Awareness Building Programme for Illegal Drug Prevention Group

Member's of the Drug Prevention Group had their first training programme on 24. 10. 2018. This was organized to raise the awareness of the group members themselves on Drug issue and to agree upon the next activities of the group. 16 members of the group attended this awareness Building Programme which held in the meeting room of the YMCA of Pamunugama.  

First session of the programme was led by Sub Inspector (S.I.)Marasinghe the officer in-charge of the Crime Division of Dungalpitiya Police Station. During his session S.I. Marasinghe gave an introduction to different types of Drugs, how people get addicted to illegal drugs and how to identify those who use them. Further he mentioned that the main reason behind the rising number of crimes are due to illegal drug addiction. He also mentioned that punishments and fines for drug dealers and users are very light in the Sri Lankan law which makes it difficult for the police and other legal entities to prevent this vastly spreading issue. According to S.I. Marasinghe, the best way to protect young people from illegal drugs is to keep them educated on the consequences of illegal drug usage and to rehabilitate those who have already affected. SI Marasinghe thanked the group and the YMCA for coming forward voluntarily to stand against this issue and assured his and his team's fullest support in future. 

Then group had a discussion on future plans and agreed the following;
1. to take actions to direct those who are already addicted to rehabilitation centers with the support of their families
2. conduct a camp for a group of young people during the month of December and to widely educate them as an action of prevention.
YMCA of Pamunugama thank Dungalpitiya Police for providing resorce persons for this programme and all the members who participated this programme and for agreeing to work together in the future.

Quiz competition for Children's Club

Pamunugama YMCA organized a quiz competition for the members of children's club on 14. 10. 2018. There were 4 teams and each team consisted of 7 members. 

In the first round 20 common  questions based on geography, science, entertainment, sports, politics and culture were asked and participants had to answer in groups. In the second round groups were given the opportunity to select 8 questions which they had to answer in their own groups. Fifteen questions were thrown to the participants during the third round and they were based on biblical knowledge. 

Group No. 2 led by Dinada Suhansith won the second place, while the Group No 4 led by Sahan Rashmika won the first place. Winners were awarded with certificates. 

Makalause Dream - School for Specially Abled Students!

Education is a right of every human being under the article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Further, it states that the elementary education shall be compulsory and free at fundamental stages. Unfortunately, in the developing world, the situation is otherwise and this precious right is being deprived for many. When consider the right to education for children with functional difficulties the situation is worse.

According to the latest Sri Lankan government census of the year 2012 the number of people with functional difficulties in Sri Lanka are 1,617,924. By now, the number may have increased considerably. Sri Lanka being a developing country facing various economical constrains, the facilities and the opportunities extended to people with functional difficulties remain minimum.

In the above context, the “Malkalaue Dream School” is an initiative by the YMCA of Pamunugama in collaboration with YMCA/YWCA Scouts of Bronnoysund and Y Global in Norway to ensure the right to education for Specially Abled Students in Sri Lanka. At the initial stage, 15 students will be benefited and receive services during weekdays at this school which is scheduled to be launched in the month of November, 2018.

While assuring the right to education, integrating these specially abled students with the society also a major objective of this initiative. Activities such as culture, sports and scouting will play a major role among other classroom activities in the process of social integration. As things progresses, we look forward to mingle the students with the other children and youth who participate in other regular YMCA activities and events. We all look forward to the novel experience of working with these specially blessed children.

Children's Day celebrations at Pamunugama YMCA

Children's Club members had a camp on 06 and 07 October, 2018 to celebrate the Children's Day at the YMCA of Pamunuagama. 24 members of the Children's Club participated the camp and youth leaders of Pamunugama YMCA led the camp by conducting games and a talent show. Children also watched a filmed in the evening and slept over at the YMCA of Pamunugama. 

YMCA Pamunugama gives leadership to irradiate Illegal Drugs in the village

Social Response Committee of the YMCA of Pamunugama has taken steps to form a  group within the community to response to the uprising drug issue in the village. As the first step a group of leaders from the YMCA visited a selected group of villagers to invite for a meeting on 02 September, 2018. 

There was a great response to the invitation and a meeting was held on Sunday, 16 September, 2018 at the YMCA with the participation of 16 including both elders and youth who came forward to support the cause. As the next step, there will be an awareness building programme for the group who has already gathered to understand the real gravity of the issue with the support of authorities.

YMCA paints the sky - Kites Festival

More than 100 kites flu over the sky of Kepungoda beach at the "Be a Kite" Kite Festival organized by the Youth Club of the YMCA of Pamunugama. There was a huge response to this open event from the community in the villages around YMCA of Pamunugama by bringing kites to the event irrespective of the age. 

Theme of the event was "World without Plastic and Polythene for Children". Winners were awarded with cash prices and certificates under three different categories. Categories were Largest Kite, Creative Kite and the Best Message in line with the theme. 

As a side event, the "siththam paura" project to paint the longest painting also held during the kite festival. Janathakshan an NGO working with environmental programmes gave their fullest support by extending financial contribution to make the event a success. Officer Incharge of Dugalpitiya Police graced the event as the chief guest.