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ONE HEART
EDUCATIONAL CENTER
Construction of the "MINHATH" Pre-school in Dickwella
Previous Updates
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Foundation stone laying ceremony March 27, 2006
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On December
26, 2004, a major earthquake off the west coast of Northern Sumatra measuring
9.0 on the Richter scale triggered a massive flood wave (tsunami). According
to official estimates, Sri Lanka suffered more than 30,000 confirmed fatalities.
Sri Lanka is one of the countries in Southeast Asia worst affected by
the tsunami. The catastrophe left a swath of destruction and hit the extremely
poor areas along the Southern coast. Even before this catastrophe the
basic facilities as well as public and private infrastructures in the
rural areas of the south region were very underdeveloped.
In addition,
as a result of two decades of ongoing civil war, rural areas in particular
have completely insufficient basic services and inadequate public and
private structures. The population cannot secure vital supplies and services
on its own strength, and people are unable to take initial steps to stabilize
their daily lives and prepare for rebuilding their environment. Hospitals,
schools and other public facilities were either destroyed or damaged.
Some of the telephone and electricity lines, roads, and train routes in
the coastal areas were interrupted. The currently most important economic
activities in the region - agriculture, cattle breeding and fishing -
are at very low level. In most cases, the population in the affected regions
have lost their entire possessions, including houses, farmland, food stocks
and production equipment. Production and trade in the disaster regions
have declined greatly. Small businesses are only recovering very slowly.
The population, heavily traumatized by the civil war and the tsunami,
is currently not in a position to achieve sustainable reconstruction on
its own strength and using own financial resources. Under the current
adverse circumstances, managing their day-to-day lives is already an enormous
challenge for most people. Existing administrative structures are clearly
overburdened with the situation in the disaster area and the resulting
tasks. The risk of poverty is considerable.
Dickwella is
a small town in the south of Sri Lanka. The majority of the families living
in this area have been affected by the tsunami. The situation is especially
difficult for the Tamil speaking families in the area, since they are
a small minority: 95% of the population is Singhalese, only 5% Tamil speaking
Muslims. There are 63 pre-schools in the Dickwella area, only one of them
equipped for Tamil speaking children: The Minhath pre-school will be the
first permanent pre-school for Tamil speaking children in Dickwella, who
before had been forced into a gypsy-like life without the possibility
or space for education.
Right now, the
50 children, ages 4 and 5 years, who will be visiting this new pre-school,
are taught in one small room provided to them by a nearby government school
- without a teaching schedule, learning materials, playground, etc., basically
just locked up in this room for the morning - and even here, they will
be forced out soon. An application for a pre-school for Tamil speaking
children had been on the table since 1998 and was approved by the government,
but never funded or supported, so that these children never had a chance
for an advanced or even proper education. In addition, there are no Tamil
speaking teachers provided in the area since they get appointed to jobs
in the north and east of the country.
The Real Medicine
Foundation decided to take on the construction of this pre-school in the
frame work of our tsunami relief work in Sri Lanka. The implementation
of the project will be supervised by the GTZ office in Southern Sri Lanka.
Our main teacher/principal
for the school and coordinator for the project is M.M. Imthiyas, the secretary
of the "One Heart Educational Center". He had the courage to
apply again for a pre-school for the Tamil speaking children, and this
time it was successful. He is a teacher who is successfully teaching 450
children in a nearby school for advanced education, where Singhalese and
Tamil children are studying together. He speaks English, Tamil and Singhalese,
and will be in charge of the school. He already was able to get two female
teachers for the school, one more will be hired.
Because of his
previous teaching experience, he can provide and implement an advanced
activity plan and teaching schedule for the children that allows them
to be prepared for advanced education and to support their peaceful integration
into the community they are living in.
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October 15, 2006
Our new pre-school has been completed and has
celebrated its grand opening!
Minerva Fernando reports:
The Taking-over Ceremony was a great moment. With a little crowd but
in a grand way, Imthiyas had arranged it nicely. I advised him to have
it in a very, very special way. The Board of Trustees and the Contractors,
Tharanga Enterprises and our Special Guest Dr. Peter Seibert and myself
were there. First we welcomed Our Special Guest. The first Pre-school
Student welcomed him with a Garland of flowers. And then I, with a small
speech welcomed all on behalf You and the REAL MEDICINE FOUNDATION. In
my life I had a chance to experience such a great moment. Thank you, dear
Martina.
And we all Thank you and Dr. Peter first. Imthiyas gave the Thanksgiving
speech and Dr. Peter too said some words on behalf of the Foundation.
One of the Board of Trustees too thanked you, the Foundation and GTZ.
and Dr. Peter. After the speeches the great moment Signing the Taking-over
papers was done. On behalf you, Dr. Peter took the keys of the building
from Tharanga Enterprises. And he handed it over to one of the Board of
TRUSTEES. And from him Imthiyas took the keys of the Building. MEMORABLE
CEREMONY.
September 30, 2006
M.M. Imthiyas, our main teacher/principal for the pre-school and secretary
of the "One Heart Educational Center":
Dear Martina
Already I inform to the parents in my village by notice to apply for the
preschool (the notice is enclosed with this -1) And the application also
enclosed with this-2. Also inform to under 13th children that we have
plan to start computer class for them -3 Now its Ramadan period. After
the Ramadan that end of October we decide to call parents meeting and
to make a enrollment For the children on that day so my target is to finalize
all the work before the meeting.
Thanks
Imtiyas.
August 20, 2006
M.M. Imthiyas, our main teacher/principal for the pre-school and secretary
of the "One Heart Educational Center":
Dearest Madam Martina,
This is to inform you on August 11th we took over the building from Tharanga
Enterprises after completion. Immediately after taking over the building,
I legally handed over the building to Board of Trustees as owner of the
building. Then it is not a private property. Again I officially took over
the building from the BOARD OF TRUSTEES on lease basis. As it is the way
in my country. Rs.1000 for lease on every month and that goes to the Religious
CENTRE.
The villagers are very happy and thankful to you and your Donors for not
only the Pre-school but also the Education Centre for the future generation.
We intend to have the Pre-school n the morning from 8.30AM to 11.30AM.
And in the evening 2.30 PM to 4.30 PM we would have Cultural and Religious
Activities for the children. We have planned to give Computer Training
for Beginners on Saturday and Sunday.
By next week we have decided to get the applications from the parents
of the children and I hope to start it officially with grand opening when
you are there with us. Now I have selected three teachers for the pre-school.
And I will send the children's photos when they come with the parents
for the admissions.
Thank you again for the building. It is not only a pre-school but also
an education centre for our children. T
hank you.
With best regards
Imthiyas.
July 28, 2006
Construction update:
Excerpts of an e-mail from Minerva Fernando, our project coordinator in Sri Lanka:
My dearest
Martina,
I visited
Dickwella, the Pre-school is now completing. Herewith I am attaching some
photos which I took on my recent visit. I met Imthiyas and he was very
happy. Tharanga Enterprises will hand over the building by the end of
this month. Tharanga Enterprises will paint the building, too. They have
done an excellent job. Imthiyas told me that he would get the permission
to close the well. He will build a wall around the school and plant a
garden as well.
Tharanga Enterprises
workers are very efficient and when I went there, they were concreting
the floor. I too felt very happy and proud. Real Medicine Foundation had
done a marvelous job and a service for the Dickwella Muslim Community.
The building looks very smart and a solid one.
These are
the facts for you now. I will be in touch with more information as soon
as possible.
THANK YOU.
Minerva.
July 4, 2006
Construction continues to progress.
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