We visited Sri Lanka in February 2010 for what we believe was our most productive visit ever, helping to make a real difference to the various projects we support and some individual cases of hardship.  Thanks to all our supporters this is just some of things we did: 

• Provided 170 pairs of shoes and socks for the children of the Nursery and Village schools

• Assisted the teachers with vouchers towards new shoes –an adult pair of shoes would be about 20% of a teacher’s monthly salary

• Renegotiated the food provided to both schools and paid for March’s bill

• Have agreed to pay a salary to a teacher who provides computer classes and music lessons who also has very good English and has email connectivity which will make things so much easier to stay in contact with

• Provided the school with a brand new computer which can be used for both admin purposes and to provide computer-based training to develop English skills and be used after school or out of term time for one-on-one computer studies

• Pushed for urgent repairs to be made to the electricity supply in the Nursery school which is a danger to the children

• Distributed clothes and socks which were donated to the most needy cases

• Recognised the need for partitions to be built inside the school to separate Years 7-11 to improve concentration - Udaya will be seeking 3 quotes for the job;

• Identified and agreed to pay for a child who would benefit from additional after-school English and elocution lessons

• Provided conversational English lessons for children in grades 9-11

• Identified a need for additional classes for the youngest children who start school but can’t read or write; again, we’re waiting for an estimate of the costs and would hope to be able to support this later in the year;

• Agreed in principal to fund after school computer classes if a suitable location can be found

• Held another successful fun day for the school which helped build teamwork, cooperation and provided fun handing out medals to the winning team

• Presented the first-ever prizes to encourage attendance and achievement

• Unveiled a plaque in memory of Declan Gallagher, Don’s brother, in whose name the musical instruments were kindly donated. Following the success of the school band, we agreed to consider future requests for additional instruments in order to allow more children to become involved

• Gave the Orphans their only day out and agreed to continue to fund the English teacher, band master and vocational skills teaching

• Provided blazers to the school prefects so that the school can be properly recognised

• Provide the fisherman with a new GPS system to replace one purchased 4 years ago

• Presented new sports equipment to the school

• Held the annual cricket match with people from the fishing village

• Provided a grant to a child from the Nursery school who has been diagnosed with a hole in his heart so that surgery can go ahead

• Paid for a further tests for a child from the village who has had major surgery following kidney problems

• Continued to provide assistance to 10 deprived families to assist with their education

• Continued to fund the medical clinic by providing money for drugs and to pay for a doctor

Thank you so much to the many who have been so kind and donated to make all this possible.