News & Updates

 

2007 Update

We kitted out a building adjoining Thambiluvil school and converted it into a residential hostel for 23 A’ Level girl students. It is difficult for those pupils still living in the refugee camps to study; Thambiluvil is also the only secondary school with science at A’ Level for girls. This project enables girls to continue with their studies, who due to domestic pressures, would otherwise not be able to sit their A’ Levels. The hostel was kitted out with beds, cupboards, dining tables, a TV, a radio, chairs, storage, and some kitchen utensils and equipment. We are also funding the food costs for 23 children including the cost of a cook and the staff costs for 2 wardens, 1 watchman and a matron. 

We have been funding 4 childrens clubs in Akkaraipattu and Allayadivembu with a mobile library with reading books for loan, play materials, books and activities, plus film shows held at the SOND (our partner’s offices). In 2008 we hope to raise funds to set up more clubs in Thirukovil and Addalaichenai.

 

The Lahugala Irrigation Project is now complete! Following the rainy season, in April 2007 we were able to dredge the final 300m of canal between the sluice gates and install new steel replacement gates. This project represents the only significant investment in the area for 25 years. The availability of water throughout the year has resulted in additional income from rice, as well as an investment in other crops to satisfy the local population, lifting many families out of poverty.

September to November 2006 Update
Work to the Lahugala project was undertaken during 8 weeks up to mid October.  5.9 km of the 6.2km long canal was dredged by removing 6,000m³ of sand and silt from the blocked canal to form a 4 metre wide channel. 7,000m³ of soil was brought in to make and build up the banks either side of the channel. Contractors and the Sri Lanka Aid Direct Representative camped out alongside the canal and the machinery (one bulldozer, three long-reach excavators and three tractor trailers) during the project. The villagers of Lahugala provided the contractors with food during the project and helped the contractors clear the land.  Once completed this project will provide food to some of the communities worst hit by the tsunami and the production of a second crop will help lift farmers out of poverty.

June to August 2006 Update
Sri Lanka Aid Direct provided funds to provide water and electricity supply for Lahugala School. At Thambattai School where we supplied teaching materials, revision books, storage cabinets and a photocopier for the temporary school, work is progressing well with the new school which should be finished by October.

Lingard School of Music staged a “jazz in the garden” concert on Sunday 9 July. The young musicians played a mixture of jazz and pop numbers, while their families, friends and other spectators enjoyed a picnic on the lawn of Winchester College’s beautiful Master’s Garden. The proceeds went towards a pilot scheme for 4 children’s clubs with a mobile library and film shows, to provide social and development opportunities for 200 12-18 year olds on the east coast. The first 4 clubs (2 Tamil & 2 Moslem) were set up during August by our partner SOND in the Akkaraipattu area.

March to May 2006 Update
Nick visited Sri Lanka at the end of March. He met with the Department of Irrigation in Colombo & engineers on the East coast who have done an excellent job surveying the Lahugala irrigation canal during the Monsoon.

Our bike project has delivered approx 300 bicycles to the children & adults in refugee camps in Pottuvil, Karaitivu, Kalmunai & Thirukovil. Local people and aid agencies have said this practical project has been a real success.

 

Nick also visited our concrete block workshop in Komari. Run by J.Karam a local builder it now employs 3 people and can produce up to 1000 blocks a day. The workshop also supplies blocks to SOS Children’s Homes for rebuilding in Komari. Life is returning to normal after the Tsunami & many families are starting to return to their homes from the camps. The Komari playground is now finished and the children are enjoying the facilities.

 

Pupils gave Nick a warm welcome at Thambiluvil School, eager to practice their English & learn about the UK. Nick filmed them giving messages in English to their Kings’ penpals.

January & February 2006 Update

The anniversary of the Tsunami brought renewed interest in the situation one-year-on in Sri Lanka and the charity had good press coverage in the Hampshire Chronicle and Extra and on Meridian News (see links).lAs a result of this and a Winchester carol concert December was good month for fundraising.

 

In January Nick & Pippa Wells went to talk to the 330 year 8 pupils at Kings’ School Winchester about a penpal arrangement with the year 8s at Thambiluvil School, Tirrukovil, a school the Wells family visited in the Summer. 70 children (20% of the year) signed up to become penpals and drafted their first letters to Sri Lanka. They have just recceived their replies and Nick hopes to take some of the next batch of letters out at the end of March. 

 

In Sri Lanka the Komari playground is now finished and the children are enjoying the facilities. On 25^th January there was an LTTE (Tamil Tiger) attack on the Special Task Force base in Komari, the first attack in Komari in over 15 years. Many villagers sought shelter during the attack with CFDR, our partner in Komari. CFDR has been monitoring the security situation on the ground and is still committed to staying and supporting the villagers of Komari.

 

Photos have been received of the materials purchased and now in use at Thambattai school.

 

Nick will be visiting Sri Lanka at the end of March to meet with the Ministry of Irrigation on the Lahugala project, to progress the Children’s Club project on the East Coast and follow up on existing projects. More news on the ground then!

 

Children at Thambattai School, which was totally destroyed, collecting the new text books
funded by Sri Lanka Aid Direct

November & December Update

Thanks to the money raised by Bristol based Solicitors Burges Salmon 211 bikes were distributed to refugees in Pottuvil, Thirukovil, Karaitivu and Kalmuniai. All of the bikes went to men, women and children living in camps away from their jobs, schools and shops.

Work is nearing completion on the Komari school playground. We were able to respond quickly to the requests from a local team to supply new playground equipment.

Again in Komari, where 700 of the 750 homes were destroyed, we hear that J Karam, who runs the concrete block workshop set up with our help, has secured an order from an international charity to supply blocks as part of the rebuilding plans for the village.

Thambattai School near Thirukovil, which we visited in the summer, was completely destroyed by the tsunami. We have been able to supply teaching materials, revision books, storage cabinets and a photocopier. These were delivered in November, thanks to a generous donation from a corporate donor.

 

October Update
The concrete block workshop is up and running, producing blocks for the local community.

Thanks to the Bristol based solicitors, Burges Salmon, we have purchased 200 bikes which will be distributed in November.

The fundraising continues for the Lahugala project, which will start in March following the monsoon. A charity golf day held at the Royal Winchester Golf Club raised £1800 for the project.

Various fundraising activities by family and friends means that work has started on preparing a new school playground for Komari school.

Update September
The Wells family visited Ampara. They met with the villagers of Lahugala who gave their thanks to Sri Lanka Aid Direct for its support and they surveyed the Lahugala irrigation canal with the Sewalanka engineer. 21 bikes were distributed through SWOAD to school children in Komari and the Pottuvil area. A concrete block workshop was set up in Komari, a town devastated by the Tsunami. It will be coordinated by CFDR on the ground. The business, run by J.Karam will employ 6-7 villagers and will produce government specification blocks for villagers and NGOs to rebuild homes in Komari.

Simon Barnes completed the Iron Man Triathlon Challange on August 21st, raising money for Sri Lanka Aid Direct. Well Done!!!

School children with their new bikes

Update August
The Wells family will be visiting Ampara to help set up the first concrete block workshop and see delivery of the second lot of bikes into the refugee camps. They will also visit the Lahugala area.

 

Simon Barnes will do the Iron Man Triathlon challenge (26 mile run, 112 mile bike ride & 2.4 mile swim) on 21^st August in Sherborne Dorset. To find out more and support Simon click here.

 

Update July

Further funds raised through a generous donation of £1,500 from Kings’ School, Winchester, a family sponsored walk, school toy sales and personal donations mean that more bikes can be delivered and the first concrete block workshop can be set up.

 

Update June:

First lot of bikes ordered for refugee camps were distributed by SWOAD on 30 June 2005 to 14 fishermen who need the bikes to take their catch to market and 2 orphaned 14 year old boys who as heads of their family now need to cycle to work at weekends to provide for their families - see the pictures below

First lot of bikes ordered for refugee camps were distributed by SWOAD on 30 June 2005

Update May:
The charity was launched locally in Winchester. A number of fundraising activities were undertaken in the community including a village garden party and school car boot sales.

Update – 9th May 2005
Sri Lanka Aid Direct has identified the ideal team on the ground for the first concrete block making workshop. Sue Sivirajah, a Colombo based teacher (and nurse), has been providing considerable help to the villagers in Arugam Bay since the day after the tsunami. Sue was one of the first to arrive with aid including tents, medical supplies, food and clothes.

She has already provided the timber for the construction of temporary housing and is in the best position to develop our concept of concrete block making workshops into practice

Update – 2nd May 2005
Indra Samaranayake, one of the Sri Lanka Aid Direct trustees, is currently in Sri Lanka at his own personal cost. Indra will be in Colombo for four months, during which time he will be liaising with our partners, the Sewalanka Foundation , on the Lahugala Irrigation Project.

Indra is also establishing trading terms for the supplies of concrete block making equipment and locally assembled bicycles.  

Update – 24th April  2005
Nick and Pippa Wells of Sri Lanka Aid Direct had a very successful meeting with Steve Creech, the Ampara District regional director of the Sewalanka Foundation, while he was in the UK. Taking advantage of Steve’s visit to the UK, Nick and Pippa were able to discuss the viability of the projects already identified and establish the potential for future projects.