Guides pitch tents on YMCA grounds – 3 Day Camp

15 Guides from the Negombo Zonal had a 3 day Guides Camp at the YMCA of Pamunugama from 17 – 20 October, 2014. There were 5 Guides from Pamunugama YMCA Girl Guides group and the others represented 2 schools in the Negombo Zonal.

During the Camp guides joined various camping activities where they pitched tents, cooked, built gadgets and showed their talents at the campfire.

Mrs Tiris from the Girl Guides Association was the Camp leader while the campers were trained by Sister Mary Patricia who is the Zonal Commissioner for Negombo.

Eating together

Pamunugama Guides

Camp-site

Outdoor Cooking

Guiding routines

Drama at Campfire

Vegetable fair raises funds for the Christmas Concert

Pre School kids yesterday (16. 10. 2014) sold vegetables at a fair organized by them with the support of the teachers and the parents.

Fair was organized to raise funds for the Annual Christmas Concert which is to be held during the month of December. This event is annually organized for the same objective.

Children from all departments including, Pre School, Girl Guides and Children's Club have started preparing for their performances.

YMCA of Pamunugama celebrates the Universal Children's Day and the visit of Bronoysund Friends

Started with hosting the national flag

Child members of the YMCA of Pamunugama representing the Children's Club and the Girl Guides Group celebrated the Universal Children's Day (official day falls on 01 Sep) on 08 September, 2014 at the YMCA of Pamunugama.

Children started the proceedings with hosting the National Flag. And then Aruna Shantha, a senior YMCA member addressed the children on the day.

Following the formal celebrations, children joined with a friendly volleyball tournament. Boys and girls had mixed teams and they played in four groups. Volleyball matches were full of enthusiasm, fun, courage, and team spirit.

Following the Universal Children's Day programme Pamunugama YMCA had a visit from the friendship scout group from Bronnoysund. There were 12 scouts and 3 scout leaders from Moratuwa visited Pamunugama and joined with a lunch hosted by Pamunugama YMCA. Bronnoysund Scout group is known to Pamunugama YMCA for over a decade as a friendship group.

Most importantly entire day was organized by the children of the YMCA of Pamunugama with full backing from the youth leaders. 

Aruna Shantha Addressing children on the day

Few thoughts for the next game

Encouragement from a fellow team mate

Supper Commentator

Friends from Bronnoysund Enjoying lunch at Pamunugama YMCA

5 Guides in Received Blue Sash

Five guides of the YMCA of Pamunugama Girls Guide Group received the Blue Sash which is a important land mark in their Guiding carrier. Guides prepared for this special event for last six month where they had to go through various tests and tasks. 

After completed all the tasks and assignments they received the Blue Sash on 02 October, 2014. Blue Sash giving away function was held at "Asirimath Deva Matha School in Negombo. Sister Mary Patricia the Provincial Commissioner awareded the sashes to the Guides. Next task for these guides will be the president's award.!

Pamunugama YMCA Guides receiving the sash

Pamunugama Guides with guides from other schools in Negombo

Guides who received the sash with Pamunugama leader Sudeepika
and Sister Mary Patricia (Provincial Commissioner)

Scouting back to Pamunugama with a day camp with Girl Guides.!

Happy bunch

Boys who have shown interest in Scouting joined the active Girl Guides of the YMCA of Pamunugama with a one camp at the YMCA of Pamunugama on Saturday 27 September, 2014.

Three scouts from the Global Friendship Programme also joined with the children to introduce scouting to the Children. These four three consisted of two Scouts from Bronnoysund YMCA YWCA Scout Group in Norway and a scout Jaffna.

Day started with a regular Children's club meeting and followed-up with the garden beautifying project where children planted plants in the YMCA premises. Then children had lunch in the YMCA and later started with a scouting introduction session.

At the end children had a tallentshow where they preformed in groups. All and all it was a day with a lot of fun and knowledge for those who attended.

Started with the Children's Club Meeting

Played indoor and outdoor games

Decorated the garden with new plants

Showing off talents at the end of the programme

"Thirst for Peace" International Seminar on Reconciliation

Genuine Reconciliation Process is the only way forward for a country which has gone through a war for 3 decades. Distrust, pain, and tears created through decades of fighting can be only wiped-off  by extending genuine forgiveness to one and other and restoring justice for all. People of the country itself are the best resource to power the process of reconciliation. YMCA being a people's Association has taken the responsibility of mobilizing young people in the movement and outside to take-up this gigantic challenge ahead of us. YMCA have faith in young people as Great Nelson Mandela said that "A cause supported by youth cannot fail".

"Thirst for Peace" International Seminar on "Reconciliation" held from 5 - 8 September, 2014 at Nature's Resort Waga was organized as an activity of ongoing programme chain which is organized by the YMCA of Pamunugama in cooperation with the Y Global to mobilize and train young people to take part in the country's reconciliation process.

34 young people from Pamunugama (West), Pandatereppu (North), Kurunegala (North Central), Moratuwa (Colombo), Norway (Bronnoysund and Y Global) took part in the 4 day event where number of activities, presentations and discussions took place on the subject of reconciliation in detailed. Most of the events were held through participatory method where young people had group discussions and groups presentations as well as case studies and Mr. Santha Fernado and Mr. Ainsley Joseph two experience resource persons (social activists in the YMCA movement) chipped-in with valuable input sessions. Following topics were taken into consideration during the seminar.

• Introduction to Sri Lankan Conflict
• Challenges for Reconciliation in the post-war Sri Lanka
• International Dynamics in the Sri Lankan conflict
• Attempts made in the past to bring peace
• LLRC Recommendations
• Peace Maker Concept
• Movie on reconciliation (Invictus)

At the last day of the seminar youth made a action planned where they are going to involve in future activities as individual group as well as a collective. YMCA of Pamunugama will fully cooperate with different groups participated the seminar in implementing the actions proposed by the young people at the end of the seminar. A declaration also was signed by all the participants committing themselves for future involvement on the topic and it was named as "Global Peace Maker's Declaration".

Youth attended the seminar shared follow comments at the evaluation on the event and the opportunity which are very promising thoughts that confirms a genuine reconciliation is possible if people have the willingness for it.

• "It is great that we from different ethnic and religious groups can sit and talk on these serious issues. I did not think that it is possible until I came here"
• You come to Jaffna, we will take care of you.
• I learnt that we all have made mistakes and we need to leave those bad memories behind and start forgiving each other and forget what has happen.
• More and more of these kinds of programmes are needed.
• I want to lean Tamil so I can talk with my friends freely.

On Sunday 7 September, 2014 evening the "Young Peace Performers" 18 member group of youth representing 7 countries (attached to Y Global International Exchange Programme) visited the programme and attended the session on "Peace Maker" concept conducted by Sven, Jens and Stian who were the representatives from the Y global. After the session they mingled with the local youth and shared what peace means in their countries through small country presentations.

All the participants were awarded with a certificate for their participation at the end of the seminar and YMCA of Pamunugama would like to extend our sincere thanks to all who helped to make this event a success.

Group Discussions and Presentations

Top: Mr. Santha Fernando and Mr. Ainsley Joseph
Bottom: Sven, Stian and Jens (Y Global representatives)

Group Pic with YPPs

Signing of the Global Peace Makers Declaration

Certificates for participation

Evaluation