The centre is officially open for business

Yesterday at 9.30 (an auspicious time) we went to the new centre to have an opening ceremony. The three teachers; Sister, Mrs V and Rosemary were there, as well as some of the children who didn’t have school, a few of the trustees for Asha Foundation, the architect and the builders. We did the boiling of the milk, a tradition when you move into a new house, we had to wait a while before the milk actually boiled over. Then we had a few hymns and prayers before lighting a traditional lamp. Everybody ate kiribath (milk rice), a meal eaten on special occasions, and one of the local women brought some lovely home-made ginger tea and sweets. It was a very nice ceremony and hopefully the children will be able to move in there soon.

We went back to Athidiya today for a special needs programme that happens in the centre. Some of the teachers from RCCI, a special needs school we work with, go to Athidiya every other Saturday to work with some of the special needs kids there. Sister also has what she calls a life education class on a Saturday with the kids that go to her lessons during the week, and when we arrived both groups had merged together and everyone was singing and dancing. After watching a couple of the inevitable performances we left the RCCI teachers with the special needs kids in the old centre and took the rest of the kids to the new centre. There, they played lots of running around games that could never have been attempted in the old building which was lovely to watch.

Hi, this is Shyla.
Yesterday we went to Athidiya with Harpo’s team to conduct the interviews for the Job Training Project. 12 young people turned up, so not as many as we were hoping for but it was a good start at only 2 days notice. Before doing the interviews the team talked to the young people about what the course will contain and explained what a great opportunity this is. They then did the interviews fairly casually, just taking each one to the side. The team were very encouraging to all the young people, taking every opportunity to give positive feedback. They have taken on 7 of the 12 interviewed because the others were too young, which means we still have 8 more to find. Three of them are girls, so we definitely need some more, but of course Sister has the successful applicants recruiting others.

This morning I went to the Koralawella school to find out some things to pass on to Mayespark School in Redbridge which is linking with it. As I arrived the whole school was outside and lined up, singing the school anthem accompanied by their band. I did a few things with the kids and then rushed back to meet Anita with Sister and Dad. Anita is a psychologist working with Samuthana a charity that deals with trauma. Anita and her colleague Laura, are interested in the drugs problem in Athidiya and want to talk with Sister to see if there is anything they could help with.
While Dad went off to have a meeting in RCCI, a special needs school we work with, Sister and I went to meet 2 of the girls who will be on the Job Training Project. I took the video camera and asked questions about their lives and why they want to do the Job Training. Both girls Fathers are drug users, one of them has a Father in prison, the other ones Mother is in prison. As I walked around Athidiya with Sister we met a few people who had recently left prison for taking or selling drugs, as well as several drug addicts who Sister would tell to go to the doctor or search their pockets. It just shows what a massive problem it is in the area. In fact a few days ago we saw 2 men who had been caught selling drugs being marched down the street by soldiers as members of the community watched, vaguely interested, and then told us it happens all the time.

Tomorrow we are having the opening ceremony for the building, the ground floor is almost done and just needs a few finishing touches before we can start using it.

we came , we saw the building, we celebrated

Shyla and I arrived on Saturday evening , unfortunately our baggage didn’t! So on the way to Anukshies (the relatives where we were staying)we made a couple of quick stops for essential items . I like to think I can travel light but turning up with nothing maybe taking it a bit far.
All good now as the bags arrived by the following morning . So a quick dash across Colombo to the airport , which made for a good excuse to spend a couple of hours at Barefoot café listen to jazz.
We then had a look a the new community building going up in the heart of Athidya. Ground floor nearly done, we are planning a soft opening on Friday after which the building can be used.
Today, Monday, has been a fantastic day. WE picked up Sister C and the 3 of us met with Harpo’s team who will be delivering the training for the employment project.
In case you don’t know Asha was chosen as one of the organisations that will be supported by the Girl Effect during 2012.Theproject is a three month training programme which will prepare delegates for work within the Restaurant/hotel sector. Our partner is Harpo’s restaurants which in this field is tough tobeat. Harpo runs some top class establishments and was voted the top entrepreneur within Sri Lanka
Anyway, we met Hiran , Asoka , Anoja and Dr Egerton who seemed to have it all sorted and pretty much ready to roll, which was very reassuring. So it all happens of Wed’s when prospective delegates will come to the Asha Centre for a short presentation – motivational talk-and an interview . 15-20 will be chosen to start the course in February. All very exciting!!
From there Shyla and Sister C went to Punykumi school , which is the local school to many of the children in Athidya. Shyla wanted the principal to know about the training course as she would have good contacts and know a whole bunch of young people who failed to get their ‘o’ levels. They then did a walk about in Athidya and spread the message to the young people loitering on street corners.
Meanwhile, I had the privilege of visiting Samutthana and meeting up with Anita ( who’s a UK trained psychologist who is working in SL with until April/May) and the Exec Director Dushy Parakrama. What amazing people! Samutthana run a whole load of training & workshops covering counselling skills , phycology, promoting good mental health. We discussed the possibilities of linking in on the work with those with a disability and also additions. We had some elevating and fruitful discussions… I feel convenient that we will be linking in and building some partnership work with them in the future.
Looking forward to another fun filled day tomorrow.
Steve & Shyla

Our last day at the projects

Yesterday was our last day at the school in Attydia, and so we had a party for the children. In spite of the rain, a large number of the children were at the school when we arrived, and to begin with, they could choose from playing games, taking part in music and dance, or having their nails painted. I helped with the nail painting, as I like do this a fair amount in my spare time. Steve “uncle” kindly watched the door so that only a few eager girls could come and have their nails painted at any one time. Myself, Fi, Eliza and Lesley each had our own station from which we could beautify the girls nails, and they were very pleased with the results! Dinushka, a sweet boy from grade 5 had his thumb nails painted too. Red proved to be the most popular colour, but I was never without a cue for my gold laquer!  I’ve only ever painted my own nails, and so I was pleased to be able to share this skill.
Following this, we packed up and went downstairs to join the disco which had already begun. Loud music was skilfully provided by placing a microphone by the i-Pod speakers, and everyone looked like they’d been having a good time dancing. Myself and Eliza joined in, when one boy started playing his drum, to which different people started dancing to the beats he created. At one point, Steve D-C started a round of “head, shoulders, knees & toes”, which sounded interesting with the drumming accompaniment. The children loved the dancing, and were very pleased to have so many photographs taken of them. I later heard how the boys in charge of the music accidentally broke a fan, but then fixed it after half an hour’s fiddling with sticks and other devices. Before saying goodbye to the children, we handed out cake and chocolate milk drinks, with no child going home empty handed. Mrs. Silva the head teacher said a very heartfelt goodbye to us all in her office, and presented us with gifts and refreshments.
In the afternoon we boarded tuktuks for our last visit to Attydia, to watch the children’s performance, and were at the beginning each given one beautiful pink flower. Sister guided the children during their acts, and the whole performance went seamlessly, despite some minor technical issues. The children performed to a high standard, with lots of confidence, and despite the heat they were brilliant entertainment. I was very pleased to see that the children had the opportunity to dress up in their best clothes and show off their talents. Steve “inspirational leader of Asha” gave an interesting story about an old lady with a leaky pot (but I cannot remember the message  ). We then sung our version of “Sing A Song” by the Carpenters, and helped the children to sing along with us too. The performance was closed by a recital of the Sri Lankan national anthem.
I was sad to say goodbye to the children at the school and centre, but will be looking forward to hearing about how they are getting on in the future. I will certainly never forget the wonderful experiences I have had on this trip to Sri Lanka.
Rivka

Nails, football and Michael Jackson - who needs translators

Early morning monsoon rain fell heavily on the roof of Tropic Inn. The rain is louder here; the pregnant drops bigger and fuller. When they bounce off the roof they splash and shatter into further drops. In England I dread the rain, but here it serves as a welcome change, the downpour splitting open the humid curtain that wraps around the houses.

This week has flown past. On Monday when we started working in the school the heat pulled us down, and we would arrive back at Tropic Inn at lunchtime needing a shower and a sleep before returning to the school in the afternoon. But like the rain and the humidity and the contradictions all around you get used to it.

Before we knew it we were waking up on our last day of working in the school. We had promised the children that the last day would be a party. All week we had been teaching the children colours, the names for various fruits and animals, the parts of the body, the numbers up to 10. As we arrived at the school we were greeted with “heads and shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes.” Today we would not need the words but would enjoy using our senses of “eyes and ears and mouth and nose.” Indeed all of these would become the currency for the final day’s transaction as we had planned a disco, nail bar and football – the world over, these are the things which children can share without too many verbs and nouns and adjectives.

The first thing to do was to rig up an old PA speaker that the school used for the head teacher’s announcements. We set up her microphone next to a tiny portable i-pod dock which we had brought. You really know that you are working in a poor area when kids don’t have any technology – no i-pods or mobiles; the school didn’t even have a calculator. But they knew the music! It was a bit echoey in the old school hall but wow – crank it up and the place came alive. We had some Banghra music but there’s nothing quite like Michael Jackson, Tiny Temper and Glee songs to spark the combustible cocktail of children, dancing and gymnastics to life !

It was magic. The children showed off their best impressions of the old king of pop with the boys combining handstands into their dance routines. Finlay and Ethan obliged, accompanied by squeals of delight. One of the boys brought out a dusty marching band drum which had seen better days but which was still capable of belting out a bang or two. Suddenly the beat of Michael Jackson was augmented by the beat of the drum, and both the boys and girls formed a circle of rhythm around the boy with the hand-made drumming sticks. (Drum sticks – now that would be a good thing to bring next time we come).

Upstairs four of the team ran a special nail bar for the girls.This was a noticeably quieter room than the disco downstairs but the same smiles and sunshine faces were there. Earlier in the week when we were teaching the younger children the names for the colours in English, I had taught the children the song ‘Red and Yellow and Pink and Green, Orange and Purple and Blue, I can see a rainbow, see a rainbow, see a rainbow too.” Now we could see the rainbow on the ends of the girls nails. A simple treat which cost so little but gave such joy to these girls, some of whom had never had their nails done. Again the words were limited, the girls quiet as they stretched their fingers out to the awaiting brushes. Words weren’t needed this was a moment of truer communication.

In the playground, the boys were having a great time with a proper football - brought by the Carrick-Davies family with a pump - and left behind as a gift for the school.

If it is true that time does indeed fly when you enjoy yourself, this week was a speeding bullet. Before we knew it, it was time to say goodbye. And then we exchanged gifts – us giving the children cake and chocolate milk, the head teacher Miss Silva giving us a little wooden elephants or Sri Lanka key rings. Finally, after protracted goodbyes, tears and hugs we walked together with some of the children back up in the direction of Tropic Inn. The rain had long gone, the road dried out warm and dusty as ever.

And then the road divided, the children waved and shouted as they took one path – back to their homes, the rubbish piles, the shared toilet and shower – back to their mothers looking after their siblings, back to the simple but full lives. We took the right hand path back to our air conditioned inn – it is very basic by western standards, but a palace compared to where these children live.

Our minds were spinning with memories and sounds, songs and stories shared not through words but by the language of nails, Michael Jackson, laughter and holding hands. The language of children the world over.

Steve Carrick-Davies

Fi and Eliza

Today was our last day working in the school. Most of the children received their end of school reports, and it was lovely to see them achieve good levels, and be given back their grades. At the end of lesson three one of the boys from my year 11 class was playing the drums on the back of an old dustbin, and all the children were singing and dancing! It just shows that people and children around the world can have absolutely nothing, but can still have the most beautiful happy smiles on their faces. I was nearly in tears as I watched them, all having such a good time on their last day of school! Xx

I know it’s going to be really hard to say goodbye to all the children that we have worked with over the past week at their final party tomorrow, but I’ve really enjoyed it and I’ll never forget my experience.

By Eliza

On Wednesday, I went with some others from the group to spend some time at the Centre in Athidiya for a special needs session run by Catherine, an Occupational Therapist from the UK. Sister Concepta and Mrs. V had taken some members of our group round the community to visit the homes of children with special needs, encouraging them to bring their children along to the centre.

For reasons that are not clear, there is a higher incidence of children with disabilities born into the community at Athidiya and there are few facilities or resources to support them. Four of the families brought their children along to the session, ranging in ages from 10 to 25. None of these young people had any language at all, 3 couldn’t walk unaided and all face day after day lying in darkened rooms with no stimulation to speak of. Catherine has started a toy library based at the Centre and we spent about an hour and a half working with each young person to find out which toys they found most stimulating or exciting. They were then able to take those toys home for the week.

This was a sobering experience which brought home to me the extent to which attitudes to SEN in the UK have really changed over the past 50 years or so – my hope is that these attitudes begin to change here in Sri Lanka too. The mothers and sisters who brought their family members along to the session undoubtedly love them, but there is no education or training available to help them support and stimulate their loved ones. This toy library and the hands-on training and modelling that Catherine and others are providing could be the catalyst for the change that is so needed. I’d love to get together a supply of toys – noisy, bright, shiny, tactile – that we could send out here to add to the collection. Any contributions welcome!!

Fi

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Video of the new building

While we have been here, we have returned several times to the building site where work is well under way. We can see the new Community Centre going up before our eyes. So many people have helped to bring Sister's dream into reality - many, many thanks.