Micro loan support for Pamunugama YMCA women members

Women have been playing a vital role in the YMCA of Pamunugama since the start. Two out of seven fouder members of the YMCA Pamunugama also are women and the Senasuma Death Donation Programme of the YMCA of Pamunugama also came such a long way thanks to the women membrs of the YMCA of Pamunugama. 

Latest women activity of the YMCA of Pamunugama is the Micro Credit Programme. 8 women who has been active of the programme were provided with small loans of Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 on 23rd May 2013 at the YMCA of Pamunugama. Some of them are having small groceries while some of the others have self employments where they produce sweets and packet food at home. 

These beneficiaries started savings with the YMCA of Pamunugama three months before and they will start paying back their loans from June, 2013 and they will complete paying back within ten months. Pamunugama YMCA development committee is responsible of the project and they keep a close look on the development of the beneficiaries. 

Pamunugama Youth at the Inter Cultural Exchange Programme

3 youth from Pamunugama YMCA participated actively at the Inter Cultural Exchange Programme organized by the National Council of the YMCAs of Sri Lanka from 22 - 25 in Trincomalee. Youth also performed a show at the opening ceremony of the 48th National Annual General meeting of the NCYSL as well.

Sudipi from Pamunugama along with a youth from Colombo Dancing

Devmi from Pamunugama played a leading role in the Drama

Three girls from Pamunugama off for the Inter Cultural Exchange

Devmi, Sudeepi and Hansi from Pamunugama YMCA are on the way to Trincomalee together with several other young people from South and West to attend an Inter Cultural Exchange Progrramme. 

This is organized by the Youth Committee of the National Council of the YMCAs of Sri Lanka with the objective of promoting Cultural activities among YMCAs.. They will be joining another group of youth in the East and North from 22 - 24 May, 2013. We Wish all the best to all the youth participants of the programme and the NCYSL Youth Committee for a successful event.

Opening Meeting of the "Dialogue Circle"

The objective of the Dialogue Circle of the ICY Group of the Pamunugama YMCA  is to

motivate youth in opening their eyes to the realities taking place around them The members of the  Circle (eight youth and two adults) met for the first time  on 19 May 2013 in the YMCA library.

Group had a general discussion on the current trends in Sri Lanka and as per the media reports the members felt  that there are lot of problems existing in the country at the moment in almost all spheres.

Summery of the discussion

“The citizens in Sri Lanka feel the rule of law is not where it should be while corruptive practices are being reported almost daily even from state sector institutions.

The quality of services expected from the fields of  education, health, transportation, etc have dropped to a miserable level.

Every quarter has been politicised depriving the rights of the man on the street while the fortunate ones at higher places and their henchmen enjoy all the luxuries at the  expense of the common man.

Although much has been said about the LLRC recommendations very little appear to have been accomplished which is an unhealthy sign for the country’s future as thousands are waiting to be reconciled and assisted in restarting their life. In the international arena it seems our country’s image is being tarnished due to this situation.

The people are unable to get a correct picture about the happenings taking place  around them as the media either has been tamed or they have  tamed themselves. The ultimate result is people are kept in the dark and forced to believe what the media tell them.

Although mega development projects are visible around the country eye brows  are raised whether these are the current priorities in the country and whether the full amounts of resources borrowed from outside are being utilized for the purpose. People suspect corruptions are eating into a larger share of inputs.

In spite of the existence of the above facts people are allowed to live and travel freely as they do not have to bother any more on bomb explosions where the LTTE is concerned.

The members felt a great political, social and  religious revival is necessary for all the people to live in peace enjoying democratic rights. In this aspect all the political parties, religions and all the interested groups are morally bound for working sincerely in achieving the expected results.

At the end of the meeting group decided to have more regular gatherings - at least once a month and the ICY group of the YMCA of Pamunugama took the responsibility of organising same.

Priyan from Pamunugama selected for YPP

Priyan one of the youth members of the YMCA of Pamunugama has been selected to attend the YPP (Young Peace Performers) Programme from August 2013 - April 2014. YPP is a youth exchange programme organized by the KFUM KFUK Global where young people get the chance to travel and to work for peace in different contexts.

This time the YPP programme will focus on the Conflict situation in Palestine. YPPs will travel to Jordan, Palestine and Norway during their programme.

Priyan has been an active youth member as well as an ICY of the YMCA of Pamuugama since 2010. We wish Priyan all the best!

Life Agriculture Project - Beneficiaries were educated on the process

Some of the beneficiaries 

YMCA of Pamunugama together with the National Council of the YMCAs of Sri Lanka has been working on promoting Sustainable Agriculture in the Eastern Province since 2011. Latest effort of this programme is the Life Agriculture Project done by Pamunugama YMCA in the Horopothana area in the North Central Province.

Ridma and Shelton of Pamunugama YMCA visited the selected project beneficiaries (25) on 13 - 14 May, 2013.  During this visit the beneficiaries were educated on the process and different activities of the Life Agriculture Project. A discussion was held at Kumari Ranaweera’s house (selected as the coordinator) with the beneficiaries. Around 20 women were present. They were explained the details of the project i.e. This is a home garden project to be carried out without using chemicals. The beneficiaries will be assisted with training (if necessary), exposure visits to learn by seeing, vegetable seeds and/or plants and material needed for cultivation (with an upper limit of Rs.5000/-).

The beneficiaries will be grouped under small groups of 5 in each with a group leader who will meet weekly in their homes. They will discuss any problem pertain to agriculture and especially the home gardens. They will start savings as a mark of their readiness in going ahead with the project.

Kumari (Coordinator) on the left together with a beneficiary

The coordinator will supervise the formation of groups and organizing group meetings and reporting to the YMCA. The first step by the beneficiaries will be the preparation of plots for home gardens. Thereafter, they will decide on the type of seeds and material they need. During the second year farmers will be provided with legal assistance to fight for farmers rights as team. 

During the visit Ridma and Shelton also visited the home gardens (9) of the beneficiaries to understand the efforts made by the farmers so far. It was found that all the beneficiaries are willing to improve their home gardens while getting use to organic methods slowly. Further training on organic farming methods to be organized during the month of June.

Training on Monitoring and Evaluation in Kallar!

Ridma and Shelton from Pamunugama YMCA attended a training programme organized by the National Council of the YMCAs of Pamunugama. Duuring this training NCYSL Life Agriculture Project participant YMCAs were educated on the importance of having a good monitoring plan when conducting any project. 

NCYSL organized this training with the technical support of PALTRA and the event was conducted using 100% participatory approach which gave a good learning opportunity for all the participating YMCAs. Event was hosted at Kallar Folk High School belongs to the YMCA.