Young Hope Newsletter No 8. May 2011
The Young Hope project is now in it’s sixth year. We would like to thank all who have supported this project & continue to support it in order to give hope to the lives of these children.
Our vision at the start of the project was not just to feed & educate these children but to be able to give them hope for a future by them being able to earn a livelihood & support their families. Learning that many of the senior students have been accepted on an apprentice courses with the hope of finding a future career, will hopefully see the vision come true in their lives. As we dream big dreams we have to always remember that if this project has made a difference in the lives of just one or two, then indeed it has been worthwhile. We know from Sister Arul’s latest report that over 750 children have been helped through this project thus far. To us that is a huge achievement & we hope that you too are encouraged by the part you have played in making it a reality. We have seen with our own eyes the growth & development of these children.
Sister’s report continues to inform us that around 30 students have sat their GCSE’s this year & 4 students have applied for University entry. Ten grade 5 students have also won scholarships. Sister says that this is partly due to the better health that is being enjoyed by them which is also helping their mental capacity. Every Saturday as the children arrive for extra classes they are given a nutritious breakfast & at special times of the year we are able to provide a main meal for them all. Unfortunately we have not had funds to feed them all more often.
Some of our older students donning their finery. Some of them will be joining apprentice schemes & going on to work placements. We are so proud of them all to have got this far under almost impossible conditions.
Most of the children continue to live with extended families having lost their own parents. Around 40 of them have been taken in by Sister to live above the school room in a large dormitory with bunk beds. Sister has a small screened cubicle area of this dorm for her as her own bedroom. She keeps a close eye on all the children & picks out the ones she feels are at risk of abuse & brings them to live within the convent compounds. It costs us much more to support these children as all their daily needs have to be met by us. However they are privileged by receiving daily food, being able to obtain daily extra tuition, live in an atmosphere of love, & even enjoy a picnic. For many of those living with extended family, life is full of challenges & hardships that we cannot even begin to imagine.
As the 25 year war is now over displaced people have returned to claim their previous homes. This has brought a new influx of children into the area who have had little or no education. In order to attend a local state school in Sri-Lanka a small amount of school fees needs to be paid, the school uniform needs to be worn, including the required colour shoes & socks. All school stationery has to be provided by the pupil. In many cases going to school will involve the additional cost of a bus fare Therefore sending a child to even a state school has becomes far too expensive for many of the families the Young Hope project supports. Currently Sister is busy trying to provide these new children with the means to attend a local school & also to provide them with the much needed after school education.
Something such as a visit to a dentist to have all the children’s teeth checked out is so vastly costly that it has only taken place once in the 6 years as a dentist volunteered his services. Our children are provided with some tooth paste, a toothbrush as well as a bar of soap.
A few of the more fortunate ones able to go on a trip to visit a local zoo. Such a rare treat for them, but all part of education we take for granted.
Sister Arul has worked hard to ensure that these children have a well rounded education. Some have had music & dancing lessons, others have received computer studies. She has encouraged their leadership qualities by allowing them to lead prayer groups, bible studies, & at all times share their opinions. They have been encouraged to be responsible for the younger ones, & carry out their roles as group monitors. We were amazed at the order & desire for knowledge among even the little ones. When over 400 children come together there is a buzz with all of them working in the one room but at different levels. They do not have enough desks to go round but the younger ones do not fuss at having to sit on a floor & get on with their studies.
Part of the floor area shown in the photo was actually laid by a team we took out about 4 years ago. There is always work for any visiting team to do.
If you can help with the much needed fundraising please do get in touch with us. We are always grateful as we know that we are not able to keep this project going without your support. THANKYOU!
