Life Agriculture!!

After completing a successful year of organic farming activities in the Easter Province YMCA of Pamunugama is to launch the second step in this February. Orientation meeting for YMCA leaders from 8 YMCAs held Yesterday 31 January, 2013 at the National Council of the YMCAs of Sri Lanka. During this orientation meeting President Shivankara and the General Secretary Ridma of the YMCA of Pamunugama met with the the staff and the General Secretary of the National Council of the YMCAs of Sri Lanka.

New project will go on for 3 years. Legal support programmes and cooperative system activities will be included in the new project while the YMCA will continue to encourage farmers for organic agricultural activities. Development Committee of the YMCA of Pamunugama will implement and monitor this the project which is named "Life Agriculture Project" 

Children's Club: Most important..

Children's Club has a long history in the YMCA and it was the place where the leaders for youth club and other development programmes were trained and prepared. YMCA of Pamunugama also focusing much on children's club activities as Pamunugama YMCA believes that there will be no YMCA if there are no committed and well-trained leaders take the movement forward.

On last Monday 26 January, 2013 the children had a special painting activity during the Children's Club meeting . All the children  drew paintings and the best pictures will be selected an the winners will be named at the next meeting. Meanwhile they have started preparing the Wall Newspaper where they are going to publish news and their talents such as writings and handicrafts..

On the same day two of the girls Nethmi and Ashika of the children's club celebrated their birthdays together with their friends in the Children's Club.

Flood has vastly disturbed the lives of people in Horopothana

Desperate wife of Maithriratne & doughters

During the YMCA flood relief visit to Horopothana YMCA of Pamunugama visited several areas in Horopothana to see the damage of recent floods.

Thousands of acres of paddy fields have been totally washed away and people are living in a real plight due to the lost of their livelyhood. Most of the people in Horopothana area are farmers and they are struggling to pay their loans back to banks and several private institution where they took loans for last term's farming activities. Not only the livelihood several hundred people in Horopothana area have lost their houses or partially damaged due to flood.

Family of Maithrirathne is one such family who has been severely effected from flood. Both Maithrirathne and her wife Chanchala are in mid twenties have two daughters aged 9 and 2 years. They all live in a very small house in Maradankadawela village bordered to Horopothana on the way to Trincomalee from Horopothana.

Partially damages house of Mithriratne in the background

Six acres of paddy fields belong to Maithriratne's family have been washed away and he has invested over Rs 70,000 apart of his and her wife's months of labor dedicated for their farm. Adding more trouble, their small house made of clay has been partially damaged and we found that it is not in a standard for small children to live in as the inside floor of the house is still wet.

This is just one of the cases and there are many more similar situations. We urge our friends from all around the world to contact us if you would like to assist these people at this difficult situation to overcome this very unfortunate situation.

Destroyed houses 

Destroyed paddy fields

YMCA of Pamunugama visits Horopothana with Flood Relief

YMCA Youth assisting the relief Work

Yesterday (16. 01. 2013) a group of volunteers together with General Secretary visited Horopothana to distribute dry rations to 75 flood effected families due to recent flood disaster in Horowpothana ares. Many pars of the country were severely effected due to flood specially in the Central, Eastern, North Central and Wayamba Provinces of the Island.

A group of 75 people representing flood effected families gathered at the Horopothana temple for the distribution of dry ration packets. Rice, Flour, Dall, Soya and several other essential items coast around Rs 1,500 were included in one packet. Rev. Velimuwapathane Piyarathana Thero the incumbent of the Horopothana Temple assisted the YMCA of Pamunugama in selecting benifficiries and gathering them at the temple for the destribution programme.

YMCA of Pamunugama thank the National Council of the YMCA of Sri Lanka and all its partners from all around for assisting the flood relief programme of the Sri Lanka YMCA Movement.

Rev. Piyarathana Thero with YMCA leaders

Youth and senior leaders destributing Dry Rations

YMCA youth visit the Pamunugama Children's Home

Five youth representing the Youth Club of the YMCA of Pamunugama visited the Pamunugama Children's Home with gifts for the New Year on 10 January, 2013. YMCA youth annually visit this home with gifts and spend few hours making the children happy with YMCA games and songs.
There were 49 kids in the home and some of them performed there talents by singing and dancing during the Youth's visit to the Children's Home. Most of these children and single parent or either there is no any recognized relatives.
YMCA of Pamunugama would like to thank National Council of the YMCAs of Sri Lanka and its partners in Australia for sponsoring for gifts.

YMCA member's Christmas Ending Meetings and carrols

Children's Club

Finishing a busy year the Children's Club had their last meeting of the year on 19 December, 2012 at the YMCA main hall.  To celebrate the last day, children have organized a small party where they brought snacks and drinks for their homes.
Children shared their experiences of the year with others while enjoyed dancing and singing together with all.
Following the party Children's Club memebrs when around the village from house to house singing corrals.
Girl Guides
Girl Guides also organized a colorful Christmas Ending event to celebrate their last meeting of the year. Party was organized and it took place in the YMCA hall on 20 December, 2012.
Board Members and Youth Gathering
YMCA youth organized a dinner together with the Board Members of the YMCA of Pamunugama on 22 December, 2012 at the YMCA main hall. There were several fun games and the winners were awarded with gifts while members sang songs together.

Dressing up a Santa using papers

During the balloon hit game