YMCA hosted a Sunday School Prefects Training

Responding to a special invitation made by the Parish Priest of Thalahena, Mr. Aruna Santha Nonis conducted a Leadership Training Programme for a 20 member group of Prefects of the Thalahena Sunday School (Daham Pasala). Programme was held at the YMCA of Pamunugama on Wednesday 7th March, 2012 at the Main Hall of the YMCA.


Programme included number of activities and discussion which addressed the different aspects of leadership. Three teachers of the Sunday School also joined the programme accompanying the prefects.

Friends from Asker Soon in Sri Lanka

Rolf and the Group from the first visit

Group of YMCA YWCA Scouts from Asker in Norway will visit the YMCA Pamunugama and Sri Lanka from 2nd April - 9th April, 2012. Asker YMCA YWCA Scout group is a close friend of the YMCA Pamunugama since 2005. They have visited Pamunugama YMCA in 3 occasions and this will be the forth.


As in the previous occasion, the group will be led by Rolf Falchenberg, the leader of Asker Scouts group. There will be 11 scouts including 2 girls. One of them will be Liv Helena, the sister of our two good friends, Jon Viggo and Haakon from previous visits. Our current general Secretary Ridma was well taken care of by Jon Viggo and his family and Rolf when he was sick before his return back to Sri Lanka last year.


During their stay Asker scouts will spend time with Pamunugama YMCA scouts, guides and other members. They will also visit the Asian and Pacific Scout Region Jamboree in Dambulls and the Vilpattu National Park.  

Kids on tour

Members of the Children's Club, Scouts and guides of the YMCA of Pamunugama and its Wattala programme center went on an educational trip to Kandy on 11 February, 2012. There were altogether 49 children accompanied by 6 leaders for the trip. 


Group visited, Tea Musium, Dalada Maligawa, War Cemetery and Gannoruwa Agricultural Center during their trip. Meanwhile children enjoyed the tour with singing and dancing on the way and return as well. As a follow-up of the trip the children's club members were given a questioner to answer and they were asked to make a map of the tour as an assignment on the children's Club.

Training for Prefect

YMCA of Pamunugama organized a one-day Leadership Programme for 50 prefects of the Pitipana Maha Vidyalaya on 25^th February, 2012 at the YMCA Main Hall. Programme was organized on a special request made by the principal and the staff of the school.

Different aspects of leadership were covered during the day with a special focus on the role of a school prefect. Mr. Aruna Santha Nonis led the morning session on identifying the role of prefect while the youth leaders of the YMCA of Pamunugama conducted few activities to practically experience the leadership qualities required to lead a team for a common goal.

After the Lunch Ms. Sriyani Munasinghe (Programme Coordinator of the National Christian Council of Sri Lanka) led a session on Sexually Transmitted Diseases with a special focus on HIV Aids. Prefects speaking at the end of the programme mentioned that this was the first training for most of the prefects and the knowledge they gained will be helpful for their leadership career.  

Oslo ICYs in Sri Lanka

With Farmers

Three Internationally Committed Youth (ICY) delegates (Ola, Angela and Kristoffer) from Oslo ICY group visit to Sri Lanka from 29 December, 2011 to 14 January, 2012. This visit is a result of the ongoing Exchange Programme between ICY Pamunugama and ICY Oslo groups. 
During the visit three delegates visited the service Centers of Pamunugama YMCA in Gomarankadawela and Ottichchakulama. During their visit they learnt how the economic and environmental justice issues have effected the poor farmers in Sri Lanka. Visitors spent a night in a small house belong to a farmer in a village bordered to the jungle getting the experience of real life situation of farmers in Sri Lanka.

Meeting at Matara YMCA

Then the ICY delegates visited YMCA of Matara to have an ICY promotion meeting. During their visit they explained the objective and activities of the ICY programme. Angela and Christopher gave details about a programme they participated in Africa. It was called  “Caravan” which took around 150 youth from African countries, USA, UK and Norway from Kenya to south Africa educating masses on the effects of climate changes. On their way they collected about 2000 petitions from people of different countries and organised concerts in passing down the message of effects of climatic changes.

Final event of the visit was a brainstorming meeting at National Council of YMCAs Sri Lanka office on climate. Number of ideas on climate justice and possible interventions were discussed at that meeting as both ICY groups are going to focus on Climate Justice activities during the new year.  

Christmas Gathering of Children

Children live in the vicinity of the YMCA gathered at the YMCA to celebrate Christmas on 21 December, 2011. Children enjoyed the evening by singing and playing while a group of children lighten the meeting with few carols.
YMCA of Pamunugama organized stationery gifts for those who were presented and there were 40 kids attended the Christmas celebration. All those who were presented were invited to join the Children's Club from the new year.