In all cases, Help
Lanka will work with reliable organisations and contacts based
in Sri Lanka who are best suited to judge the ongoing requirements
on the ground. Help Lanka is a nondenominational channel for
the many people who want to help support the long term development
of the country.
Help Us, Help Them, Help Lanka.
Current
Projects:
SERVE
- SERVE is a Registered, Sri Lankan, National Non Governmental
/ Non Profit, Voluntary, Service Organization.
- SERVE stands for Socio-economical, Ecological, Religious,
Virtuous Empowerment.
- SERVE was established in February 1999 under the Act, No.31
of 1980, as amended by Act, No.8 of 1998, by a group of experienced
professionals to work for and with the needy, especially children.
- SERVE work with people, especially children, without discrimination
of Gender, Race, Caste, Social Level, Religion or Political
Differences with Commitment, and we want to plan and implement
programmes for the empowerment of people, especially children,
in partnership with local and foreign genuine individuals,
private sector, government and non-government organizations
Individual Aid Grants
Help Lanka is committed to helping all children affected by
the tsunami. Funds collected have been used to purchase milk
powder for babies, feeding bottles and other items required
for families who may have lost one or both parents, and are
struggling to cope. Helping these families who may not ordinarily
qualify for aid through the larger relief organisations is
key to getting as many children back to some kind of normality.
Reconstruction and Re-furnishing of St. Mary’s Convent,
Matara.
The Tsunami struck the entire coastal belt of Sri Lanka on
26th December 2004. A total number of 20 schools have been
completely destroyed in 13 districts. About 90 schools have
been partially destroyed and need immediate attention for
education activities to begin. Matara coastland was greatly
affected by the Tidal Waves. As our School – St Mary’s
Convent is situated close to the coast it was also partially
damaged. Three times the tidal Waves dashed into the Convent
and School. The second Tidal Wave brought in with it a bus,
lorry, a boat, a car, and other vehicles that dashed into
the ground floors of the school and convent building damaging
walls, doors and windows and all boundary walls. The ground
floor of the three school buildings which include the Principal’s
Office, General Office, Library, the Physics Laboratory, Music
Room, Montessori section and several other class rooms have
lost every thing that were in them. The doors and windows
were damaged and the waves took off the desks, chairs, cupboards,
books, pianos, computers apparatus ect. The principal’s
office is absolutely bare. This is the same of the Sisters
Quarters. One bus had dashed into the kitchen and toilets
damaging the walls and the tidal waves carried every thing
as they retreated.
The community consisted of 10 Sisters. Eight had left that
very morning for their home visit. The other two were carried
off by the waves. People were able to rescue one Sister, and
she was hospitalised, the other was found dead. The others
who lost their lives were two staff members and their parents,
twenty parishioners including past pupils. We have not received
the number of our students who died. When we re-open school
we will be able to get the full statistics. From the reports
we received we hear that many of our students have died.
Damages:
- Collapsing of the Protective Front Wall of the School and
the Convent.
- Collapsing of the Administrive Block of the Primary School.
The following were washed away….
- Library furniture with 12,000 books.
- Physics Lab, Apparatus worth Rs. 1.5 million.
- All the doors and windows of the ground floor of the two
buildings.
- Aesthetic instruments ( Western & Eastern Bands )
- Computers & Pianos.
- Electricity System
- All furniture of ground floors (desks, chairs, cupboards,
tables etc. )
Assistance
is Needed for:
- Re-building the damaged walls.
- Replacement of doors and windows.
- Furnishing of class Rooms with Desks, Chairs, Teachers’
Tables and Class Room Cupboards.
- Library Cupboards and nearly 12,000 Library Books.
- Science Laboratory needing Apparatus and Chemicals.
- Music Room to be replaced with the lost 10 Pianos and Band
Instruments both Western and Oriental.
- Computer Lab, furniture comprising 12 long tables, 12 chairs
and 12 Computer.
- Boundary walls around the school to be re-constructed.
- Re-wiring of Electricity Cables.
- Repair of Drainage System .
- Repair of Sound System .
About
St Mary’s
The Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary
is a missionary Congregation and has worked in Sri Lanka since
the 24th November 1896. Its first mission station was in Galle
and then in 1908 Matara Convent was inaugurated. At present
the Sisters are working in most of the districts of Sri Lanka.
Our mission is to reveal that God is Love. We therefore respond
to the needs of those to whom we are sent meeting them at
the level of their deepest aspirations and helping them, to
discover their dignity as human persons and Children of God.
We are directed especially to the care of the poor, the sick
and the afflicted and to the instruction and education of
children, young people and adults.
Our ministries consist in teaching in Government and Private
Schools in taking care of the mentally handicapped in residential
homes, in taking care of orphans and destitute girls, of students
in Hostels and of the Elderly in Homes and Day Care Centres.
The Sisters are also engaged in Parish apostolate and Social
Work. In a word we are involved in all types of Charitable
works, according to the Spirit of St. Vincent de Paul.
New netball kits for St Marys Convent School Matara Sri Lanka
provided by donations from twin school St Philomena's RC High
School for Girls Carshalton Surrey. The money part of the
£18,000 raised for Tsunami victims came from the girls
themselves from an organised Mufti day , sponsored walk and
cake sales. Photographs >> |
