Dengue Fever - Lucy's final blog

A school mural warning of dengue

Dengue (n. den-gee) As suggested by the title this last blog is about the dangers of dengue fever and how easily breeding grounds for that type of mosquito are created. On our final visit to the school we were shocked to discover the condition of the area around the taps at the back of the school. There was rubbish surrounding the taps and stagnant water collecting around the bottom. It was the perfect site for dengue mosquitoes to breed. We also noticed how quickly the area could become dirty as the previous week it had been pretty clean. This is why it is important to find a long term solution and not just a quick fix. I had been reading about the dangers of dengue in the newspapers since our arrival but seeing this filthy water made it clear to me how important it is to stop sites like this from being created.

As a result of this we met with a maintenance contractor who is going to supply an estimate for laying pipes and supplying drainage; this will prevent pools of stagnant water accumulating thus eliminating the risk of dengue. FODAD intends to devote the rest of this year to collecting money to pay for this essential and life saving work.

More about dengue fever:

The disease has symptoms very similar to severe flu and can easily cause death through a complication called dengue haemorrhagic fever. Dengue fever is spread by the bite of infected female mosquitoes. Worldwide, there are an estimated 50 million cases of dengue fever annually. Most of those infected live in Africa and southeast Asia, where the disease is particularly prevalent and is the leading cause of death among children in certain Asian countries.


The Ministry of Health in Sri Lanka has made the third week of August 2011 ‘national dengue prevention week’. The campaign is being advertised on billboards, TV and through the schools, where children are learning the importance of keeping home and community spaces tidy. This is because the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes which carry the disease throughout Asia breed mainly in man-made containers, such as metal drums and concrete cisterns used for water storage. But any waste items, however small, such as plastic food containers and jars, or larger items such as old car tyres, provide ideal breeding grounds.


Children and their parents are being urged to make special efforts to clear and clean areas which might offer breeding opportunities for the mosquitoes. An official from the Health Ministry’s Epidemiology Unit felt that with public health, as well as the involvement of the military and police, the spread of the disease can be controlled.

Power to the People

Regular followers of our trips to Sri Lanka will know how concerned we have been about bare electricity wires hanging from the walls at the Village Nursery.  So as Della, Don and Lucy embark on their last day of good-byes and wrapping things up, imagine how delighted we were to receive this picture this morning.  It looks like after nearly 2 years, the hotel has fulfilled its promise to make safe the wiring.  So this gesture just underlines how busy and successful the three of them have been this trip.  Apart from any last minute update, we're expecting a final blog entry by Lucy to be devoted to the dangers of Dengue fever which she will write on the 13 hour flight back to London on Friday.

On our trip in September 2009, a last minute thing we did was donate $50 for an old man to buy a coconut trolley to help support his family.  We dashed off to catch our flight and never caught up with him. But Della, Don and Lucy managed to track it down on their last day.  It looks like business is good and he is able to still support his family.

Uniformally Proud

Yesterday we had the wonderful opportunity of seeing the band play at the school followed by lots of dancing and performances by the different grades at the school. When we pulled up in our three-wheelers I couldn’t believe it; the band were waiting for us at the school gates in their brand new uniform and it was clear by the expressions on their faces how proud they felt. It was so amazing to hear them play and from what Della and Don have said it seems as if they have come a long way since February. After this the children did many dances and songs; one of which was the English national anthem which caused us some embarrassment as we didn’t know the words past the second verse! Then there was lunch for us, provided by the some of the parents; I had my first try of eating with my fingers which actually did add a lot of flavour to the food! 

Later in the day we went to buy some more energy efficient light bulbs in order to reduce the energy bills of the school. We also bought 2 bins to stop the area around the back of the school from getting so covered in rubbish. I was surprised at the cost of a simple black bin which cost around £40 and explains why there is so much rubbish on the street! 

We also gave the pictures done by the Village School in Hampstead to the principal and they are already displayed on the school walls. All in all, it was an amazing day and seeing the kids at the school who were so enthusiastic and welcoming really made me realise how important all the fundraising is to continually support them and ensure that they have the best education possible.

Food & clothes - life's essentials

Today we started work again, following a wonderful weekend travelling. First off was the school where we negotiated with the principal various issues such as the price and quality of the school meals and the lack of security at the school. It was especially confusing when the teachers started talking in Sinhala whilst we tried to understand what they were saying from their facial expressions! I was surprised at the complexity of these issues – with all sorts of politics involved in what you would think to be a simple decision!  We also saw the children preparing for the end of term celebration that will take place tomorrow.  

After this we went to the bakery to agree a new price for the food for the school; the price of staples in Sri Lanka has risen by about 30% in recent years and this led to a decrease in quality of the food at the school. We negotiated a new price to allow for the increase in price which will hopefully result in better food at the school from now on. (The picture shows Lucy and Udaya negotiating the best price at the bakery)

Later in the afternoon we gave out the clothes donated by people at home to the people of the fishing village. It was a bit of a scrum with several people trying to hoard clothes for themselves but overall it was a fairly controlled event! It was great to see in particular 3 young boys who changed into their t-shirts as soon as they got them.