Day 2 - Monday 8th February

Pretty much an organisation day and down to breakfast at 7.30 and arrangements made for the three wheeler tuk tuk to collect us at 9. Taking our life in our hands we climbed aboard and sped away along pot holes and bumps, through oncoming traffic and fumes to arrive at the Village School where we were to have a meeting with the principal. To our surprise she was actually there and not away at another seminar or meeting! However out of the 12 teachers there we only counted 5. Out of the 120 children we provide food for, school uniforms, shoes and many other things there were about 60.

Eventually we got down to business and discussed the new school band for which we had provided instruments on the last visit in memory of Don’s brother Declan. They are actually very proud of the band, which in Sri Lanka is apparently hugely important and 24 kids stay after school on a Friday for music lessons. And they’ve made pretty good progress in the 6 months since our last visit, featuring in the local press and TV reports! The Principal then asked for an accordion, which we said we would look into, but subsequent enquiries suggest that this would cost over £130 which seems excessive. There was a long list of other essential things she wanted too, which we’ll have to look into.


We then discussed education and were delighted to hear that there was a new English teacher whom we hope to meet later in the week. We did get to speak to some of the kids from last year, who said she was a very nice lady and a good teacher.

The Principal discussed the forthcoming exam results and of the 12 children who took O Levels, they hope 5 will pass. This would be a vast improvement on last year when it was 2 (must be the 2 weeks of English lessons in June /July ’09!!). We then talked about new uniforms, shoes, food, sports, attendance and asking the kids to do artwork that can be taken back to the Village School in Hampstead who support this Village School by the rail tracks.


After what seemed hours of an exchange of views we went off for a meeting with Udaya (the fisherman and our main Mr Fix It man on the ground) and managed to put a timetable together in order to achieve what we can for the school over the next few weeks.


So, a plan is beginning to take shape…


The one thing that we have noticed is just how much busier it is. Lots of tourists are at the hotel which has to be a good thing for the local economy . The downside is that some of our European neighbours don’t get the concept of queuing or being polite to the staff. The only other discernible change? … good to see just 5 years after the original Tsunami, there are now signs erected directing people away from the beach should another hit the coast.