I arrived in Seenigama on the 27th June 2008, and was immediately struck by the amount of activity going on at the MCC Centre of Excellence. I had travelled down from Colombo in the volunteer van with Kushil, Dilhani and Fazana, on a journey down the Galle Road that was to become so familiar as the weeks and months went by.
On my first day I was lucky enough to catch a small perahera, which was a great introduction to the sights and sounds of this colourful, chaotic and friendly country. In the crowds I was greeted with smiles from the mothers, and one kind lady shared her umbrella with me as the sun beat down.
In my first few weeks I settled into village life, acquiring a bike from Girly, getting to grips with the nightmare that is Hikkaduwa Sunday Market, learning to eat with my fingers, cope with the chilli and master my first few Sinhala phrases. Work wise, it took me a little while to find my feet. All the sectors seemed so well organised, with little room for improvement and little need for volunteer support. With the rebuilding and clearing work completed, the Foundation of Goodness, it soon became clear, was in a transition stage-from disaster response, to community development, with facilities established to help build skills and to empower villagers.
I soon discovered there was much I could help the Foundation with, including developing the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation project proposal which became central to my work throughout the year. Working with Seenigama Sports staff, we developed a comprehensive project for enhancing the current sports delivery in the area and building on the life-skills elements of the work to ensure that all young sports players have the capability and knowledge they need for their own health and for the development of their community.
The pressure for additional funding grew as the year wore on, with many of the donors who had contributed so much to rebuild the village moving into other disaster response projects, leaving the Foundation of Goodness with a need to secure new long-term sustainable donors who would support the innovative work being done in the Seenigama region. It was my great privilege to work with Kushil to communicate the aims and achievements of the Foundation to prestigious donors and supporters from all over the world, in a bid to bridge the funding gaps for the sectors.
I must say that I have never know a place like the MCC Centre of Excellence. While on some days it can seem sleepy and calm, always behind the scenes staff are busy organising their work, developing their sectors, writing reports and coordinating activities that benefit well over 20,000 people a year. And on the busy days there is so much activity that it is impossible to keep up. Visitors and trainers mingle with villagers, and after hearing Kushil deliver his tour a couple of times I was pleased to be able to relieve him of this duty and explain to the many visitors all about the tsunami, the stages of development of the work in the village, and introduce them to the many sectors housed in this amazing facility.
Photo: 18
Special visitors that spring to mind include the stream of cricketers and TV crews covering the sporting elements of the work. Donors including IYF, Planet Wheeler Foundation, Aviva, Surrey County Cricket Club and MCC were a pleasure to meet, as were staff groups from HSBC, KPMG, UN Retired Staff and many more. And of course, Celebrity Chef Anthony Boudain, who's programme covering the Foundation of Goodness helped to raise the profile of the work being done in the US, bringing new supporters and volunteers when they are most needed.
While work continued to become more and more demanding, the volunteers that came through the village helped me to keep my feet on the ground and clarify so much of the culture shock and confusion that comes with busy days spent in a small traditional Sri Lankan village. Dr Sean was the first volunteer of many, and each and every one of them holds a special place in my memory of Seenigama. Catherine and Daniel from Canada, Nalika and Mozelle, medical student Kathryn, Jillian and Malcolm, physio student Shehan, Dr Dezie, Nick and Dave. In fact there have been too many to mention, but these people named above have left a particular impression on me and I hope we will always remain friends.
While developing fundraising proposals and reporting to donors and coordinating volunteers, organising the website, overseeing the Laureus Sport for Life project, assisting with the management of the Seenigama Sports Academy and Udumulla Village Heartbeat project and generally providing assistance wherever possible, the most important achievements, as far I see it, are the small things. Speaking to the Seenigama staff everyday, seeing how their English improves and their confidence grows. Working with sector coordinators to come up with small ideas for improvement, writing web stories that put people's photographs on the home page of the Foundation of Goodness website.
Throughout my year in the village I have made many friends. I have been lucky enough to have lived both in Seenigama and in Colombo, and so I am glad to have made friends in both places- in both worlds. I believe it is impossible to understand Sri Lanka without knowing the rural way of life and the urban. And I am grateful to Kushil for making it possible for me to experience both.
I would like to thank everyone who made this year in Sri Lanka such a pleasure. Kushil for his generosity and kindness, his inspirational leadership and determination to carry on despite all the obstacles. Sampath Viraj for his support in Seenigama and his commitment to the village. Thushara and all the sports staff, who introduced me to the world of sports development and have shown me how much sport can do to change the world, one child at a time, one training session at a time. Niluka and the Village Heartbeat Staff, who work tirelessly to ensure that their classes are the best quality for the children of Udumulla and surrounding villages. And everybody else, of course!
Kushil comments:
I cannot help but comment on the amazing work Quen has performed over the last year firstly giving up her work at the Bristol City Council in Birmingham to engage in community aid work which is not only exceptional, rare but hugely noble.
As the saying goes serving humanity is the best work of life and I guess at this very crucial part of her life she decided to make this happen without waiting for the right time ahead being very wise.
The manner in which she quickly grasped our holistic approach enabled us to fast track our endeavours into another level of elevating standards not only for the beneficiaries but our own operations by way of her development management expertise.
She was extremely kind, thoughtful, generous, obliging and performed her duties in accordance with discipline and high standards raising the bar and setting a benchmark in everything she initiated for the betterment of the Foundation of Goodness.
I would like to pay a major tribute for the unique work she was able to undertake in almost every sector which took the burden off me in particular with the focus on campaigning for sustainability funding in ensuring the continuity of the one of a kind rural community model we were able to create with the waves of compassion.
I wish her the very best in all her future engagements and have no doubt that with the vast meritorious wholesome actions accrued she obviously will be blessed with a bright future full of joy contentment and prosperity.
As most volunteers have done remarkable work in numerous ways they can always enjoy it the second time or more when they reflect on how each ones’ contribution made a positive difference for the better in the rural communities because they cared deep within their hearts.
”The beauty of life does not depend on how happy we are but how happy others are because of us”
2009.06.29 |
