SRI LANKA RELIEF FUND

Last Updated: Sunday, February 27, 2005 23:00

SRI LANKA RELIEF FUND

The Sri Lanka Relief Fund provides for the needs of the children and adults in Galle District whose lives were forever changed by the great waves of the Tsunami on 26^th December 2004. In particular the fund is aiming to refurbish two schools in the Galle district which were damaged by the Tsunami and to aid local industries.

The Sri Lanka Relief Fund is run by the Archdeacon of Galle, the Reverend Lokendra (Lokki) Abhayaratne. The Government of Sri Lanka and the Church of Ceylon have given him overall responsibility for The Sri Lanka Relief Fund and many other projects. Lokki deals with all the purchases for the projects personally, and no money sent to the fund goes on administration costs.

Lokki’s cousin, Dianne Sinnatamby, lives in Cambridge. Her daughter Dianthe is married to Robert Terry whose parents live in Cookham, Berkshire. The two families in Cookham and Cambridge have raised thousands of pounds for The Sri Lanka Relief Fund through donations and events.

Many individuals and societies including the Cantorum Choir have raised money for the fund in many ways including raffles, auctions and an Art Lecture in Cookham on the Monet and Turner exhibition that takes place on Friday 18^th March.

If you would like to contribute to The Sri Lanka Relief Fund please contact

Rick Terry

54 Westwood Green

Cookham

Berkshire SL6 9DE

Tel: +44 (0) 1628 521400

Or

Prith and Dianne Sinnatamby

3 Fowlmere Road

Foxton

Cambridge CB2 6RT

Tel: +44 (0) 1223 870088

The Sri Lanka Relief Fund  - The Needs of the Schools

Madampha Central College

Madampha Central College, before the Tsunami, was a school of 1,000 students and 51 teaching staff. Many have lost their lives and the school numbers are now approximately 700 children and 49 staff.

The school was badly damaged by the waves and the following rooms need to be refurbished:

o       Library

o       Science Laboratory

o       Home Science Room

o       Computer Suite

o       Music Room

New desks, chairs, windows and doors and sports equipment are needed as these were all destroyed by the waves.

All the books and stationery at the school were destroyed and need to be replaced.

Many of the children and the staff have lost their homes and all their clothing.

Patuwatha Lanka Sabha Vidhyalaya School

Patuwatha Lanka Sabha Vidhyalaya School is a smaller school of 90 children. It has also been very badly damaged by the Tsunami and has similar needs to the other school. In addition to these needs it has the added complication of having suffered considerable structural damage.

Multi faith

Both schools are multi faith. Though the Payuwatha School is officially a Church School, children of many faiths attend.

How the money is being spent

Dianne Sinnatamby has just returned from Sri Lanka. She took out with her around  £10,000 that had been donated to the fund. About half of this sum was spent in Sri Lanka buying necessities for the schools and half she left with Lokki for further purchases for local projects. With the money she was able to provide:

o       stationery and text books

o       sports equipment

o       new shoes for all the children at  Patuwatha School

o       refurbishment of the Home Science room at Madampa School

Helping Local Industries

While she was out Galle Dianne enquired about an old lady who had sold stoles on the shore before the Tsunami. Dianne was told that the old lady was still around but her home had been destroyed. With the help of the locals Dianne found her and paid for some wood to be brought to build her a house. The wood was duly delivered. The workmen were about to leave when Dianne arrived and insisted that they build a simple shack for the old lady out of the wood. This was done and Dianne did not leave until the old lady’s home had been completed and she was able to move in. With a home to live in the old lady is now able to start up her business again.

The two families know that it will be many years before the community in Galle is in a position to support itself financially, and they are prepared to help them all the way. Any contributions to help the project will be very gratefully received.

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