Schools in the UK
The December 2004 Tsunami brought the plight of people in less developed nations into our living rooms in a way that has never before seen. The destructive power of nature highlighted the poverty in the countries affected and demonstrated that we can each make a difference. This is particularly relevant to school children, and Senahasa Trust actively encourages and works with UK schools to help fund our projects.
Our aim is to help children in the UK gain an understanding of the benefits of helping those less fortunate than themselves and valuing different cultures around the world. We aim to provide:
a platform for learning about communities in Sri Lanka
the opportunity for school children of all ages to forge links with children in these less privileged communities
Here are some examples of schools that have supported, and continue to support, Senehasa and how they have become involved with the local communities in Sri Lanka. We also give detailed feedback to all our donors so they know exactly how their money has been spent.
St Paul’s School, London
In January 2011, St Paul’s School took their Cricket Team on a tour to Sri Lanka and visited one of the schools we support. They met some of the pupils who have benefitted from our help and played a well-contested cricket match against them. Before the tour, the boys held a fundraising Sri Lankan dinner where they waited on the tables as well as helped organise live and silent auctions, a raffle and a quiz. An amazing £17,500 was raised and this secured the funding for the introduction of the Senahasa Food Programme at SGV – for building a new kitchen, providing the necessary equipment and towards the ongoing costs of the daily meals for the 500 children at this school.
St Paul’s School has also hosted four fundraising Cricket Tournaments between 2007 and 2012. The four teams of boys volunteered and competed in limited over matches with the victors receiving the Senahasa Trophy. Tea was provided Sri Lankan style and devoured by the keen cricketers. The events have also included raffles and the boys have collected sponsorship money.
In total these four cricket tournaments have raised nearly £17,000. St Paul’s School elected that this money was used in our schools in southern Sri Lanka, firstly for our English Development Programme, because they know a good knowledge of English is vital for these children in their studies and future work prospects, and secondly to fund the ongoing costs of the Senahasa Food Programme at SGV, which provides nearly 500 meals a day from the new kitchen that they had also funded.
More recently, St Paul’s have sent groups of 10 or 12 boys to the Senehasa projects for 2 weeks. They work with our English Development teams in the classrooms and also run sports camps for the local children. These programmes have been successful and well received by the local schools.
King’s College School, Wimbledon
Cricketers from King’s CollegeSchool, Wimbledon, went on tour in Sri Lanka in July 2012. On Saturday 14th July they spent the day visiting UMV where they were greeted by our English Development Programme team of volunteers, the Principal and members of staff.
The boys toured the school, played two matches against UMV and enjoyed a delicious lunch.
Both UMV’s Junior and Senior teams were victorious! Everyone had a great day.
Prior to the tour, the boys raised funds for Senahasa including a sponsored row by one boy who rowed the length of Sri Lanka! They raised £5,000 and also generously donated items of cricket kit which they took with them to give to the cricketers at UMV.
Victoria C of E First School in Berkhamsted
Each year since Senehasa rebuilt the pre-school at Palla Mallala in 2005, Victoria C of E First School in Berkhamsted have donated funds towards the salaries of the pre-school teachers. During a Senehasa visit to the pre-school we collected some artwork that the children had prepared as we thought the children at Victoria First would like to see what they had produced from the materials available to them. These included coconut husks, dried used tea leaves, bottle tops and seeds. Very different to the materials used in art lessons at Victoria First!
Oxford University Cricket Club
The Oxford University Cricket Club visited Senehasa schools recently as part of their cricket tour of Sri Lanka. They ran sports camps for younger children and played matches against the older Sri Lankan boys. This proved to be a mutually beneficial visit both the tourists and the local children.