North Bound

Post war Sri Lanka has numerous challenges and opportunities. How we as a country will respond in the next ten years will determine how Sri Lanka shapes as a nation for generations to come. State, civil society and organizations such as ourselves will play a key role in the creation of a renewed, inclusive and united Sri Lankan identity, development and the prosperity of all people in this our emerald isle.

We as an organization are very much an indigenous movement, our roots are from southern Sri Lanka, but our commitment to serving humanity and eradicating poverty is not limited to one region, ethnic or religious group. We are committed to serve Sri Lanka. This in its essence is vital for a new Sri Lankan identity. We are committed to serve our fellow brothers and sisters from across the nation. We are one and need to prosper and rise as one people. The communities from the war zone suffered greatly during the brutal civil war. For many years we helplessly heard of their pain and sorrow. There was no way we could respond. However, times have changed and opportunities have risen. With the end of the civil war and the presentation of property by H.E President Rajapakse to our trustee cricket legend, Muttiah Muralidaran… we are now well poised to serve this community to the best of our ability.

As the journey to create the North, learning and empowerment institute takes shape; we are working on building relationships with the community on the ground. It is key that we respond to their most desperate and immediate needs during this transitional period between IDP camps and resettlement villages. The very first area we identified was the need to help students get back to school. Education is viewed as sacred. Hence providing students who are looking to head back to school with the entire essential is a step in the right direction. After talking to school Principals and military leadership in the region we were able to identify some of the most desperate communities and provide over 500 essential schools pack to students from the Mullaitivu district. Students from six schools in Mankulam and Vidyananda College benefited form this project. The students gathered and waited in patience and excitement as the brand new school equipment was given to each one of them. The pack was comprehensive and provided all the items a student needed to be back in school. Each pack included eight exercise books, pens, pencils, mathematical instrument box, CR books, water colours, colour pencils, marker pens, erasers, fabrics for school uniforms, shoes and school back pack. Each pack cost Rs.3000 /=. This was all made possible by our gracious donors and highly committed staff who worked tirelessly to purchase, pack, transport and deliver these items to the students. We as staff thoroughly enjoyed working with the students and their teachers. Our limited Tamil increased by every moment of interaction. Their suspicion and fear of us southern clearly diminished and was replaced by friendship and the beginning of a new chapter in both their lives and ours. For decades hatred kept us apart. Now we were catching up lost time, all in the name of reconciliation and the prosperity of all people in Sri Lanka.

Following the distribution of the essential school supplies the next pressing need that was bought to our attention was the need of bicycles for transportation. The region is still far from having consistent and active means of public transportation. Many walk for miles to schools, work and for numerous needs. Development is still in its initial stages. However, in the interim we need to respond. Once again with the help of community leaders and military serving in the region were able to help identify families who were in desperate need for a mode of transportation. We were able to provide 100 cycles to villagers from Akkarayankulam , Ambalangar and Aiyankankulam areas. The supply of push bicycles for the displaced families including young widowed women in the North, which appears to be the top most priority as they begin to rebuild their lives. One community leader mentioned " This has to be the most useful and precious gift they have received in a long time, this will truly be a huge blessing to their lives" In addition we were also able to provide 33 orphans from the Good Shepherd Convent in Mankulam with shoes for the new year. The joy in their faces and the gratitude has been richly rewarding. We will continue to work tirelessly to serve this community until they are able to stand on their own feet. In the process our hope is poverty will diminish along with the tension of ethnic divisions that plagued this nation for far too long.

THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.
Og Mandino

2011.03.08