Development work continues in the East!

During the school programme

Group of YMCA leaders including President Shelton Peiris, General Secretary Ranjith Fonseka and few youth leaders visited Gomarankadawela area from 08 to 10 November to monitor the ongoing development work and to conduct a awareness building programme for the children and parents of the Kiwulekada School.

Kids in Kivulkada school

Programme in the school was held on Tuesday 09. Nov, 2010 and children from grade 1 to 6 and 7 to 10 were taken as two separate groups. Mr. Ranasinghe (Sociologist) educated the students on understanding the meaning of education for life using stories, real situations and short films.In between the educational sessions the students were made to understand the first step in scouting through games, songs and group activities by the YMCA of Pamunugama Youth Scout leaders Shamalka and Asela. The parents were involved in the same programme conducted for the students – of course by using the adult educational methods in the afternoon. The parents were cautioned in guiding their children in education while giving them the kind of protection they need – especially in the present society corrupted in so many ways.

Meeting with the villagers

Following the programme YMCA delegates had a meeting with the school principal and the efforts of the YMCA in helping the school were appreciated and the need to arrange for similar programmes was identified. Both parties agreed to train the students in scouting and two day scout camp will be organised during the school holidays. Furthere discussed on the continuation of after-school classes for the students facing the Ordinary level Examination (Science and Maths).

In the evening group visited Rev. SumanasaraThero who is always advising and assisting the YMCA. He thanked the YMCA for its programmes in the area and assured his support in all matters.

Edirisinghe - Project field officer

On Wednesday 10.11.2010 the group visited the Agricultural programme by the YMCA for war affected families in Ottachchakulam.So far 17 acres have been cultivated with Green grams, Undu, Mustard, Pea Nuts, Chillies and vegetables. After visiting the work done so far a meeting was organized to talk with the project involved parties. Mr. Ranasinghe (Sociologist) explained how the multi national companies are exploiting the poor farmers through pesticide, fertiliser and seed production and value of using the traditional methods in agriculture. He further educated the villagers how the pesticide and chemicals used in agriculture causing health problems such as cancer, kidney infections, child and woman diseases. Further discussions led the group to take decisions such as Introducing compost system in cultivation (Organic), Collecting cow-dung and cultivation of Ginisiriya trees, Allocate 12 acres for the co-op youth farm, Start construction work on village centre and Continue Group activities and savings. On 11 Thursday group retured home to Pamunugama after completing a successfull visit and many thoughts for further action.

Time to make a voice agaist drug and child abuse - ICY programme

As a followup of a decision taken at the ICY seminar and the youth leadership training held at Mirigama in August 2010 YMCA of Pamunugama organized a oneday awareness building programme on Drug and Child Abuse on 22 October at the YMCA of Pamunugama. Drug is becoming a rising problem in the village at the moment and it is important to prevent it before it gets worse. Mr. J Indika talked about drugs and addiction in the morning and Mr. Manoj Samarasekara spoke about child abuse and the actions to prevent it after the lunch break. Both speakers are vastly experinced professionals in the field. 25 Youth, girlguides and prefects from 4 surrrounding school attended this event.

Leadership Training for Peralanda School

YMCA of Pamunugama had a successful day camp at Peralande school with 43 students from Grades 9 & 10. During the programme we discussed on different aspects of leadership such as creativity, cooperation, trust and decision making through practical activities and games.  The students and staff were satisfied with our programme which came to a close with camp fire late in the evening. It was great to see the students performing during the campfire and it was the first campfire experince for most of the students. We advised the staff to introduce YMCA among the students (Students' YMCA) so that they could organise similar programmes in the future.

Cooperative farm and the community Development Programme in the East

Meeting with the resettled families

YMCA of Pamunugama is in the process of developing a community development programme for a group of people resettled after 24 years at Ottachchakulama 29 Km of North of Gomarankadawela in the Eastern Province. There are 38 families resettled who had to ran away from their lands in 1984 due to the war. Though they are resettled, still they are living with very poor conditions. YMCA have formed smaller groups among these families by now and they have already started savings and YMCA has already provided seeds to restart farming and soon there will be new 3 wells which they can use to get water for farming during the dry season. YMCA of Pamunugama have already been able to find a land to start the cooperative farm together with this community. Premachandra Edirisinghe, a young man has been appointed as the field officer and our good friend W.M. Disanayake (dedicated man for the community in the area) coordinate the peoject.  



New farm supported by the YMCA

Paralarly to this new initiative we have expanded our educational programme in Gomarankadawela area by providing more extra educational classes and soon planing to build a small community house that can be used for educational classes and other social gatherings. We get the fullest support from Sumanasara Thero in the Medawachchiya Buddhist Temple to carry out all these work. Group of YMCA Pamunugama leaders visited the area on 10-12 October and there will be a nother visit on 8 November to examine the process and to conduct a programme for the children and parents of the Kivulkada school in Gomarankadawela. YMCA Pamunugama involved with this process as an extention of the friendship we have with the community in the Gomarankadawela area and the US embassy supports us financially.

Art exibition and Universal Children’s Day celebrations

One of the paintings

During group activities

It was very colorful in the YMCA hall with 287 paintings at the art exibition organized by the YMCA to mark the Universel Children’s day on 16 October, 2010. Programme was started with a introduction to the day by Ranjith Fonseka, General Secretary and followed up with activities and games and activities. Children enjoyed very much the short carrom and badminton tournamets organized for them by the youth club of the YMCA of Pamunugama.  Then the lunch was prepared by the YMCA adult leaders from the board and community development programme for all. After the lunch the paintings were exibited and children who painted and some of their parents also came to see the paintings. Best paintings were chosen under 4 age categories and awareded with educational equipments while all those who had paintings were given a participation certificate. There were 55 children 12 parents attended the programme.

We are the future and we are the today! Leadership training at Mirigama

YMCA of Pamunugama always focuses on youth development as we believe they are the future and they are the today! 16 youth from Pamunugama, Negombo and Moratuwa gathered at the Mirigama Scout centre to talk about leadership and to practically experince the leadership through games and activities on 21 & 22 August. Debade on leadership and the song meditation gave a opportunity to the youth to reflect on themselves while the challenge course was more about cooperation. 

All the youth had a good time with both knowledge and fun. In the evening there was a campfire where all enjoyed. As a follow-up all agreed to organize a awareness building programme on drugs and child abuse at the YMCA of Pamunugama. Event was organized by the Youth club of the YMCA of Pamunugama and we thank the National Camping Committee Secretary, Prasanna Peiris, Camping Committee Member Tharindu Rajapakse and Scout Coordinator, Lahiru Fernando  for volunteering to conduct some of the activities during the programme.

YMCA Pamunugama cricket team proved it again

Youth cricket team of the YMCA of Pamunugama was able to get back the Western Province Chanpionship at the Western Province inter YMCA cricket tournament held at the Jeiraj Fernandopullay ground in Negombo. Our team went for this tournament after beating the Hendala Programme branch of the Pamunugama YMCA two months back.

Five teams from Negombo, Nugegoda, Moratuwa and National Council of YMCAs of Sri Lanka participated at the tournament. It was a great achivement by our youth while the youth of the Hendala programme branch ended up as the runners up losing to the fellow Pamungama youth! Congratulations to the wining Pamunugama team and we thank YMCA of Negombo for organizing the event!

Asker Scouts Patrol meeting about Sri Lanka

On Monday 27th of September we launched the friendship batch between Asker (us) and Pamunugama YMCA on Sri Lanka. Ridma a leader from Pamunugama attended the meeting and help patrols in their work on the brand new batch. 

Learned about Sri Lanka

Ridma shared about Sri Lankan history and life on the island. Scouts self had to find answers to key questions about the country and the scouting going on there. We saw pictures from Pamunugama and learned about the community. After an introduction patrols worked on the new batch and Ridma went around answering questions from scouts.

Text and Picture: Rolf Felchenberg - Scout Leader

Asker Scouts

YMCA Pamunugama scouts attended the District Camp

15 scouts of the YMCA of Pamunugama attended the District Camp from 17 – 19 September 2010. The camp was organized by the Negombo District Scouts association. Scouts were living in tents during the camp and attended several activities including pioneering and competitions during the camp. This was a very good oppertinity for our scouts to meet the other scouts from the district and the programme was held at Kotugoda School in Ja-Ela. 

Pre-school kids and girl guides went on their annual trip

Girls guides and the pre school kids went on their annual trip together on 17 September 2010. They visited the Church Basilika at Thewatte and several other places including Milk Food (pvt)Ltd Welisara, Ratmalana Air Force and Viharamahadevi Park. 

There were 35 children and adult from Pre school including teachers and parents while there were 10 from the girlguides group of Pamunugama. Everyone enjoy the day and had a good time. Aim of this day out was for pre school kids to enjoy and the girl guides to have an exposure while they learn from the places they visited.

Kite Festival; We all fly in the same sky

We all fly in the same sky! That is the theme of a Kite Festival organised by the YMCA of Pamunugama, one of the YMCAs scattered throughout the Island.

The objective behind this festival was to give an opportunity to the children of Sinhala and Tamil communities of different faiths (Budhist – Hindu – Christian – Mislim) to meet and work and enjoy together. The children who were born and grew up in a country tormented by terrorism and war knew only hatred and they very much needed to understand the beauties of humanity.

The festival was held in Kalmunai with the assistance of the YMCA of Kalmunai on 8 August 2010 (Sunday). The children from Pamunugama, Negombo, Moratuwa and Hendala travelled to the Eastern coast on 7 August (Saturday) where they were joined by the children of Valachchenai, Kalmunai, Thuraineelavanai, Kallar and Mandur. It was a great experience for all the children as they stayed in the same place; dined and lodged together; more than that they made their kites together, learning from each other and helping each other. By noon on Sunday there were about 75 kites of different sizes and colours ready to fly at the festival.

Sunday afternoon the people in the Main Street of Kalmunai, where the YMCAs is situated were thrilled to see a procession of children full of joy and enthusiasm going through the streets with beautiful kites. The colourful procession gathered at the Kalmunai beach with a welcome wind and full of people of all walks of life. A tent has been erected for the purpose and music was dancing to the tune of waves rolling down the Kalmunai sea shore.

 The evening breeze of the Kalmunai beach sent the kites to the heavens up in the sky which depicted the theme of the festival “We all fly in the same sky”. The people gathered witnessed a colourful sky during the festival; it was like a flower garden decorating the blue heavens.

 

Shelton Peiris

President - YMCA of Pamunugama