously taken part in the course to get their ideas and feedback.

We were thrilled to hear that Nishanthi, who was in the first group of students doing the hair and beauty course is nearly 

Nishanthi outside her 'soon to be finished' salon.

ready to open her own purpose built salon in the area.  We eagerly went to see it and although the salon is small it is very well built and will be a nice place to work in.  Nishanthi has been earning a good income from ‘bridal dressing’ and with this income and a bank loan of Rs 50,000 she has been able to build and decorate a small building.  Nishanthi has been well-supported by her husband.  He has done a lot of the building work and has given what he can from his salary as a tuk tuk driver.  Now I don’t want to sound sexist or 

generalising about the men in Badowita but it is wonderful that he has been so supportive.  So often we hear stories about husbands not allowing certain things or causing problems in the home due to drug and alcohol abuse.  What a refreshing change!

Nishanthi now only needs to save a little more money so that she can purchase a chair, sink and carpet and then she is ready to open!  Maleena from the training academy has offered to give advice and support when she first opens. Nishanthi is also in touch with all those who trained with her and has become a bit of a ‘mother’ figure for the group.  They call her up if they need advice on the work they are doing from home and she hopes to employ a couple of them once her business is doing well!

News from Sioll Centre, Bataramulla

Some of the team at Sioll

The team in Bataramulla have  shown a keen interest in the development of  the sewing project in Badowita and are now sending 2 women to one of Seema’s sewing classes that she runs on a Thursday.  Their aim is to develop a project that could bring in extra income for the centre there.  

After school homework club

Beulah who oversees the centre in Bataramulla is also looking at extending the services that their centre provides.  They have space in the centre during the day and she has decided that she wants to support isolated older people in the area.  With the help of a friend of hers, she is planning on setting up an ‘elders group’ that will meet up weekly from January in the centre.  She has decided that she wishes the group who meet to decide what they want from their weekly meet-ups and she will try to provide any resources they need.  It is great that she is looking to support more members of the community at the centre!

When I went to see her last week, she was able to give me an encouraging update regarding 2 young boys who had recently started coming to the centre and where she had big concerns about them.  Aged 4 and 5, when they first came to the centre, the boys had appeared traumatised and frightened.  Beulah thinks this was because of the family situation which was chaotic and violent.  According to the grandmother who loves with the boys and their parents, her son is a drug addict and this has caused many problems in the home with violence and arguments between the parents frequently  being witnessed by their 2 young sons.  Due to the father’s addiction he found it impossible to earn an income for his family and the boys’ mother was working in 2 jobs to try and provide for her sons.  With grandmother looking after the boys in the day, she was desperate to earn as well so that she could change their housing situation which she believed was making the family situation worse as they were all living in one partitioned small room.

Beulah agreed to look after the boys in the centre’s day care facility.  Last time when I met with her Beulah spoke of the boys’ unwillingness to interact with anyone and the fact they clung to each other throughout the day.  They hardly spoke and needed much encouragement to engage in simple play activities.  Through the care of the pre-school teacher at Bataramulla, the boys are finally learning to trust staff at the centre.  From not being even able to hold a pencil, they are now happily tracing letters.  They now seem much happier and settled and are engaging with staff and other children alike.

Of course, the support that Beulah and her team provide is not the magic solution to the family’s problems.  The boys still have to go home at the end of the day to their chaotic family life.  However, at least the centre is providing them with some much needed stability, love and attention.  The team at the centre will also support with ensuring the boys go to school when they are able.  

The boys’ grandmother has now told Beulah that their father has now sought help for his drug addiction and is in rehab.  I can only hope that the family situation improves as a result of this.  

On that hopeful note I will finish for today, more soon!

Katherine 

Disability art project - a team effort learning about and celebrating National Children's Day

It’s great to be back!

After a month in the UK I have missed Badowita!  It has been great meeting up with the local teams, finding out what has been going on in my absence and supporting with finally getting some new projects off the ground.

The big news is that the centre in Badowita finally has its own water supply.  Up to now, we have been ‘borrowing’ the supply from the neighbours but what a relief for the local team to finally have their own supply.  Sister Concepta and others have worked really hard to try and get the connection.  It has not been easy.  The final sticking point was paying the yearly municipal taxes and passing the proof onto the water board and relevant authorities. After endless journeys to different offices, the matter was finally resolved with the tax for the year paid and relevant offices informed.  The tax bill came to a grand total of Rs65 – approximately 25p!

This week saw the launch of a small project but with huge potential for development in the future.  Earlier this year I got to know Seema who works as a counsellor and creative therapist and runs an organisation promoting well-being particularly among women and children.  You can find out more about her here -   http://www.ceylontoday.lk/18-10722-news-detail-different-strokes.html.  

As part of the work, she currently supports 2 groups of women, living in difficult circumstances, with an income generation scheme where they are able to sell sewing products that they have made to prestigious shops in Colombo such as Odel, the most well-known department store in Sri Lanka popular with tourists and Sri Lankans alike.

Seema has been able to provide us with a sewing teacher, Upaseeli, who this week started sewing classes in Badowita.  Upaseeli learnt to sew through one of Seema’s projects a number of years ago and is a talented seamstress.  Approximately 10 women took part in the first class and Upaseeli started with the basics teaching the class the chain stitch, blanket stitch and buttonhole stitch.  Seema and Upaseeli are confident that the group can learn to sew proficiently within a few months and we are currently thinking about products that would sell both in Sri Lanka and the UK.   

Further ideas welcome!

The class already seems popular among women in the area with more enquiries since the first class. It has particular appeal for women with children as we have scheduled it at a time in between school drop-offs and pick-ups still allowing time for the women to go and cook the midday meal.  Talking to women in the area, despite many of them wishing to find paid work, it is often difficult to juggle this with the responsibilities of childcare and managing a household.  I’ll keep you posted on how the classes develop.

All quiet on the first floor of the centre as the children meditate

In other news, the summer holidays are already upon us and school has closed.  For the first time this year, however the centre will remain open for the first part of the holidays.  Rather than do formal classes, however the teachers are running drama/music and life education sessions for the children in Badowita in the afternoons.

Dharshana with friends and Maneesha, the lead teacher from the RCCI

Support for those with disabilities continues to go well.  Last Saturday I was able to spend time with Dharshana, a young girl with a hearing impairment.  She has a profound hearing impairment and her family have been advised by specialists that she is in need of a cochlear implant operation.  This operation can only been done privately in Sri Lanka so her family are trying to save as much money as possible so that she can have the operation in the future.  In preparation for the operation, Dharshana has been receiving communication training so that she can learn to make sounds by copying others lip movements.  I was amazed to see her progress this week.  The teachers at the RCCI have been working with her on a one to one basis whenever they meet her on a Saturday and she is now copying lip movements and making sounds that are more and more like what they should be.  
 

 

Class 5 at the RCCI

I also visited the RCCI school last week and was able to get an update on how the autistic children that are supported by Asha Trust are getting on.  There remains a large demand for support for children with autism and their families and several new children with autism now attend the school.  What was lovely to hear was the progress some of these children had made.  Ilona, the headteacher, was able to tell me many stories of children with autism who had found it difficult to manage initially in the environment at the RCCI.  However, thanks to initial one to one support with dedicated teachers, these children are now able to be in a class with their peers, concentrate for periods of time and develop their learning.  Parents also receive help and advice on how they can support their child in the home environment. 

Yes, it is indeed great to be back and part of the Asha journey once again!

Katherine

Ability beyond disability!

As many of you will know, weekly educational sessions for those with disabilities has been going on since the beginning of the year in Badowita.  What has been great is that the support that has been provided through the sessions has become much more than education and training for those with disabilities.

Parents are getting involved with the sessions, often staying behind to talk to each other and share their worries and concerns as well as exchanging knowledge and information.  Our physiotherapist has done some great work educating parents about how to encourage their child’s physical development.  Families are being supported with the cost of ensuring their child has access to prompt medical treatment through our revised means-tested allowance system.  Medical treatment is free but even the cost of getting to the hospital was making families think twice before going to see specialists.  Above all, I think we have come a long way in showing families and others in the area that those with disabilities are valued and that they deserve to go to school and play a role in the life of the community.

One  Saturday in May, we did something completely different to the usual Saturday morning activities!  The aim was to ensure that those with disabilities continue to remain an integral part of the activities at the community centre.  As a centre that tries to set an example for the community, we need to ensure a policy of access for all regardless of ethnicity, religion, socio-economic status or disability.

The RCCI teachers who come every Saturday to provide support to those with disabilities organised an activity session with ALL the children at the centre. The idea for this morning was taken from a group of people who have worked in third world countries, often in very rural areas, supporting those with disabilities and enabling them to be a integral part of the communities that they live in.

Learning to express an emotion without talking

The teachers at the RCCI did a number of activities and games to encourage all the children to think about disability, to show that those with disabilities may struggle with some things but might be gifted at other things and vitally to encourage all to play a part in making those with disabilities welcome and accepted at the centre and in their daily lives.

'Engelflip!' Why does no-one understand what teacher Margot is saying?

Ah, she is showing us what it means and now we know that she is asking us to stand up!

Of course, all the children got involved straight away and there was much laughter and fun.  Some parents stayed to watch and it said it all when one of them came up to me and said ‘This has been great, all I want is for my child to be accepted and I can see that today he is.’

What has also been great is that the friendships developed at this session are continuing.  Those arriving early for the Saturday life education programme come and talk and play with their friends who are getting support from the RCCI teachers.  We want to continue with this integration whilst ensuring that those with disabilities also receive education and training in the areas that they need support with.  Watch this space!

Katherine

 

Children playing together at the centre last Saturday

 

Suba aluth awuruddak wewa!

Or Happy New Year!  

Today is the Singhalese and Tamil New Year here, one of the biggest celebrations in the Sri Lankan calendar. It is a time of renewal  and to look forward to the year ahead so what better time to give some news of what has been happening with Asha Trust recently and plans for the future?

A project close to my heart, supporting those with disabilities in Badowita, continues to go from strength to strength.  We currently have 2 very committed ‘lead teachers’ from the RCCI planning and implementing the sessions and they are doing a fabulous job.  Kumar, our recently appointed physiotherapist, has also been doing an excellent a job of making his presence known in the community and as a result we have had more families come forward for support.  

We have also ‘organically’ acquired a parent advocate for the project.  She is the mother of a boy with a learning disability who attends the sessions and has always shown enthusiasm for them but over the last few months has become a valuable asset. She not only reminds all the families in the area about the sessions, she also goes and collects some of the children if parents are busy and also supports the teachers and physiotherapist with outreach visits as she knows the area well.

Aruna with Kumar, the physiotherapist

Outreach visits continue at the sessions on a Saturday for those who are at the moment unable to regularly come to the centre itself.  

One young man who has benefitted hugely from this support is Aruna.  Aruna has cerebral palsy and was confined to his bed most of the day.  He is cared for by his grandmother most of the day, who at 90, is rather frail so is limited in the support she can give him.  The teachers at the centre have been teaching him skills to encourage more independence, the physiotherapist has been helping with his physical development and Aruna is finally managing to show us what he is capable of!  Years spent confined to his bed has meant that most who met him considered he was not capable of anything else but the team who run the disability project are encouraging him to engage with them, make choices about activities that he wants to do, drink and eat independently and to stand up! The progress made has encouraged his family to follow through with educational activities and physiotherapy exercises.   At present we are in the process of planning for some physiotherapy equipment at the centre and once this is in place, the plan is for Aruna to access support at the centre itself. 

Now that sessions run weekly for those with disabilities the next step is to expand to support during the week as well. We also have to be mindful that we don’t want this group of people to be separate from other activities in the community centre and are working to further encourage integration there.

As for the employment training that has been provided for young people, we have recently had our second group of hair and beauty students finish the 3 month course.   11 young women completed the course and we had a celebration in the centre where the trainees were given their certificates.  As usual, this was a lovely occasion and again it was quite clear what a difference this training made to those who participated.  Many at the beginning of the course were planning to work from home once they had completed the course but over half now have decided that they want to work in salons so Cheryl and Maleena, the course leaders are busy supporting them with finding jobs!

The second group of hair and beauty students complete the course!

Finally, Mrs V, who has been unwell for several months following an accident, is back at the centre and slowly getting involved with the activities that take place there.  Those who have visited the centre will know what a key figure she was and we all missed her when she was unwell and are thrilled that she has made a good recovery.  Mrs V is helping with the disability sessions on Saturdays at present and as to be expected, is a great support.

 

Plans for the next few months include sorting out the garden area at the centre, starting computer classes and income generations schemes for unemployed people in the area – exciting times ahead!

Katherine

Some of the children that attend after school classes at the centre with Sister Concepta, Rosemary and Indika

The Hi's and High's (did you see what I did there)

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

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 2^nd 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?

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.