The annual Country Roads concert by the Country Music Foundation (CMF) which was held in March this year has been able to help nearly 1,400 displaced children from Mannar, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Jaffna.
The concert proceeds amounting to Rs. 400,000 rupees were channelled through Save the Children in Sri Lanka to the Thenmarachchi Zonal Education Department in Jaffna to support them in their emergency education programmes for displaced children.
The money was utilized to set up the Eladumadduval Government Tamil Mixed School in Kodikamum. The school which started on June 5 accommodates 1,400 children and has classes from Year 1 to 13. There are 84 teachers out of which 65 are displaced. In addition, the school also has facilities for outdoor games.
Many local and international organizations have come together to support the education authorities and the District Secretary to run this temporary school. CMF in particular, funded the provision of furniture for the classrooms which was an immediate need.
As soon as the money was provided by the CMF, Save the Children and the Zonal Education Department made arrangements to provide 40 desks for students and they are happy and comfortable in their new classrooms. More furniture is being made currently.
N. Nitharshan who is studying in Year 8, has missed out on six months of schooling since he was displaced from Silawathura in Mullaitivu and is happy to be back in a learning environment. “Thank you so much for the desks you have given us,” he said. It was a sentiment shared by everyone in the classroom as they learnt about how the Country Roads show was held in Colombo and the proceeds were sent to help them in their education.
“These desks are of good quality and it helps us to do our writing properly,” Sutharshini (13) said and promised to take good care of them so that many other children too could use them.
|
E-mail