Reunited after 3 years

It’s been three years since we were last in Sri Lanka. It is impossible to sum up just how much it meant for us to be back after not being able to visit for so long. Our two-week trip was full of emotional reunions and too many highlights to mention in one blog, but here is our attempt to summarise what we got up to. The main purpose of our visit was to get an overview of the impact of both the pandemic and Sri Lanka's ongoing economic crisis on our projects during the past 3 years. Sri Lanka is experiencing shortages of food supplies, drugs and fuel, coupled with inflation rates which hit 69.80% in the past year.

The Village

Returning to the village and seeing Udaya and his family was hugely emotional. During the depths of the pandemic we thought we might never see them again. There were tears all round. In March 2022 we purchased a new fishing boat and engine for Udaya and other fishermen in the village. This is crucial for ensuring self-sufficiency for the village in the future. It was wonderful to see the new boat in person. Unfortunately, monsoon season was starting during our trip so the sea was very rough, meaning the boat could not go out during our time there.

We distributed new uniforms and shoes for the children in the village. Many people who had left the village came back to see us and it was touching to see people who we have known since they were young with or about to start their own families.

Don and Udaya reunited!

Udaya, Don and the new boat

Shoe and uniform distribution

The Nursery School 

There are now 20 children in the Nursery School, compared to 12 when we left in 2020.  The same 2 devoted teachers are in situ. They were not paid by Mount Lavinia for most of Covid and were very grateful that we had included them in our distribution of dried foods etc.

The little playground was in a bad state of disrepair. We had it repaired and repainted while we were there. We bought shoes for the children and the teachers. 

The repaired playground

Government School

The government school is now just grades 1 and 2 and has around 140 pupils. We visited the school but knew none of the teachers although the same principal was still there. We are supplying food. The food prices have risen so sharply in Sri Lanka and the quality of the protein filled rolls was apparently very poor so the parents set up a food-preparation rota and receive the money directly. We were only there once, much to our regret. 

Visiting the school

School on the Beach

There are 31 children who attend our school room on the beach.  We met the new English grammar teacher and the new computer teacher. We bought shoes and uniforms for all the children (for the schools which they attend) and put money into their bank books. We bought 2 reconditioned computers for use in the schoolroom, which are already being put to use.

The new computer in action

The new computer in action

Purchasing the computer

Bank books

 

NIC

NIC has been a long-term partner organization of FODAD’s in Sri Lanka, and who facilitate the medical clinic. We met with Cherryl and Ramya of NIC during our trip. The clinic has unfortunately been closed since Covid, however NIC has continued to provide funds to individual beneficiaries, including through an educational scholarship programme. Additionally, when any of their beneficiaries are prescribed medication by a doctor, they can bring the prescription to NIC and the payment is made out of FODAD’s contribution. We made a payment to cover 2023/24.

Girls from the Orphanage

We had a truly wonderful day out with 5 of the girls and their children. It was a real highlight for us and such a joy to see the girls so happy and successful. A true FODAD legacy.

Della with some of the girls in 2014

Further Education 

Another highlight was catching up with several people who we have known since they were young who are all succeeding in their various paths.  

Smith, who FODAD has supported since 2005, is now a qualified teacher but is doing a full degree online. He was able to visit us as the teachers were on strike. Chamika, whom FODAD has known since she was young, is now studying Economics, Political Science and Sociology at Sabaragamuwa University. Her teachers were on strike also and we were delighted that she was able to visit us. We are committed to paying  for her university tuition and accommodation. Natacha is doing very well and has received a diploma in English from the American College of Higher Education (Sri Lanka)  She takes her A levels this year. Kishmi, Udaya’s daughter, has decided that she would like to pursue a career in tourism. She is intending to take a course at the British Council this summer. 

Don and Chamika

Della and Smith 

Conclusion

Overall, our goal of checking up on our projects were met. The trip was too short for us to meet with as many people as we would have liked but we are already looking forward to our next trip. We would like to thank our supporters once again for their invaluable contributions over the years. Returning after three years highlighted the impact FODAD has had on the lives of so many. 

On the plane home we were surprised to see one of the FODAD fishing boats featured in a Sri Lankan Airlines promotional video about 40 seconds in - blink and you’ll miss it! 

FODAD's corner of Sri Lanka in uncertain times

We thought it would be timely to provide an update on FODAD’s recent activities as many of  you will have seen that Sri Lanka is currently facing a devastating economic crisis and resulting political instability. 

We have not been able to visit Sri Lanka since the end of February 2020. The nationwide curfews continued through much of that year and into this. At the time of writing, the President has now resigned and fled the country, which is bankrupt, after months of protests. There are no foreign reserves and as a result there are few imports. This means there are few drugs available – not even basic pain killers and certainly no drugs to treat severe illness. There are constant power cuts, and every social class is severely impacted. Despite all the unwelcome news, we have experienced smiles and positivity. We are told that the mass peaceful demonstrations have resulted in a unity of the Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, and Muslim communities that has never been seen before.

The need for FODAD support in the village has been greater than ever. 

Education

2 British friends in Sri Lanka helped us with the distribution of new uniforms and school shoes for all the children.

The schools have opened and closed and opened and closed again. All in all, the children will have lost a whole year of education. There was no online teaching for the non-private schools though some had lessons by telephone. Our own schoolroom re-opened in May 2022 having only been open for a few weeks in 2021.

Chamika, whom we have known since she was a tiny child, got her A levels. Her life ambition is to be a police officer and we are funding her through university.  This is what she wrote (sic):

Hello 😇

I'm Chamika from Sri Lanka.One of those who had the opportunity to get your valuable help.How are you all doing.I hope you are all well and safe.

I sat for A/L examination in October last year.The results were little late due to the epidemic.However I passed the exam well.I have 2 A passes and 1 B passe. Aulthough I went to accounts class with your help, still I have B passe for it.But Im very happy with that, because I was very week in accounts subject.Somehow I was able to pass the subject as well.I think I qualify for univetsity too.If I get selected for univetsity I hope to go.

I always have something to say, in fact you are behind all my success, I will never forget the help you did.A lot of people helped me get into this situation and you are special.Really thank you so much for all the help you have given me.For all that you do, you have to live a healthy and happy life everyday.Finally thank you so much , may god bless you and stay safe  

Chamika receiving her funding for university.

Natasha who was born in the village after the Tsunami has passed her O levels and we are funding her further education.

Kishmi, Udaya’s daughter has taken her A levels and we wait patiently for her results.

Smith, whom we have supported since 2005 and who has a tragic family background, became a teacher this year. He is in his probationary year and earning a little money of his own.  Through his own grit and determination, Smith has realised his dream to become a teacher. We could not be more proud.

Smith teaching his class

Distribution of dry food rations 

This has been needed even more so this year. In the past calendar year, we have sent over £16,000 in relief money for dry food rations to the village.

 

 

Annual Christmas party for the children

Udaya, the fisherman who is FODAD in Sri Lanka – we have no staff/no overheads – arranged a wonderful Christmas party for  43 children on the beach and we put money in the savings accounts we had opened for them.

Supporting local livelihoods

The fishing boat we originally donated was no longer seaworthy and so in the Spring of this year we bought a new boat and a new engine. Sadly, at the time of writing there is no oil for the engine, but we hope that in time things will change and it will help bring self sufficiency to the village.

FODAD in the Time of Covid

Learning about Coronavirus at our school on the beach

A year ago, we were in Sri Lanka. Arriving at the airport, we went through a temperature scan and at the hotel we were  given masks and told to use hand-gel whenever we came in or out. Security on the door was strict and had been since the Easter 2019 bombings but tourism was picking up again. It’s hard to believe that a year on, we are still living through the pandemic and haven’t been able to return to Sri Lanka. However despite the difficulties and challenges, there has been no break in continuity of FODAD's support for its projects. 

Where We Left Off 

After one of our most successful trips for Friends of Della and Don, we left Sri Lanka on March 1st 2020. We were excited by the way things were going at the Government school we support, by the successes of some of the children we had known for 16 years, by the constant use of our clinic and the children supported through it and most of all by how well the village children were doing through attendance at our schoolroom on the beach.  We  had enjoyed a memorable day out with the girls whom we had first met at an orphanage in 2005. We had supported their schooling. Now many of them are married, some now with children. We had a brilliant time reliving our memories. We hired a bus, and they sang all the way to the resort we visited and then all the way back. Their husbands and children joined us too. We should have been back to Sri Lanka in October and there now.  We are always there in February. Some of you may know what FODAD has been doing in the time of Covid through Facebook or Instagram but for the many of you who are not on those platforms, here is a quick update.

Handing out shoes

Della and Don with the girls from the orphanage

Handing out food

Don, Sanjay and Wishwa

FODAD & COVID

On March 23rd, 2020 Sri Lanka imposed a nationwide curfew that has remained in place on and off since then. Airports and ports were closed and Sri Lankans who repatriated had to stay in approved quarantine hotels or government camps. Sri Lanka has registered less than 400 deaths.

The impact on both the economy, employment and education has been severe. 

Our village is dependent on fishing or on employment at the hotel. Fish markets shut down and the hotel closed to tourists – resulting in mass unemployment. 

Thanks to Smartphones we have been in touch with Udaya (the fisherman who runs almost everything for us) at least once a week.

Our schoolroom teachers are part-time and for each discipline only teach  once a week.  We continued to pay them. They all have families, and we see them as members of the FODAD team. 

When schools briefly reopened for a short time, we made sure that we followed government guidelines in our own school room. It was thoroughly cleaned, disinfected and we supplied hand-gel and masks for everyone. Every day, the beach is cleaned. There is much greater understanding around the importance of plastic disposal and the danger it poses to the environment and their livelihoods in the village. 

Covid safety measures

We have  supplied  food and emergency funds in the village and paid medical bills when necessary.

In May we were delighted when Rasanga who attends our schoolroom got 3 As in her O’level exams which she had taken the previous December. This was solely due to her attendance in the schoolroom and her own determination and brains of course. 

Smith, whom we had visited with such pride, in his first month at teacher training college could not do his online lessons when the college closed. He was the only student without a laptop or internet connection. FODAD bought him a computer and supplied internet, so he can participate online in his lessons alongside his classmates. 

Udaya, Della, Smith, his mother Doreen, and Don, Feb 2020

Smith doing online lessons

 

New Year's party on the beach

On December 26th we joined the children virtually as we commemorated the deaths of those who died in the 2004 Tsunami and at New Year, we arranged for the children from our village to have a party on the beach. We joined it briefly on WhatsApp. They were having the best of times.

New Year's party on the beach

New Year's party on the beach

Throughout, we have been extremely touched by the messages of concern from people in Sri Lanka we have known during the past sixteen years. They have been horrified by the numbers in the UK and worried about us because we are “old”. One of the hotel employees sends us a daily message. Our charity is so personal and we know almost everyone who has benefited through donations. We hope you feel as if you know them also. 

Today, we heard that the schools may be allowed to reopen next week, and I am hoping to hear that our small clinic will reopen also. As I write the schoolroom is being refurbished, the benches and chair repainted and we are keeping our fingers crossed! As always, a huge thanks to all of our supporters (moral and financial) for allowing us to continue what we do during these extremely challenging times! 

16th anniversary of the Asian tsunami

Repainting

Repainting