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Sri Lanka Journal |
Arabella's Diary
Friday 11 March 2005At 9.00 am we arrive at the Ambatantota Special School (which is run by the splendid lady of the Navajeevana Institute, which we visited on Tuesday) where we are greeted by 37 students between the ages of of 3 and 7, their teachers and many of their parents. We are led inside and watch some of the classes. Then we go out to a shady space (which even has a stage) and the Clown does a show. Bubbles and ping-pong balls go down particularly well, as does Woodbine, the Clown's furry creature sidekick, and the children are in stitches. Then a gentle session of parachute games before we have to say goodbye. These children have what we would in England call severe learning difficulties or profound and multiple or complex difficulties - several are deaf, some have congenital difficulties and some have severe disfigurements such as hydrocephalus. Some are considered uneducable and will return home to be looked after by their families when aged 8, but the majority is hoped will join mainstream education. It is a very lovely, special school with extremely devoted staff, and the children all seemed exceptionally happy. Apparently there are very few special schools in the country - this is the delightful exception rather than the rule. We drive east to Galle to see a man called Geoffrey Dobbs, who fell in love with Sri Lanka more than 15 years ago and built several delightful boutique hotels here. He was in the sea when the Tsunami came, but was OK. Like many westerners, he felt a great need to do something to help and he and some friends have set up a splendid organisation called "Adopt Sri Lanka" which is carrying out a whole range of projects far more more quickly, more efficiently and more cost effectively than either the Governemnt or the majority of the large NGO's. We explain the concept of Children's World International to him. He agrees with our view that work of this sort will be badly needed in the camps, and he says he will create a list of places that would welcome our work in the autumn, and will give us any contacts he can. A good and useful meeting. We drive north of Galle a few miles and return to Mohan's friend Kushil's set-up in Hikkaduwa. They have almost completed their "model house" and this will be opened on Sunday. Everybody is working hard and there is a real feeling of rebuilding the future. They are hoping to build 250 of these houses in the next 2 or 3 months. We meet a lady called Cynthia who is big in American TV and who may be interested in following part of our Autumn Tour. Our work is so photogenic - we really must try to get British TV interested, as if we could get some coverage that would really help fundraising. We don't do a show at Kushil's as two great girls, Kerys and Anka, are running a percussion workshop. Back to Sun Beach Hotel (a good chance to get sweaty clothes washed, apart from the pleasure of seeing MC and Neil's lovely staff again) and I head straight to bed - I think I am on the mend, but I'm playing it safe! 
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CWI Tsunami Tour