Autumn 2025
This time I felt ill before I left. I hoped it would disappear during my time in Sri Lanka but unfortunately it lingered on and after I came back it took another 4 weeks to recover from whatever I had.
I unpacked the boxes, but I was so tired that in the end I asked Kanchana to come and help me. On top of this the boxes had to be moved from the place they were for the last 4 years to a new place which I didn’t have at that time. Thank goodness Ramani helped me and I could leave the boxes for the remaining time at her place, yes right in the hallway.
Of course, I did the work I had planned but I didn’t do anything else.
So, the schools/places we visited were:
- Perediniya school: we came to give English topics and advice how you can give English lessons in a different way.
- Dinesh school: new nursery school and we gave some items. The school opened specially for us as it was on a festival day again. Normally the school would have been closed.
- Sameera village school: I went there with Sameera and caught up as I hadn’t been in touch with them for more than 2 years. I gave extra T-shirts and shin guards.
- Tess school: here we came to talk to the hockeyteam, and I saw an English lesson, in a different set up. The games and flashcards they got from me and I gave them some tips.
- Janika school: I came here with Nishantha to meet the new headteacher ( he knew me as he was the deputy headteacher at this school before) We talked about the difficulties in finding a hockey coach for the little money they have as a school and I found out that they are also keen on changing English at their school.
- Teddy castle special needs school: a quick visit to give Zwitsal oil for the special needs children. This school has still many problems after the cyclone (nov.25).
- Balcony nursery in Sigiriya: I also had a quick visit here as I needed to drop off a train (for a wooden train track)
- Dance school Sigiriya: 1 hour visit (but they forgot that we were coming) to give them 5 big boxes with lids where they could put in the given materials. Often they don’t have cupboards enough. The older children all got a pen from Holland.
- We stayed at our favourite hotel: La dolca vita. One of the people who work there asked last year if we would be able to give a poor child in the village some notebooks, pencil etc. This time we had a present for her.
- Library in Mahaoya: check the ceiling we paid for and we give the year 1 children a rugsack with materials such as notebook, pencil, colourings pencils and a pencil case. The library itself got English books.
- Sportclub Mahaoya: first visit. We gave some sports items they asked for.
- Chief school: first visit. We gave 5 white boards. This was a request. They had organized a really good welcome. We also gave some educational materials.
- Doctor school: here we had the schoolbag project organized from my school in Holland. All children got a schoolbag. In each schoolbag was a notebook, pencil, pen, coloring pencils, present, toothpaste and brush, soap, pencil sharpener, a pair of scissors and a rubber.
- Ampitiya special needs school: here I wanted to re-connect. The head teacher then (at least 3 years ago) was still there, and all the given materials were in a cupboard and looked after. This made my day. They also got some (not a lot) other educational materials.
- Absent school: check on the given materials and English materials.
- Green board school: to check on given materials and to check if they looked after it. They asked for a new cupboard and big boxes to separate the given materials.
- Lewella special needs school: this was my first school 24 years ago. The teachers from then are still working here. I gave them some new /more educational materials.
- Friend of Kanchana school: first visit but they are lucky as they got everything in one go to do with hockey. Think about hockey clothes, keepers outfit, balls, cones and hockey sticks (no shin guards).
- Scout school: here we were to check the educational materials given the year before. Unfortunantely it was a big mess, so we took almost everything back. We decided we as well never give materials to big schools again. Not one teacher wanted to look after it.
- Sponsor school: this school was cancelled as suddenly they got a visit from the educational department to open their new library. It was a pity, but Ramani and Sameera took me swimming at Hakanda in order for me to have a rest and a refreshing dive in the swimming pool.
- Back at Negombo me and 2 Dutch young ladies were picked up by Ijish, the hockey coach of the town school in Colombo. There we talked to the hockey team (they already got everything from us) the headteacher and Ijish. We had a yummy lunch there. Ijish organized the last school for me.
- Ove the top school: firs visit. They only wanted a keeper’s outfit which they got. Somebody asked me to give them the outfit as it was a poor school, but they had a website and when we entered the hall, we saw many hockey sticks on the side and I knew I made a mistake. Up till now we haven’t heard from them anymore.
- Tina school: not a very poor school but good friend’s school. First time to come there when the children are there. They paid themselves for the transport of the box and I filled the box with nursery educational materials.
Most times we win but sometimes we lose. That is life. I am looking forward to my next visit, and I do hope so it will be a better one health wise.