Revisiting WDC

Totally excited to be revisiting WDC administrative centre, but without Joe this time, and seeing all the staff there and introducing Gill to them. It’s been 4 years, due to Covid and the Easter bombings of 2019, which prevented us returning before now. However, it felt like a bit of a time-warp and that it could have only been last week that we were last here! Everything was the same except a few staff had left and there were a few new faces. Amazing to be back. 😍

Cooking up at Sthree

‘Sthree’ means woman in Tamil, Sinhala and Sanskrit. Sthree, the shop, is a women’s initiative and social enterprise and is WDC’s shop on the Peradeniya Road in Kandy town. Its goal is to create a platform for local women and disabled people to earn an income and gain financial stability. The shop is full of practical and colourful handicrafts and clothes made by local women and 100% of the benefits go directly back to the women. At the back of the shop is a new kitchen and cafe area which is supported by women living in a local refuge and residents at a local vocational training centre for young people living with a disability. Chandrathilika, WDC’s Coordinator, invited us there for lunch which surpassed expectations. We were treated to an authentic and immersive Sri Lankan lunch experience and neither of us left as much as a grain of rice!

Bagya, the Sthree shop manager, offered to fit our saris, Kandy style, so we could enjoy wearing them over lunch and later on when visiting the girls at the refuge. As our saris were being fitted and pinned we were reminding each other to breathe in and chin up!

Refuge

The refuge is a centre hosting up to 80 women and girls who have been subjected to gender-based violence. WDC strives towards empowering and protecting their rights and their dignity. There is a team of female supporters who volunteer to help them heal their trauma through therapeutic activities such as counselling, weaving, sewing, gardening etc. This prepares them to leave this safe place when they are ready, to live a violence-free, healthy and productive life beyond that of the shelter.

If you missed blog 10 then here it is.

Next up: Visit to Kurunegala to vist Rev.Ragama and his community.

Further sponsorship – If you’d like to sponsor us on this trek whilst being assured that every penny will go to those who need it, then please donate by clicking on this link Marcia Summers is fundraising for Their Future Today (justgiving.com). Don’t forget that if you’re a tax payer to declare ‘gift aid’ when doing so which will increase your donation by 25% at no cost to you. Alternatively, if you know anyone or of an organisation that may have an interest in these causes please forward this blog and above link on to them.