Dani
visited Sri Lanka in the beginning of the year 2013 for 3 months to
continue the work with the children and their families in Madiha. In
addition, a new environmental pilot project was launched in the area.
News from the girls' education project
Dani
visited Sri Lanka in the beginning of the year 2013 for 3 months to
continue the work with the children and their families in Madiha. In
addition, a new environmental pilot project was launched in the area.
News from the girls' education project
The project with the children and their families is running well. The 41 girls supported by the sponsor families are attending the maths, Sinhalese and English classes. Three older and talented girls have also began attending IT, dance and science classes.
The girls' education is being funded by sponsor families. With the families' monthly donation of 12 euros the girls have been paid for the three classes, school shoes, bag and uniform as well as their schoolbooks. The three older girls attending further classes are additionally being sponsored by an extra sum of 60 euros per year. Altogether, The Little Blue Elephant supported the girls' education by the sum of 6000 euros.
The girls' families were also donated 2000 kg of rice (at least 50 kg per family, three poorest families receiving 150 kg). Seven families were also donated new mattresses and mosquito nets to prevent insect transmitted diseases. Three kitchens were built for families that previously had no proper cooking facilities. Also the families' healthcare costs have been sponsored by the association, because the healthcare in Sri Lanka is normally too expensive for the poor families to afford.
The money spent for supporting the families in 2013 was raised by a concert, Christmas market sales, lottery, second hand sales and private sponsors in Finland in 2012. The sum spent was approximately 2350 euros, comprising of the following expenses:
- Rice 500 euros
- Mattresses and mosquito nets 350 euros
The money spent for supporting the families in 2013 was raised by a concert, Christmas market sales, lottery, second hand sales and private sponsors in Finland in 2012. The sum spent was approximately 2350 euros, comprising of the following expenses:
- Rice 500 euros
- Mattresses and mosquito nets 350 euros
- Construction of three kitchens 1500 euros
Without these additional funds, we would not be able to continue our support to the poor families. We are extremely thankful to all people who have helped with the fundraising.
Dani's visit to Sri Lanka was also accompanied by Zoe, Nadja and Cecilia, three young women from Germany, Switzerland and Italy helping with the project. For the children it was an amazing opportunity to play together with the foreign visitors, get to know other cultures and improve their English skills.
Without these additional funds, we would not be able to continue our support to the poor families. We are extremely thankful to all people who have helped with the fundraising.
Dani's visit to Sri Lanka was also accompanied by Zoe, Nadja and Cecilia, three young women from Germany, Switzerland and Italy helping with the project. For the children it was an amazing opportunity to play together with the foreign visitors, get to know other cultures and improve their English skills.
New environmental pilot project
In February 2013, we also initiated a new project with an environmental theme in the area of Madiha and Polhena villages. It took about one month of patience for the work to get started, but in the end the response from the locals was very positive and open.
The project was started by organizing a rubbish cleanup in Madiha. We organized two meetings: one in Madiha village and afterwards another one at the town council. In the first meeting we discussed with the senator of Madiha village, Mr Senaka Palhyageng, about the importance of composting, cleaning up the rubbish and the importance of local people's participation.
The second meeting in the town council was with the town mayor of Matara, Mr N Sosindra Handunge, and Mr Senaka Palhyageng. The town council showed green light to the project to begin, lead by Mr Ruan, the supervisor of Madiha. It supported the rubbish cleanup action and by a workman and tractor and gave a permission to start environmental education at the schools in the future.
The Little Blue Elephant hired four local women to help with the rubbish cleanup, one to cook for the workers and Gayani to supervise the work. The women were paid around 6,50 euros per day. Gayani, who is generally working for the association, was paid around 100 euros for her work with the preparation of the project. The lady cooking for the workers was given 14 euros and 50 kg of rice.
Dani also visited the local landfill in order to talk to the manager about recycling and problems associated with plastic rubbish and wastewater. The manager agreed that developing the recycling would be very important - however, he sadly confessed that the level of knowledge at the moment is not sufficient to fight the problems. He said there is an urgent need for better solutions (both regarding available technologies and general awareness). The landfill has a successfully working compost facility, but faces serious problems with wastewaters and other garbage.
Mr Ruan, the supervisor of Madiha, and two local university students, Mayu and Malsha, have been interested in establishing an environmental NGO in the area to cooperate with the Little Blue Elephant and spread more environmental awareness in the local area.
The beginning of the project was successful and positive. We got lot of local people interested in the issues and the town mayor to give his support. We hope to be able to continue the project together with local participation. We are also looking for further expertise and support from Finland to further develop the project.
The project was started by organizing a rubbish cleanup in Madiha. We organized two meetings: one in Madiha village and afterwards another one at the town council. In the first meeting we discussed with the senator of Madiha village, Mr Senaka Palhyageng, about the importance of composting, cleaning up the rubbish and the importance of local people's participation.
The second meeting in the town council was with the town mayor of Matara, Mr N Sosindra Handunge, and Mr Senaka Palhyageng. The town council showed green light to the project to begin, lead by Mr Ruan, the supervisor of Madiha. It supported the rubbish cleanup action and by a workman and tractor and gave a permission to start environmental education at the schools in the future.
The Little Blue Elephant hired four local women to help with the rubbish cleanup, one to cook for the workers and Gayani to supervise the work. The women were paid around 6,50 euros per day. Gayani, who is generally working for the association, was paid around 100 euros for her work with the preparation of the project. The lady cooking for the workers was given 14 euros and 50 kg of rice.
Dani also visited the local landfill in order to talk to the manager about recycling and problems associated with plastic rubbish and wastewater. The manager agreed that developing the recycling would be very important - however, he sadly confessed that the level of knowledge at the moment is not sufficient to fight the problems. He said there is an urgent need for better solutions (both regarding available technologies and general awareness). The landfill has a successfully working compost facility, but faces serious problems with wastewaters and other garbage.
Mr Ruan, the supervisor of Madiha, and two local university students, Mayu and Malsha, have been interested in establishing an environmental NGO in the area to cooperate with the Little Blue Elephant and spread more environmental awareness in the local area.
The beginning of the project was successful and positive. We got lot of local people interested in the issues and the town mayor to give his support. We hope to be able to continue the project together with local participation. We are also looking for further expertise and support from Finland to further develop the project.
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