Project 1 - Early Learning Centre, Sri Lanka
Info
Weligama is a town on the south coast of Sri Lanka in the Southern Province where the main income for its population is tourism and fishing. The area was significantly affected by the tsunami in 2004 with almost 500 deaths and 2,200 houses damaged or washed away.
In Sri Lanka, education is free for children from five years old but the expense of uniforms, books, materials, shoes and transport to and from school can mean that many children do not attend regularly and if they do, they are sometimes taken out of formal education at an early age to help their families make a living.
In 2019 we started to work with a small community to establish a pre-school which we were only able to do with the dedication and support of a husband and wife team, Kumara and Shashika. With their help, we were able to assist the community with practical support during the pandemic and six years on we have a pre-school registered and recognised by the Sri Lankan Department of Education, following the formal curriculum for pre-school age children. The community values the free pre-school places their three to five year olds have access to and support with great enthusiasm the work of the two qualified teachers and their assistants.
This has only been possible because of the purchasing of our tea and infusions, so to all our Street Tea customers, thank you very much !