Song Meditation at YMCA

YMCA believes in the holistic development of young people. That is why the YMCA focuses on body, mind and spirit in all its activities. On 16 October 2016 YMCA organized a song meditation at the YMCA of Pamunugama. Mr. Quintus Colambage facilitated the event. Mr. Quintus is a journalist and done his Master Degree in Mass Communication. During the two hour song meditation, 10 selected songs were played and the stories behind those songs were explained and reflected Mr. Colambage. 

Today, the Sri Lankan music industry is going through a poor era where the songs are produced in bulk, keeping profit making as the sole objective. Time to time media creates trends and those trends do not carry any meaning for the lives of young people and destroy the ability of feeling and listening to creative music. There is a common belief that the once who listen to good music becomes sensitive humans. Keeping that in mind, YMCA organized this event to influence young people to listen to good music. YMCA of Pamunugama thank Mr. Quintus Colambage for his volunteer contribution to facilitate this wonderful event and making a window opened for young people to rethink on their musical choices.

Mr. Quintus Colambage

Pre-School Vegetable Fare

Pre-school kids had their annual vegetable fare by the Ja-ela – Negombo road on 09 October 2016. This is an annual event of the Pre-School for children to experience the atmosphere of a fare while raising some funds for their year-end concert. Event was organized by the teachers with the support of the parents who took part in the event actively.   

Reading Camp for the students of St. Joseph’s School in Peralanda

Mr. Nonis facilitating the event

YMCA of Pamunugama conducted a reading camp for 140 students of Peralanda St. Joseph’s Junior Secondary School in Peralanda on 07 October, 2016. Event was organized by the school to mark the reading month which fall in October. During the day students were encourage develop a habit of reading through number of activities and dialogues. Mr. Aruna Nonis was the facilitator of the event.

Following the reading camp a campfire was held and students performed number of acts including dancing, singing and dramas. All the students who took part in the reading camp were awarded a certificate for participation. YMCA of Pamunugama thank Ms Rasika Thisera for inviting YMCA to conduct this event. Ms Rasika Thisera is a teacher of the school and a past president of Pamunugama YMCA.

Dedicated teacher - Rasika Thisera

Happy ending to the programme with a campfire

YMCA go to road with people to say no to destructive Financial City

People's Movement Agaisnt Port City organized number of protests simultaneously against the proposed financial city along the coastal belt in the western province from Colombo to Negombo. YMCA also a partner of the movement and the protest in Pamunugama area was held in Seththappaduwa today from 10 am to 12 noon with a participation of over 500 people.

YMCA did a role of mobilizing fisher-folk in the area by raising awareness by conducting a series of awareness building programmes during last few months. Proposed project is set to start work as the new government given the green light to the Chinese company that is going to build a city in the sea. Before coming in the power the current prime minister opposed the project when he was the leader of the opposition saying that this project is a disaster to the country. Pamunugama area is going to effect directly as the sand mining for filling the sea is planned to do in the sea close to the Pamunugama area.

People protested by showing placards, banners and slogans opposing the Chinese company, politicians who support the project and the and short sighted economic policies.

37 Prefects learn leadership with YMCA

YMCA of Pamunugama organized a prefects for the schol prefects in the area. 37 prefects from 4 schools (Peralanda Vidyalaya, Pitipana Vidyalaya, Thalahena Vidyalaya and Kepungoda Vidyalaya) participated the training programme which held on 24 October, 2016 at the Pamunugama YMCA Main Hall. YMCA organize several similar training programmes annually and this was the first one for the year 2016.

Mr. Aruna Shantha, who is a Leadership Trainer and experienced YMCA leader facilitated the event. YMCA thank all the principals of participated schools and teachers who attended the event along with prefects. 

Mr. Shelton President Pamunugama YMCA welcoming the participants

Mr. Nonis facilitating an activity

Learning from each-other through activities

Students practicing their skills

Photo Credit: Isuru Nonis

Pamunugama GS attended the "Ocean in a Drop" Training for Professional youth Workers

Professional Youth Workers Association (PYWA) of Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Youth Section of Commonwealth Secretariat in London organized a one week training of Trainees (TOT) for a selected group of professional youth workers in Sri Lanka. Event was organized to enhance the professionalism of the youth work sector in Sri Lanka in both government agencies and NGOs.

22 professional youth workers attended the training from 11 - 17 September held in Kithulkanda Mountain Resort in Padukka. Ridma Fonseka, General Secretary of the YMCA of Pamunugama also was among participants of the event.

Couple of resource persons from Pravah and Commutiny in India facilitated the event. During the programme a modules prepared as a guideline for youth work was covered. YMCA of Pamunugama thank PYWA for the opportunity given to Ridma Fonseka to take-part in the event.