Bathigama School Project in Sri Lanka
Progress report #1

The Centre for Literacy transferred the first $1,000 of donations to the Bathigama school in late February, to purchase supplies and books for more than 300 students.

This project has generated enthusiasm and support locally and beyond. For example, Ms. Beverly Townsend, principal of Montreal’s Cedarcrest elementary school, contacted us to say that a group of her students, including some from Sri Lanka, had raised funds for Bathigama and would like to communicate with students at the school. We helped make that contact.

We have received the first progress report with pictures from Professor A.J. Weeramunde, the University of Colombo professor who has been coordinating the project in collaboration with The Centre. He describes what has been purchased with the $1000 and notes other donors who are contributing to the project.

Here are excerpts from his report:

Purchase of books:
With the initial $ 800 US yielding a total sum of Rs. 79,120, we purchased
a total of brand new books (432 in number) in the following categories:

Category	Number of books
Study guides (in Sinhalese) for grades 1-5	55
Readers (in Sinhalese) for grades 1-5	39
Readers (in English) for grades 1-12	73
Grammar books (in English) including 2 dictionaries and 2 glossaries	31
General readers (in Sinhalese) for grades 11 and 12	172
Study guides (in Sinhalese) for grades 11 and 12	62
Total	432

I have personally delivered the first consignment of books to Mr. Sumanasiri, the principal of the Bathigama school and addressed a meeting of students, teachers and parents about the importance of reading for a good education. To ensure that the books are indeed put to use, I suggest that we place two new graduates from the batch of volunteers to that school to interact with the students using the books and the readings based on them. This will entail a small subsistence to cover their travel and food while they work in a volunteer capacity.

I also got an email from Beverly Townsend, in Montreal, and she has asked me about opening up a channel of communication via email with a select number of students from Bathigama. I have looked into this and the principal has given his OK if we can provide him with a computer and email facility.

A German person who is operating a hotel in the vicinity of the school has agreed to provide funds for the purchase of the computer and email facility. There is no longer a need for uniforms and shoes as they have also been gifted by other sources.

Perhaps, we can also think of a Canadian volunteer to help volunteers from the University of Colombo sometime in the course of this project.

Professor A.J. Weeramunde, May 5, 2005

Before the end of May, The Centre will send another installment of more than $6,000 in donations. We will also be tracking the outcomes of the student exchanges between Cedarcrest and the Bathigama school.

The Centre thanks all donors for their generosity.

May 13, 2005