Two weeks’ ago electricity connection arrived at Kirimetiya pre-school. The school is set in a village in a remote ex-tea plantation area high in the hills of central Sri Lanka. I wrote in detail about this village and the development work taking place there in my last blog.
Men at work installing the electricity
With the electric pipes installed, the pre-school was ready to receive one of the refurbished computers we fundraised for during lockdown number two.
Last week Women’s Development Centre (WDC) field workers delivered the computer to Kirimetiya village on their once a week visit. The pre-school teacher, Suba, opened the brightly-wrapped package and a small handover ceremony of thanks was held in line with the Hindu/Sinhalese tradition. Candles and incense were burnt and sweets and green tea shared amongst the villagers and WDC team.
A village girl who is assisting Suba has recently completed a computer training course. Now she’ll be able to work alongside Suba with the delivery of online and computer studies. Chandrathilka Liyanaarachchi, WDC’s Coordinator, said, ‘For the children and their parents it was an unexpected gift and they were so happy. This will help the children to learn and connect with the world beyond their village .’
WDC delivering the computer on their field visit last week
If you’d like to contribute to my fundraising to buy two more computers for Kirimetiya it would be amazing @ Justgiving
Or, if you’d like to volunteer your time and skills in any of the following ways please get in touch:
- Deliver some computer training online over skype, zoom or another medium
- Deliver more advanced computer training in-situ
- Teach some basic English language skills in-situ or online
Sri Lanka has recently announced the temporary restriction on travel originating from the UK has been lifted with immediate effect. However, as at the beginning of March, there is still a need to quarantine for 14 days and to have a negative PCR. Hopefully these limitations will be lifted further over the coming weeks/months with no need to quarantine. This will then enable us get out there and connected face to face again!
Next up: Guest blog from an English volunteer in Sri Lanka to give you a flavour of what it may be like if you choose to volunteer your skills and time.
Last blog:
[…] Some of the funds raised earlier this year have now been spent on purchasing an upgraded laptop and desktop computer for Kirimatiya, a very remote Tamil village in a mid-central, old tea plantation. I’ve written a few blogs about this village over the past few years and if you’ve seen them you’ll know how important it is that they’re connected through internet to support the children’s education. Here’s a link to an earlier blog: Kirimetiya gets connected in more ways than one | Marcia Treks Sri Lanka […]