Kalmuani and Akkaraipattu Area, Ampara District. 

I arrived here on the east coast after a few days relaxing between projects; the most striking thing that I noticed from differing from the south was the landscape, which is just flat and very productive for rice growing.  

Thevan who was to be my guide, advisor and translator for the next month or so met me and I was immediately introduced to the family which included a 21 year old girl who is working for Solidarites the French NGO, and spoke very good English which would make communications much easier.

The next morning Thevan, Saliney and I went to Kalmuani and visited three schools which all needed different items, whether it be just some building blocks or pipes for a supply of water, the needs were varied.

This meant that we could sit down and see which were most important and see how much money we could use for each separate item.

This was in complete contrast to the task in the south where it was stipulated that I had to purchase library books and associated items, so two very different tasks.  

Once I had seen all the schools that Thevan had decided needed help and assistance in many different ways it was up to us as to how to help them, in the best way possible, this meant ultimately going to Colombo to purchase school items at a lower price than here in the east.  

Some of the schools that we saw were no more than a 3ft breeze block high wall, with a concrete floor, mesh for ventilation, security and light and a tin roof, this meant that there was nowhere to store anything at all, therefore it was decided on our return from Colombo that we would purchase 5 metal storage cupboards.

We had a lot more money to spend here in the east so it was a much easier task knowing that whatever we purchased would be used in one school or another.

There was also another stipulation which meant that playground equipment had to be provided for as many schools as possible and we decided that rather than providing a swing here and a sew-saw there, it would be easier to provide one school with the complete set of 4, swing, slide, sew–saw and climbing pyramid, this school was Valarmathy, this was significant as it was the school hat Len Walker help build etc, and some of the money that was left over from the Colombo trip is going to provide a toilet for this school.  
 
 
 
 

As I have just said we went to Colombo to purchase 90% of the items on the following list: 

• Uniform material for 22 pupils
• X 1 desk for teacher     
• Markers red, blue and black    
• X 2 register books
• X 5 packs A4 plain paper
• Teacher's pens x 3 of each red, blue and black.
• Story books 
• Picture books
• Library books
• X 10 packs of colouring pens   
• X 25 school bags  
• Total expenditure including rental of van and driver for 3 days
  • RS 73,000 GBP 350.00 

On our return we had a day or two shopping here in Akkaraipattu and Kalmuani, the following items were purchased:

• X 120 A5 Lined books
• X 120 A5 blank books
• X 2 water filters
• X 56 plastic chairs
• X 2 teachers' chairs
• X 10 low plastic tables
• X 170 metal hooks
• X 60 Nails
• Planks of wood for hanging school bags
• Toys
• Posters
• X 5 metal storage cupboards
• X 1 sheet of hardboard
• Total expenditure excluding local travel expenses  
  • RS 92,036 GBP 435.00

All of the above items were looked at in Colombo but were remembered or sought to be cheaper here in Akkaraipattu, which is strange as most of the items come form Colombo anyway and you would have though that transport costs would have increased the prices.  

We also provided for the 5 schools x 4 pieces of 5ft wood with hooks and nails to provide hanging space for school bags. Additionally we purchased x 5 6ft high metal storage cupboards.  

The monetary side of this is just amazing, all of the items that I have just mentioned above plus all transport costs (RS 30,000 for 1 minibus for three days to-in and from Colombo) will come to around RS 280,000 GBP 1,300 so very little in GBP can go a very long way here in Sri Lanka.    

Below is a table, which describes the different schools that I chose for the items listed above and more specifically their needs at the start of my time here in the east. Most of these items have been provided, as you saw in the Shopping list from Colombo, Kalmuani and Akkaraipattu.  

The next stage with these schools is to give the remaining storage cupboards and water filters, which will be done within the next month. Thereafter the items that need to be given are outdoor playground equipments such as swings, slides; sew saws and climbing pyramids. The costs for which are as follows but these prices are as of July 2007 and with the current situation prices could go up or down depending upon when it is decided to provide the different items:  

Slide    RS 26,500  GBP 125.00  $ ?

Swing    RS 18,500  GBP 90.00  $ ?

Climbing Pyramid  RS 28,500  GBP 135.00  $ ?

Sew Saw   RS 18,500  GBP 90.00  $ ?

Delivery    RS 3,000  GBP 15.00  $ ? 
 
 
 
 
 

The Udayham School, which is in the table on the previous page in Italics, was chosen at the start of my tour of the schools along with the other four.

But during my first week I was also taken around 7 Women's Development Centre Schools by Mrs Jaya to see if I could provide some items for them. That was when we came across Alayadivambu Pre-School here in Akkaraipattu, which was built 6 months ago; it is just a 3ft high breezeblock high wall, concrete floor and tin sides and roof. When we walked in the 25 children were just sitting on sacks, there were no chairs, no tables, no teachers equipment etc, therefore I decided the money/equipment that I would have spent/given to Udayham school their items would be spent here.

Another reason why this decision was reached was the school that I chose were managed/looked after by an organization called PPDS Peoples Progressive Development Society, whose mission is 'To improve economical conditions of under-privileged communities mobilising men, women, youth and children, creating awareness among such families and utilizing all available resources,' in the Ampara District. Udayham School is less than 100 meters from the office of PPDS and therefore it would be very easy for them to ask for more items, where as the other four are 23kms away in Kalmuani.

So in conclusion my time here in the east has been much easier than my time in the south. This was because in the south I had no plan or blueprint to go on with my first visits to the different schools, in terms of asking the correct questions, how to eventually provide the equipment etc.

All of that knowledge made my task here in the east much easier, also here in the east I was not asked to provide the schools with the same items, I could pick and choose what I provided for which school. In the south I was asked to specifically provide library books to the schools as well as creating a central library for the teachers and parents.  
 

                                             George Bryers 24/11/83 

              Volunteer in South & East Sri Lanka 23/5/07 – 31/7/07