Port City and its negative impact

We the Pamunugama YMCA situated in the coastal belt just north of Colombo (where the Port City is under construction) are very much concerned on the negative impact that port city could bring to our area. Sea-erosion which could create a lot of problems to fishermen and those who live by the coast seems the main thread among many other social and environmental impacts. According to the experts the project was started without any proper environmental impact assessment. We also concerned and very worried over the geopolitical dynamics behind this project as Chinese invasion on the land (port city) will create a lot of sensitive and complicated geopolitical scenario where Sri Lanka is going to trapped between powerful nations. 

On Saturday 21st March, 2015 YMCA of Pamunugama organized a discussion to educate the villagers on this regard at the YMCA main hall. Mr. Ravindra Kariyawasam (Environmentalist) and Mr. Aruna (Fishermen activist leader) attended the discussion as resource persons. There were around 15 villagers attended the event and YMCA of Pamunugama will continue the educational process together with those who attended the event on Saturday.

Right to Information Act - By Dr. Rohan Edirisinghe

Justice and Peace Committee of the National Council of the YMCAs of Sri Lanka together with the National YWCA of Sri Lanka jointly organized a workshop on the Right To Information (RTI) Act at the YWCA Head Office at Kolpetty. 

Workshop was conducted by well-known social activist Dr. Rohan Edirishinghe. Dr. Edirisinghe expressing his views he shared on the back ground of the bill, pressure on Sri Lanka for such a bill, key elements of a progressive RTI bill, Challenges in working out the bill in the Sri Lankan political contest and the main elements of the bill which has already been drafted. 

Group of around 25 YMCA and YWCA staff  and members attended the event. Ridma and Nico from Pamunugama  YMCA also attended the workshop.

Kubb for the first time in Sri Lanka

Kubb is a recreational game mainly popular in Scandinavian countries, US and few other places. YMCA of Pamunugama today introduced this game to the Children's Club members. Most probably this is the first time this game was played in Sri Lanka.

Children loved this fantastic game and they were so eager to learn it and to play it. Children of Pamunugama will continue to play this game and YMCA would like to spread this game among other YMCAs as well as interested groups. This is not only for kids. It works very well woth adults too..

We thank Mr. Eric of US Kubb Chanpionship and Mr. Jason Larson of JP's Backyard Games of US for helping us to get the Kubb set.

Scouts and Guides gather for Independence Day

Guides and the Scouts gathered at the YMCA of Pamunugama on 04 February, 2015 to mark the 67^th Independence Day of Sri Lanka.

Guides and scouts hosted the flag together and sang the National Anthem together. Then one of the scouts, Isuru Kavishka gave a speech remembering the Independence Day in 1948 and the background of getting independence from British.

Following the flag hosting in the YMCA garden the children watched a movie “AVATAR” in the YMCA Hall together.

Isuru Kavishka speaking about independence day

Movie time

Distribution of stationeries among flood affected Life Agriculture Project Members in Horowpothana

Four Pamunugama YMCA representatives visited Horowpothana on 01 February, 2015 to meet with the Life Agriculture Project Members. There are 25 families involved with this project.

Responding to a request made by the project members Pamunugama YMCA arranged a distribution of stationeries for the school children of these 25 families during this visit. Each family received a set of books valued around Rs 1,000/=.

Then YMCA representatives had a shat about future project activities and visited home gardens and the destroyed paddy fields belong to these 25 families due to heavy floods during the end of 2014. Among all financial difficulties, the project members hosted a wonderful village lunch for the YMCA representatives and appreciated the effort of the YMCA for keeping the promise by arranging stationeries.

Distribution of stationeries

Home Gardens

Home Gardens

Destroyed Paddy fields belong to project members

Pamunugama Children bring the message of peace to homes!

Today (23.12.2014) the children of Pamunugama YMCA visited houses in the village with carrols. They were singing carrols on the road as well as door steps of the houses in the surrounding.

During home visits children performed the birth of Jesus Christ while the others were singing carrols standing around the holy family. Santa claus who joined the team did not forgot to bring gifts to the children of the houses they visited.