It's All about the Children

This year we decided that for the first time, the children from our school on the beach, (mentioned in my last blog)  and the other children from the village should be treated to a Christmas Party. We held the party on Sunday December 4^th and it was a tremendous success.  Santa appeared and the children were thrilled, as were their parents.  We played old-fashioned party games and had an amazing selection of food.  The children then danced the night away.  A huge success.

Musical chairs

On Sunday November 27^th, we hosted children from a children’s home just outside Colombo that we support to a day on the beach.   We paid for their transport form the Home and gave them fun in the sea and a great meal. They went home very happy.

Last week, we went to the Orphanage we have supported for 11 years.  We were entertained by singing and dancing.

The very poorest pre-school children go to our local nursery school.  They came to our party on the beach and on our penultimate day in Sri Lanka, we bought them all ice-creams and gave them vouchers to buy school books for year one at school.

Handing out the vouchers

We were also treated to a wonderful end-of-term concert at the Government school we support. We put money put in 65 kids' savings accounts and also ordered the food for next term.

Nativity 

A FODAD Week in Sri Lanka

We arrived in Sri Lanka on November 20^th and went straight to the fishing village.   Although it was Sunday, the children were hard at work in our school on the beach which we set up in 2015 and since has grown from strength to strength.  

                                                

Hard at work

All over Sri Lanka the children were taking their exams last week so, although we visited the government school we support we did not want to disturb them.   This week, things will be very different.

On Monday, we stopped by the nursery school we support.  The kids were as cute as ever and very pleased to see us.

                                                       

Since 2005 FODAD has financed a free clinic through St. Joseph’s Church in Ratmalana.   It is open every Friday from 9am to 1pm.   We visited on Friday.   There are over 3,750 registered patients and FODAD pays for all the drugs  the doctors prescribe.  These can be very expensive.  We bring vitamins from the UK when we visit as they are hard to come by in Sri Lanka.  11 dedicated doctors work a rota on a voluntary basis.    We also sponsor 15 children through the same group.   Our relationship with the Committee is now in its 12^th year and we have become firm friends.

 

Vitamins from the UK

A Speedy Reaction from FODAD.

 






        

         

The floods and landslides in Sri Lanka hit the headlines during the week of May 16th http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-36319698  Many of the scenes reminded us of the 2004 Tsunami - the reason FODAD was started and we reacted quickly.

FODAD sent money immediately for emergency dry rations. In 2015 our friend Jon and his friend Nina had raised the money to buy the fishermen a tuk-tuk to take their fish to market.    This was used to pick up supplies to distribute to the Villagers.  Our boats were then taken inland by truck and used in the rescue operations.

Crossing the railway lines with bags of food.

Food delivered to our village families

Over the next few days we  kept in touch on a daily basis and knew that the people in our village were OK.    One surprise was in store for the villagers when they woke to find that a crocodile had joined the sea from the local river which had been flooded.  They caught him in their net and called wild-life rescue.   

One sad croc