Tsunami-ravaged school takes wing again

The eastern coastal town of Kalmunai came alive to celebrate an extraordinary international effort by SriLankan Cares, Luthansa Technik, Help Alliance, and GTZ which enabled a school of 1,500 children to be reborn from the devastation of the tsunami.

The modern buildings of Al Bahriya Maha Vidyalaya, constructed at a cost of Rs. 78 million in just eight months, were declared open on October 27. They included a new three storey building of 27,950 squre feet with 18 classrooms and the rebuilding of three badly damaged buildings which house 20 classrooms. Students, teachers and parents turned out in the thousands to welcome Peter Hill, the CEO of SriLankan Airlines, Rita Diop (Chairperson of Help Alliance), Dr. Johannes Bussmann (Vice President Marketing & Sales of Lufthansa Technik), Volrad von Lutzau (General Manager Facility Management of Lufthansa Technik), Dr. Roland F. Steurer (Country Director of GTZ), and Chandana De Silva (Head of Corporate Communications at SriLankan). The visitors were garlanded by staff and escorted in by the school band. At the colourful opening ceremony, students earnestly thanked SriLankan Cares, the charity arm of SriLankan Airlines, Lufthansa Technik, Help Alliance – The charity arm of Lufthansa Technik, and the German Technical Cooperation agency GTZ. Fathima Jauzam, a 7-year-old girl in the 2nd Grade, thrilled her audience with a speech that mesmerized them.

Peter Hill, CEO of Sri Lankan Airlines, said the project was a model of international co-operation. “I thank our partners in this team and also the staff of SriLankan Airlines. We are all very proud of what’s been achieved and look forward to hearing of the future successes of the children of this school.”

The school has also been equipped with two computer rooms with 42 PCs and 2 servers, which will introduce young minds to the wonders of modern technology.

August W. Henningsen, CEO of Lufthansa Technik, said thousands of Lufthansa employees donated money to show their solidarity with the people of Sir Lanka after the deadly tsunami. “May all the students who pass through this school learn how to build a bright and more peaceful future,” he said.

Rita Diop, Chairperson of Help Alliance, said: “This was an enormous project with a lot of pressure, and every one who was involved worked very hard to make it happen. We are confident that this school will help us in our goal to create a better world for children”.
The buildings include support facilities such as a music room, dance room, toy room, library, counselling rooms, assembly hall, staff room, a library, and a science lab.

Dr. Roland F. Steurer, Country Director, GTZ, said: “The German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) is proud to be a partner of this joint venture between Sri Lanka and Germany. This project satisfied all criteria of a successful undertaking for long-lasting and sustainable post-tsunami rehabilitation. And it was managed by a great dedicated team”.

A. Athambawa, Principal of the school, thanked SriLankan Airlines and its partner on behalf of the students and teachers for this historic effort. If not for their generosity and keen efforts, this project would not have become a reality, he said.