Pamunugama Children Performed at the Annual Christmas Concert.

Children of the YMCA of Pamunugama had their Annual Christmas Concert on 9th December, 2013 at the YMCA Main Hall. Christmas Concert is an annual event which takes a lot of preparations for months and all the preparations paid off at the concert in-front of a large crowd. Children representing the Pre-School, Children's Club and Girl guides performed at the concert.

There were dances, dramas as well as carrols on the stage by the children. Annual Christmas event has been the best floor for children of the YMCA of Pamunugama to show-off their skills in-front of parents, friends and other villagers.

Welcoming the President for the event

Welcome Speech by kids

Alien Dance

Act by Children's Club and Guides

Kitchen dance by Pre-School Kids

Carols by Guides and Children's Club

Christmas Drama

Large Crowd Gathered for the Concert

Photographs: Aruna Pathirage

New Equipments for Life Agriculture Project Members

Further to the training and workshops conducted on organic farming a set of equipment were also provided to the members of the YMCA Life Agriculture Project Members in Horowpothana area. Destribution was held on 20 November 2013 at Horowpothana.

Rev Piyarathana Thero (Priest of Horowpothana) who has been very helpful with implementing the project also attended the event along with 25 beneficiaries.

Observing Religion before commencing 

Rev Piyarathana Thero handing over the first tool

25 members of the group

Agricultural Instructor educates the 25 families of the YMCA Life Agriculture Project

YMCA of Pamunugama organized a training programme for the 25 members of Life Agriculrural Project in Horowpothana. Beneficiaries were educated on managing a home garden. Further they were given tips on how to pick different plants for their gaden depending on the season, and the soil and the need for nutriciants.

Programme was conducted by Mr. Dhammika who is the Government Agricultural Instructor in the Horowpothana area on 19 Noveber, 2013.

Communicative English Programme launched!!!

Communicative English Programme of the YMCA of Pamunugama was launched on 09 November, 2013. This will be a course of four months where the students (participants) will get a chance to practice English as a language. 

Apart of the weekly classes, there will be two camps during these four months to give more opportunities to the students to practically experience the English language. English has been considered as yet another subject where they have to sit for an written exam in the school. This has created a big gap between the written and oral ability of English among young people.  YMCA of Pamunugama has been dreaming of starting a such a class for the students in the area whom do not have an enough economy to pay high to the Spoken English Training institutions in the country.

We specially thank the Com-Share-Foundation for sponsoring this programme. Come-Share foundation has been collaborating with the YMCA to provide number of scholarships to deserving students and to conduct extra educational classes for marginalized communities in various parts of Sri Lanka.

YMCA Communicative English Programme

Green Challenge - YMCA of Pamunugama

Children of the YMCA of Pamunugama take part in the event on 26th October, 2013. Udara Devmi who is a Change Agent too the leadership in organizing the event together with the YMCA of Pamunugama. Children were educated on the event and on the importance of taking care of the environment by the Change Agent Udara Devmi before they went to the beach to collect plastics and polythene garbage.

Pamunugama YMCA Pre-School Fare

Pre-school usually starts preparing for the Christmas concert quite early as they have to train the small kids for performances. Parents also has to prepare as there will be a lot of expenses to make new clothes and to hire different services for the concert.

To raise funds to cover above expenses, Pre-school organized a vegetable fare today by the Mother Mary Statue at Seththappaduwa, Pamunugama. Neighbors came and supported the kids by purchasing vegetables and the parents and the teachers help children with selling at the fare. They were able to make a income of Rs 7,500 where they had a profit over Rs 3000.

YMCA Children celebrate Children's Day in Pamunugama

Children's Day is recognized on various days in many places around the world, to honor children globally. It was first proclaimed by the World Conference for the Well-being of Children in 1925 and then established universally in 1954 to protect an "appropriate" day. The officially recognized date of Children's Day varies from country to country. In Sri Lanka, Children's Day is celebrated on October 01.

Pamunugama YMCA organized a gathering of Children members of the YMCA of Pamunugama on 05 October, 2013 at the YMCA premises to mark and celebrate this special day. Sixty kids representing the Children's Club, Girl Guides and Scouts as well as the Pre School kids came together for this special event. Day started with a sharing of few thoughts on the hardships that children are facing in the world today and on the importance of keeping a close eye and working with children providing them the best environment to grow.

Then the children were divided into groups and YMCA youth leaders conducted different activities and games giving children an opportunity to work together and to enjoy the day. YMCA children's programmes very rarely ends up without a campfire. Campfire was the final event of the day and children showed their talents by performing dances, dramas and singing in-front of all the people gathered including fellow friends  parents and youth leaders. Special thank goes to the youth leaders of the YMCA of Pamunugama for giving a great time for the children of the Pamunugama YMCA by facilitating the entire day.

Frienly Volley Ball Match with Forde Folk High School Volley Ball Team

Volleyball Class of the Forde Folk High School is currently in Sri Lanka for a exchange programme where they are going to play Volleyball matches and attend a training camp. Group around 25 players from the Group with their coach and the leader of the group visited Pamunugama YMCA on 19 Spetember, 2013.

During their visit they played two 3 friendly games with the YMCA children and youth. YMCA of Pamunugama also very recently started playing volleyball in the YMCA. We thank the Volleyball class of the Forde Folk High School for visiting the YMCA of Pamunugama.

Training for Pamunugama members on Resource Mobilization

Jessica Sharing her experiences from North America

YMCA is a none profit organization. It will only remains as long as the community around the YMCA need it. YMCA to become a useful place for the community it need to provide the society with good things. To provide good things members of the YMCA has a great responsibility of organizing and conducting events. In this connection mobilizing resources is very much important for the YMCA. Ms Jesssica Rawn (Volunteer Consultant for Resource Mobilization) and Ms Eloisa Borreo (Executive Secretary of APAY) visited the YMCA of Pamunugama on 18 & 19 September, 2013 to train the Pamunugama YMCA members on resource mobilization.

During the training Ms Jessica shared the principals and concepts they use in North America related to Resource Mobilization and Fund Raising. Entire training was based on developing a culture of Philanthropy starting from the existing board members and the members of the YMCA. 

Practicing to meet potential doners

Meanwhile this training led the group to identify a case to start with the first fund raising campaign based on the learning. Group decided to raise funds to develop Children's Development Programmes of the YMCA under the theme of "Punch Apita Aluth Lowak" which means A new World for Little Us. Group were able to raise Rs 24,500 within the group attended for the training with the support of the trainers who attended the event.

Mr. Charith De Silva and Miss Hasika from National Council of the YMCA of the YMCAs of Sri Lanka also attended the event. We thank all the members those who attended the event and the National Council. We would like to extend a special thank to the trainers and the APAY for selecting Pamunugama YMCA for this training. 

Ape Sindu Patiya with many friends

Ape Sindu Patiya, Annual Fund Raising singalong was held on 14 September, 2013 at the YMCA International Hotel in Kurana.

This year the Ape Sindu Patiya "Singalong"was organized to raise funds for Youth Programmes of the YMCA of Pamunugama. There were around around 200 friends and well-wishers attended the event. YMCA of Pamunugama raised funds by selling song books, and meals at the event.

Event was included, singing, raffle draw and dances. Music and dances were provided by Bhagya Ranga Kala Institution for the event and Aruna Shantha presented the event. 

YMCA of Pamunugama would like to thank all the members who have worked hard to make this event a success. Special thank goes to all those who provided sponsorship and attended the event.