The Tamil/ Sinhala New Year was welcomed in with fun and games by Lahiru Pre-School children on 3rd April 2009, bringing smiles and laughter to the Aviva Village Tsunami housing complex as the Seenigama community gathered together to celebrate in traditional style.

The Pre-School was established in the grounds of Foundation of Goodness founder Kushil Gunasekera's villa in Seenigama, after the Tsunami swept through the village destroying all in its wake. The Pre-school is provided free of charge for 69 children from Seenigama and surrounding villages. Consisting of two classes, 3-4 and 4-5yr olds, and run by a committed team of teachers, the sounds of laughter and learning ring out across the MCC Centre of Excellence every weekday morning. Education is given in English and Sinhala medium, and aims to provide a strong foundation in values of goodness and compassion as well as a more formal curriculum to prepare children for entrance into the school system.

Traditional games were enjoyed by children, parents and staff, including Drawing the Tail on the Elephant, Breaking the Pot and Musical Chairs.

A welcome was given by children from the Pre-School children, and mothers joined in too, helping run the games such as Sack Race, and also taking part themselves in Pass the Hat and other games to much hilarity.

Prior to this day of games, the children were taught the traditional customs and values followed by Sri Lankans during this festive period, including lighting of the oil lamp, boiling of milk and eating the first meal of milk rice at auspicious times, the exchange of gifts representing prosperity of the coming year and anointing with oil on the heads of villagers, bathing and reporting to work at auspicious times.

Dr Desai, volunteer and UK representative of the Foundation of Goodness is using his expertise in education development to revitalise the Pre School curriculum to focus on “an education which is both personally empowering and a personal vehicle for peace, happiness and universal social upliftment.”

Kushil Gunasekera says “The future of the community and country is in the hands of our children and so it is essential to provide not only the facilities and formal education to help them to excel, but also to give a solid grounding in traditions that are part of the country's culture and to instil values that will contribute to lasting peace and compassion for the betterment of humanity, within the context of the nurturing village environment.”

“It takes a village to raise a child.”
- African Proverb

2009.05.04