On the 9th April Foundation of Goodness staff members Fazana Ibrahim, Medicare Centre Sector Manager and Thushara Mendis, Sports Academy Manager, joined a group of 15 volunteers representing different organisations and faiths and the Ministry of Social Services to visit a camp for Internally Displaced People in the Vavuniya District of Northern Sri Lanka.

The Foundation of Goodness organised a collection of clothing, food and medicine from Seenigama villagers, staff and friends in Sri Lanka. It is with gratitude that we acknowledge and thank all those who gave so generously to ensure we had a lorry load of items to take to the camps. Here are the stories that Fazana and Thushara have to tell of their eventful time and their wishes for the future when this beautiful country is at peace.

Fazana writes....

There was so much excitement from the day I was informed that we were going North to distribute all goods that we collected for the refugees. I was constantly behind Kushil and Loku Sampath persuading them while convincing them to make it a reality for me. I informed all my friends, relatives and neighbours to hand in clothes, shoes, toys, stationery, food items and any kindness for this noble cause.

I was simply impatient for the 9th. I never felt that I should not go, although one of my dear colleagues sent me a SMS not to go if my heart says "NO". I only had to reply that it always said "YES".

We visited the "Manik Farm camp" with 6,000 refugees.

We started the programme with the welcome speeches, lighting of oil lamp, small stimulating clapping exercise for the kids. The whole programme was conducted in Sinhala and Tamil languages.

We were allowed to chit chat with any refugees while so many programmes were going on such as the Art Therapy programme conducted by the Education Department, distributing traditional sweet meats by the Cultural Ministry, Fun and Laughter conducted by the Rupavahini Media Unit, together with Children's fun personality " Upul Mama" and many traditional both Sinhala and Tamil cultural programmes, dances, songs, concerts by the refugee children with the help of teachers and the Cultural Ministry.



There were many kids and adults who has never seen a toffee or a chocolate. Some spoke a little bit of English and Sinhala while the majority spoke only Tamil.

Meals were vegetable and rice or bread. There were clean toilets and municipality needs to come visit twice morning and evening to clean the toilets. I witnessed many individual, small home gardens at the camp. I spoke to many from different age groups and gender on their stay at the camp. Their replies were, "We are safe and happy over here."

My highlight for the day was the Art Therapy Programme. We distributed crayons and drawing books for the Art Therapy programme and the drawings were shocking. The drawings included a picture with a pregnant mother screaming, pulling the daughter's hand, who is also screaming. Another, a broken house and a boy sleeping under the shade of a tree. There was another drawing which was completely coloured in black. I can only think what an extent of damage done by the war.

The kids were amazingly disciplined, when we distributed sweet meats, they took only one of each kind and refused when repeated the same kind. We had to tell them only once to get behind or any thing, it was done immediately. That too, I can only think the extent of LTTE ruthless, fearful administration on kids.

We were compelled to leave the camp with great reluctance at 3.05pm due to security reasons.
I left with the deep intention of returning to the camps in the near future with a better organized plan of work for the kids. I can only say that there's so much work at North and it is time we all head towards North.


Thushara writes....

I was so happy to go for the first time to the North. I have met some Tamil people in Colombo but wanted to meet these people in the North, they are the same as us, we are all the same and I am sad that any Sri Lankans are living like this in our country.
I left Seenigama at 6.30 the night before we left for Vavuniya district. I stayed at Fazana's house and had dinner with her family. We left Colombo at 1.45am and drove all night to reach the camp. We arrived at Anuradapura at 7.30am for breakfast. We were travelling with other volunteers and the Ministry of Social Services, with security.

I talked to the policeman in the bus about the small bunkers lining the road, like small cottages with a tent roof and sandbags. I was amazed that two guys would live here for months on end, and that it was like this as far as the eye could see, small bunkers dotting the landscape. I thought that their duty was really very good work for the country, their job is very good and I thought at that time I might also like one of my sons to join the army.

We arrived at the camp and I wanted to give more of what I have to help these people. I saw one child and thought about my daughter Vihingi, she was the same age. It made me realise how much we really have in Seenigama, with our friends around the world. I would like all the Foundation of Goodness staff to go and work there and provide medicine and classes.
I prayed to God that for the future or in my next birth for me not to see this same problem. Everyone should be friendly and like one family, I wish everyone will have a good future. We need to think about how we are living and how we want our future to be. I hope that people who read this will think about what they can do to help.

Kushil said that “recalling the many Tsunami refugee camps and the hardships the people had to go through, we could not hold back our compassion to assist our fellow Sri Lankans in the Northern provinces, being internally displaced. As such, with our friends and supporters also approaching us to alleviate their miseries in whatever way we can, a truck load of essential items were put together which we were able to dispatch in the same convoy arranged by the Ministry of Social Services as a first step towards peace building and a pathway to reconciliation. It is pertinent to mention that both Fazana and Thushara showed exemplary character and courage by joining the group to deliver the supplies and meet the beneficiaries. I like to thank all those friends and supporters who contributed most generously for the worthy cause that it is and may they be abundantly blessed.
What a visit it was for them and that has most certainly inspired all of us at the Foundation of Goodness to keep doing more for this region, taking the lessons we have learnt from our model in the South to enrich the lives of children and youth for greater prospects to excel.”

A key supporter of the Foundation of Goodness, Mozelle Morrison, from Melbourne Australia, after hearing about the journey to the camp, wrote a personal message of thanks to Fazana saying:

"I was touched to read about your visit to the refugee camps up north.  What you and Thushara did was both brave and selfless.  I am sure you found the experience to be most rewarding and it reminds us all how lucky we are and how much more we can give to others. Well done, indeed."

2009.04.27