Submission by Darshan Ambalavanar, Project Manager

The Church of American Ceylon Mission’s primary focus is on helping children and youth from economically marginalized and war hit communities in the North and East. Poor communities are badly affected by the lack of quality primary education for their children, as a result of which their children fall behind at an early age and that becomes a critical factor in perpetuating the poverty trap.

We build our work around a number of programmes, Early Child Care Programme (ECC), After School Programs, Children’s Homes (Orphanages), and Special Arts Programs for children and youth. As these centres take root in their communities, they become community centres around which other support programs such as community education and livelihood projects are run for the adults.

 Early Child Care Centres

The ECC’s provide pre-school education and nutritional programs for children.  They also enable poor women who do daily labour to leave the children at the centres.     These centres provide the nutritional support needed and the early learning required helping these children have a good start when they enter primary schools.

Funding formula.  Rs.14, 500 per child per year.  (approx £84)

Centres Needing Support.

Batticaloa District

 a)      Alankulam.  30 children

b)      Kithul. 30 children

c)      Koppaveli.  30 children.

d)     Morokkodanchenai.  45 children

e)      Nagapuram 30 children

f)       Omaniyamadu. 30 children

g)      Kunjankulam. 30 children

h)      Kirimichchai. 30 children

i)        Maruthankernikulam. 30 children.

 Wanni

 a)      Poovarasankulam. 30 children

b)      Maravankulam.  45 children

c)      Murikandy. 30 children

d)     Visuvamadu. 30 children

e)      Suthanthirapuram 30 children.

f)       Bharathipuram. 30 children.

g)      Anaivilunthan. 30 children

h)      Vannerikulam. 30 children

i)        Vaddakatchy. 30 children

j)        Mallavi.  30 children

 Jaffna District

 a)      Oori, Karainagar.  50 children.

This is a community historically marginalized on caste grounds, and is economically impoverished.  We are currently also working with over 100 children in the after school program as well.

It might only be possible for donors to support say blocks of children, e.g. 10, or 20.  If that is the case that can still be helpful as we can put such contributions together and determine which centres to support based on the number of children there.Donors can also indicate their preference to support a centre, though we would like the right to indicate if another centre is currently more urgently in need.

After School Programs.

After school programs at these same centres, provide further support for children and youth from these communities and provide critical support to strengthen their education.  Most of them go to schools with limited number of teachers and facilities and the after school supports play a key role in furthering their educational opportunities. At one such program in Kudaththanai, in the Jaffna Peninsula (near Nagercoil), 23 students have entered university in the last several years with the help of this programThese cost Rs.15,000 (£87) a month.  We plan to conduct these at most of the centres that we run, and they are particularly needed in the Wanni region.

Children’s Homes (orphanages)

These are homes for children without parents, or from homes that are not safe or healthy spaces for them.  The Children’s Homes, in addition to providing a safe place to live, also provide them with access to good schools and an opportunity to lay the foundation for their adult lives. These homes are located in the Wanni and the Batticaloa District.

Costs: Rs.5,000(£29) per child per month.

A current priority is to increase the number of girl children that we can support in the Wanni and Batticaloa region, though there are also boys that we are looking to support as well.

 Special Arts Program for Children and Youth

 Creativity is central to all learning processes, particularly to that of children.  Part of the diminishment in the quality of life and learning of poor children is the lack of access to the creative arts as a part of their school experience.  Their schools often do not have such programs and their parents lack the finances to support them participating in such programs where they are available.  Most teaching methods also follow rote learning and do not enhance the creative capacity of the children.

 In order to provide poor children with access to the creative arts, and to stimulate their learning, we provide regular programs for children in rural communities that integrate theatre, music, painting and creative writing.  The programs are run by university trained instructors and merge modern methods with traditional art forms.  A particular emphasis is on valuing and stimulating the traditional art forms of the children’s communities, and to help strengthen their sense of self-respect and pride in their community.

 Summary of Costs in £

 Early Child Care Programme        £7 per child per month

Children’s Homes (Orphanages)   £29 per child per month

Nutritional feeding Programme    £5 per child per month

After School Programmes.            £87 a month per centre

 Special Arts Program for Children and Youth    

Costs per month:

Batticaloa District – £116

Wanni Region -        £232

Jaffna District-         £116

Cost of Buildings/infrastructure

Orphanage for 30 children             Approx. £50,000

Day care centre                                 £5,000 – 10,000 

Nutritional feeding centre            £5,000 – 10,000 

DARSHAN AMBALAVANAR

has taken over from Rev. Jeyanesan as the new Project Manager of the under the Church of the American Ceylon Mission. These projects are in various parts of the island,  Nuwara Eliya to Jaffna, Mannar to Batticaloa, ranging from relief to rehabilitation, vocational training to farming, children’s programs to elders homes.Prior to this he was in Toronto as a settlement worker assisting new immigrant families to settle and find work in Toronto. A large part of his time was devoted to youth related programmes.

From 1991 to 2006 he gained various educational qualifications from Princeton Theological Seminary to a Doctorate with Harvard University.  His original degree was gained from the University of Reading in the UK. He authored a number of publications during this period. Over the years he has gained much experience which he will find valuable working with the projects he is involved with now.

E-mail: darshan.ambalavanar@gmail.com

Please consider contributing to one of these projects. How to donate

Lisa Thevarajah, my Daughter-in-Law (the one in the middle) recently completed the Bath Half Marathon. She was sponsored to raise money for the Widows Empowerment Project. She managed to raise £165, this money has already been sent to Sri Lanka where it will be used to buy two sewing machines . This would help to sustain two families by enabling them to earn a living.

A big thanks & well done to Lisa.

9th August 2009

Two families have now been given sewing machies. Well done Lisa.

                       

Photogrpahs of the children in the Nutritional Feeding Centre we support

Latest email received from Rev. Jeyanesan

From: Rev.Dr. S. Jeyanesan [mailto:jnesan@sltnet.lk]
Sent: 24 June 2009 12:33
To: ‘Trevor Thevarajah’
Subject: RE: IDPs

My dearest Trevor,

Greetings from St. Johns Center, Batticaloa, Sri Lanka

Thank you for your mail.

We are really happy that you have recovered from your operation and back in action. We thank God for same.  

Herewith I give you some updates of our relief activities and Kiran NFC.

Kiran NFC :

At present there are 36 Children in the Nutritional Feeding Center. Two teachers and a cook are looking after the children. Children who are under the age of 5 years are fed with nutritious food along with play and education.

As you are aware most of our Children are from war affected and very poor families, so they all were under- nourished. After they have joined our NFC they are healthy and very active. Our medical team visits them twice a month and assesses their health condition and provide needed medicines and vitamins. By leaving the Children in the NFC the mothers get some free time to do some work and earn money to look after their families.

We thank you and all who supports to these poor families and their Children. Few pictures of the NFC is attached for your information.  

Other Relief Work:

We are happy that the war is over. But the tragedies of the IDPs are continuing. We are very busy with the relief activities to the IDPs.

For the last 3 weeks we have been moving to Vavunia and Batticaloa to obtain permission to send our medical team to work in Manik farm camp in Zone 4 where there is no any assistance provided to IDPs. We have obtained permission from the GA and the camp in-charge authorities for our medical team to conduct clinic for Children and pregnant mothers. This decision was taken after our team visited the camp and analyzed the needs.

On the 18th we have transported a lorry load of medicines, clothes and dresses to the IDPs. 3200 packs of Clothes and dresses were distributed on the same day to the IDPs.

Our Trauma counseling unit and the medical team will work jointly in the camps and provide assistance. Rev. Anukoolan and the other pastors who were in the camp have directly experienced the suffering of the IDPs so they are working tirelessly in the IDP camps in providing assistance to the suffering and needy.

Thank you for all your prayers and guidance to continue our work.

May God bless you and all the members of Shrewsbury Lions Club for their support and assistance.  

Thanks

With kind regards

Rev. Dr. S. Jeyanesan

Chairman/ Director Project

Extract from the latest email from Rev. Jeyanesan September 2008

My dear Trevor,

Greetings from St. Johns Centre, Batticaloa

Thank you for your mail. We have received the original copy up the audited statement. I am posting it today by surface mail.

I am so busy in organizing relief to Vanni IDPs. After the recent attack of LTTE, Government has asked all the humanitarian organizations to vacate Vanni. All of them have left Vanni, Only UN organizations are talking with government to continue their activities. But, there is no hope in obtaining permission.

We are doing relief in two ways, we organize relief from Colombo and transport same or we send money to our pastors and ask them to do the relief work.

I thank you for all your efforts to support our affected community. We also thank the members of Thamil Association, Shrewsbury Lions club and other donors for their generous support and assistance.

I will send you a report on our relief activities as early as possible.

Thanks,

With peace and prayers,

Rev. Dr. S. Jeyanesan

My dear Trevor,

Greetings from St. Johns Center CACM, Batticaloa

I am very happy to inform you that this morning the treasurer Lions Club of Batticaloa handed over us a cheque for Rs. 430565/=. Here with I am enclosing the official receipt (scanned copy) for the same.

I take this opportunity to thank you and the Lions Club of Shrewsbury.

We have asked our official auditors to give us a separate audited statement for the money we received from you in the year 2007. I am sure we will receive the statement this week. As soon as we receive it we will forward the same to you.

Here with I am enclosing some pictures of the Day Care/nutritional feeding Center Kiran. Last week they had their annual sports meet and parents and community get together. At present we have 74 children. We do provide breakfast and lunch. Periodical medical test are conducted by our medical team.We also give the children nutrition’s and vitamins. Earlier they have detected vitamin “D” deficiency among few children. We are happy that has improved satisfactorily after treatment.

I am sure you are aware the army offensive in Vanni area. At present there are about 200,000 IDP’s staying under very hard conditions. We are doing our very best to support at least few of them with emergency food and medicine. (Please see latest appeal)

I am also attaching a copy of the acknowledgement given to Lions Club Batticaloa

Thank you and your club for your continuous tireless support.

May God bless you, bless your family and bless your Lions Club

Thank you

Yours very sincerely

Rev. Jeyanesan

Please click the following links

Human misery in Vanni (email)

Read about the Results of this Appeal »

]]> http://www.srilankanorphanages.org/2008/09/09/latest-appeal/feed/ 1 http://www.srilankanorphanages.org/2007/08/02/email-from-dr-rev-jeynesan/ http://www.srilankanorphanages.org/2007/08/02/email-from-dr-rev-jeynesan/#comments Thu, 02 Aug 2007 13:45:07 +0000 Trevor Thevarajah http://srilankanorphanages.org/appeal/?p=15 Email Sent Trevor Thevarajah from Dr. Rev. Jeynesan

My Dearest Trevor,

Greetings from St. Johns Center Batticaloa Sri Lanka. I am happy to inform you that I have been elected as the Chairman of the Church of the American Ceylon Mission. 93% of the congregation and 95% of the Pastors voted and insisted that I should accept this position.

After much thought and prayers I have accepted this position. I need all of your support and prayers to perform duties to the lord and the humanity. I will be stationed in Batticaloa and operate from there.We also have accepted to have congregational form of administration. That means the Chairman can continue for 2 years and he can be elected for 1 more term. Then he will get back to a parish.We are planning to have a celebration on the 16th Sunday in Batticaloa.

There also be ordination of ministers. After that there will be a public meeting. I am inviting you to attend these meetings and speak in the public meeting. That means you may have to advance your trip either to Friday the 14th of the Saturday the 15th. We are proud of you for all your hard work. May the good Lord bless you. Here with I am attaching the latest report on our relief activities done by us to the Alankulm refugees and orphanages Shanthi Sundaran-maraj contacted me and I have replied to her. Hope that she will come out with some assistance.

Report on Relief work

After Government declared that they have captured Thopikala jungle and liberated from Tigers. Immediately Government started resettling the war IDPS(Internally displaced people). But still more than 50% of the IDPS are remaining in temporary shelters in an around Batticaloa. The IDPS who were resettled are also returning back to their camps in Batticaloa because still no relief workers are allowed to go in to the liberated area to do their relief activities.

Some of the IDPS who returned were killed by unknown gunmen where the area is under the control of Government forces. Many INGOS are closing down their offices in Batticaloa and leaving the Country because of threats from unknown people. So the humanitarian works conducted by the agencies are slowing down. Very few agencies are working in relief activities. As we are a Church organization we are managing to penetrate into areas where others cannot reach.

On the 3^rd of August our team of Pastors and relief workers went to Alankulam where more than 400 IDP families are living. We distributed food items, milk food, cloths and educational items. We also conducted medical clinic. All these people are from Mutur, Sampoor, Karadiyanaru and Kithul areas. These people will remain here permanently because the places where they were living have declared by the Government as High Security Zone.

We are the only organization looking after these 400 families. Also we provide them drinking water, medical assistance for the disabled and Child Friendly Space for children. In the beginning we provided tents for all these families to settle down.

As almost one year has passed the tents are worn-out and the rainy season is almost upon us, we are looking for assistance to construct temporary shelters for all of them. Our orphanage programmes are continuing. At present we have 7 orphanages in the East and we have 473 children.

Most of them are war and Tsunami victims. Herewith I am attaching some pictures of the relief activities and the shelters where these people are living. We have also given the packages to the children in the orphanages. They also received educational materials. These are all very appropriate and very timely activities provided by us. Thank you so much for your leadership and guidance. May God bless you all.

Yours very sincerely,

Rev. Dr. S. Jeyanesan

St. John’s Mission, Batticaloa, Sri Lanka

Love and greetings from St. Johns centre Batticaloa from me and other friends. Thank you for sending me the mail regarding the changes of your addresses. I have taken note of those.

Situation in Batticaloa is not very good. War effected Internally Displaced Persons have become a major issue in the North and East of Sri Lanka today. Daily shelling and fighting is going on in many places in the East and more and more refugees are coming out of the battle areas.

Only yesterday more than 3000 people have been displaced and they have moved to Marnkeny.

At present we would say more than 80000 peoples are displaced. Today our team has left with some tents and food items for the new arrivals. We try to maintain a balanced relationship with the Government which helps us to get clearance to travel to the areas where the IDP’s are sheltering.

Our relationship with the Government Agent and the District Secretary is excellent.

The District Secretary Mr. Giritharan is in touch with our office almost every day, a few times with requests and keeps us informed with the current situation. Both Srikanth and Mr. L. R. David who is our Operational Manager are very fluent in Singhalese and have a very cordial relationship with the local Army commanders. These are the people who are having the final say in issuing permits and controlling everyone’s movements.

We also have a fairly good relationship with ICRC and UN agencies. St. Johns Church is one of the dominant organizations which are carrying out relief and rehabilitation programs in the East and the North at this time of crises.

Not many local or foreign NGOs are willing to take a risk and carry out relief and rehabilitation under such dangerous and panic conditions. We at St. Johns with a view to helping the unfortunate helpless victims are left with no option but to take risks.

In any war wherever in the world, the people who suffer most are the innocent, the women, elderly and the children. This is not an exception in our region.

At present the access to Vaharai and Kathiraveli are completely closed. We have taken 3 loads of supplies to these areas earlier.

Sri Lankan army is trying to capture these costal areas. Every day there are bombardments and shelling. Now people are fleeing in through forest areas by foot to Mankerny. This area is under the control of Sri Lankan security forces.

LTTE is also preventing people from fleeing these areas for various reasons, such as their own safety, inadvertently passing information onto the Government forces. They also recruit the young ones as conscripts against their wishes. Government is also not allowing these victims to move out to the main land to guarantee their own safety. You will understand that innocent people are being used by both parties as a human shields.

So far we have

• Distributed food to 1238 families
• Provided tents
• Constructed toilets
• Purchased a water bowser and several water tanks to provide a supply of clean drinking water.
• Provided medical assistance with a mobile clinic at M’chenai and at IDP’s camps and treating war injured and children.
• Supplied linen, sanitary napkin and basic clothes for women and children.
• Supplied cooking utensils for few families.
• Provided milk foods to children under 6 months.

As can be seen with the support and prayers of all our donors we are doing our best for these displaced people. Thank you for all your support and prayers. Give our Love to everyone at Home.

With Peace and Prayers,

Dr. Rev. Jeyanesan.

Greetings from St. John’s Centre.

I have come back to Batticaloa after my trips to Canada and USA. I am grateful to our Lord for all his mercies.
I am thankful to David and the team for all their good work even in my absence.

I thought it is proper that I send you a mail about the present political situation of our region.

After the pressure mine exploitation which killed 67 people in Kepitipolawa in Trincomalee district all the INGO’s and local NGO’s have stopped all their relief works and have vacated the places and gone to Colombo because of fear and the advice of their own Governments.

This is the time people needs support. So we continue with our relief efforts without interruption.

After the explosion at Kepitipolawa, which killed many civilians, as retaliation the Sri Lankan forces bombed again in Sampur Muttur and Kilinochchy areas. Whenever some incidents take place wherever in Sri Lanka the air force attack Muttur and Kilinochi. This has resulted in increasing the refuge population. Strategically Trincomalee is an important place because of the geographical nature, Navy and Army bases and the gateway
between North and East provinces.

In Mannar 2 days ago, there was confrontation between the Srilankan Navy and the LTTE sea tigers.17 navy personal were killed 3 of their gunboats were destroyed. LTTE also lost their boats and Srilankan government claims that they have killed 22 LTTE cardres. After this, many coastal villagers, mainly fishermen displaced and went in to a church at Uddapu. As retaliation, Navy personal went to the church and thrown a grenade through the window in to the church and indiscriminately fired this resulted in injuring 62 people and killing 5 of them. 40 fishing boats and nets were
burnt. About 12,000 people vacated and now moved to Mannar town.

In Batticaloa 3 youth were killed by un-identified gunmen. Within last 2 days, armed groups abducted more than 200 children in the night in white unnumbered vans. This includes boys and girls from 10 years to 25 years of age. We were told they have been taken by force for arms training. There is wide spread fear in this region. Some parents have sent their children in to forest areas for shelter and safety. We feel that we are also helpless at this time.

Because of land mines, claymore mines, pressure mines everywhere the NGOs stopped all their movements.

Trains are not running. Busses are limited. No night travel in the entire North East. Many new checkpoints are being established. Every person and vehicles are stopped and searched. Many are arrested on suspicion.

I must say all our peace initiatives are failed. But I have not given up hope even in this hopeless situation.

Our orphanages, Daycare centers, Vocational training Centers, Nutritional Feeding Centers, Trauma Counseling, Widows empowerment projects and Tsunami relief and rehabilitation programmes are continuing with ups and downs. We also have much drawbacks and pressures on us. I am grateful to our dedicated staff and their willingness to take risk. We are in constant touch with all of them.

We are grateful to you and to your organization for all your support and prayers particularly at this hour of crisis. We are also planning and preparing our self to meet any worst situation in case of any emergency.

Again, let us join hands and have trust in God and to be obedient to Him. He is our Lord and He will give us strength and wisdom to meet any crisis. I will keep in touch with you.

Your prayers and assistance are much appreciated.

With Peace and Prayers,

Dr. Rev. Jeyanesan.

I am sorry that I haven’t been able to write to you before. Due to the fact that I was hosting my friend Herman with his friend and was showing him the orphanage that he is supporting, we were busy every day and all my time went into that, so that I could allow Rev. Jeyanesan to attend to urgent matters concerning the running of all the projects under his care. Rev. Jeyanesan had been away for about a month, visiting the US and Canada, so upon his return he had many things to attend to. Rev. Jeyanesan shared with me about his contacts with you and asked me to help him with keeping in contact with you while I am here in Sri Lanka.

If this is acceptable to you, I would like to start with giving you a report concerning the £3500 that were in fact invested in the Nutritional Feeding Program run in the Eastern Province. From these funds, according to Rev. Jeyanesan, the following centers are being supported at a cost per month of £145 per month per center:

1. St. John’s Nutritional Feeding Center with 60 kids which is being run on the compound of the St. John’s Church in Batticaloa.This is the main church center from which Rev. Jeyanesan orchestrates all the various projects and which functions as his home-base.
2. Kiran Nutritional Feeding Center also with 60 kids. Kiran is a village 27 km north from the St. John’s Center which was affected by the Indian peace keeping force and later by the Sri Lanka army and special task forces. Many people lost their bread winners, and so many children need help here.
3. Periyanilavanai Nutritional Feeding Center has 55 kids. Periyanilavanai is a border village between moslim and hindu villages and is situated 41 kilometers south from the St. John’s Center. The villagers are mostly uneducated, low cast people. This Nutritional Feeding Center is run on a compound together with a church and the Herman’s Girls Home. These three centers have been running from the February 1st from funds provided by you. At the end of each year, you will be provided with Financial Statements audited by a Chartered Accountant. If needed also interim statements can be provided. Please let us know if you wish to have any other report. Monies will be spent solely on these three centers.

The activities going on in the Nutritional Feeding Centers are as follows:

• Feeding: the children often do not get more than once a day food. This program allows them to receive two extra meals a day
• Preventive medicines and vaccinations. The Government does not care about the proper vaccinating of the children. Our centers do provide that.
• Allowing the older children to go to school instead of having to stay at home to take care of the younger ones.
• Nursery education. The children are receiving some basic nursery education.

Please let me know if there is any other information that would be helpful for your purposes. Now I will focus on the Vocational Training Center. I will be working with someone from the current Vocational Training Center in order to prepare a proposal for you. I was made to understand by Rev. Jeyanesan, and please correct us on this, that you have a source of funding for Vocational Training. We have done some preliminary investigations and have come to an interim proposal already, which we are going to work out more and give you a completed proposal, also based on your important input.

We have currently a Vocational Training Center (VTC), where we are running for the sixth year a program where currently the following courses are being taught:

• Secretarial, Computer operation, Typing Shorthand
• Welding, gas and electric
• Electronics, repairing televisions and radios
• Electrical wiring and plumbing with motor winding
• Airconditioning and refrigeration
• Carpentry, mechanized and traditional
• Needlework and dress making

We are planning a new course on Hardware repairs.

With your help and financial assistance we would like to start four new courses that are also highly in need:

• Agriculture
• Motor mechanics
• Laith work (as Rev. Jeyanesan calls it) In US english it is called Forging
• Printing press and Publishing.

The expected total cost of adding these four courses, including building and equipment was for now estimated by Rev. Jeyanesan at £50,000 or $80,000 US Dollars.

Since we already have hostel facilities, it seems best to expand on the current ongoing VTC project. There is still room for more students in the hostel facilities and land is available for putting the buildings of the expansion to the VTC with the four new courses next to the current ongoing VTC. Currently, we can only cater to 162 out of 1200 applicants for the available courses. This is the only non-governmental VTC in the area. There is only one other VTC which is run by the government, but it is run in a very inefficient manner.

The need, therefore, is great. Many of the children that are enjoying the courses are from our orphanage homes. Some of the students are from the rural areas, from villages affected in the past by the twenty year long civil war. I hope this gives you a bit information you can work with. Please let me know of other information which would be helpful. On this same subject, can you tell me what the chances are of getting funding for this project?

Currently, the VTC that is running is supported by the German Government. Matching funds would therefore apply here. Do you have other sources for this project or are we applying to the LCIIF for these funds? On another subject: We have been getting container loads of shoeboxes filled with Christmas presents from children in the US. They are shipped to the port of Colombo, from where we have to release them from customs.

In the past, we used to get exemption from all customs, but this year they required us to pay VAT on the whole shipment. This came to about 4500 Pound Sterling. There were 21000 shoeboxes in the shipment. The value of the contents of one shoebox was about 19 to 25 Pound Sterling. The total shipment was given to us free CIF. I have documentation for the shipment and the VAT payment.

Would it be possible that this would fall under Matching Funds? This would allow the church to fund the VAT for another year and distribute these also next Christmas. I have to tell you that it is quite thrilling to hand these boxes out to children who never have had a toy in their life. They have been handed out in the remotest villages, where poverty is the rule rather than the exception.

You should see the excitement of the whole village as a result of these gifts. Some came walking from a distance of 25 kilometers just to collect the gifts. I was there for the handing out of about 100 boxes to such children and it greatly impressed me. Thank you for your time and for allowing me to apply to you for these things. I look forward to hear from you and see what your thoughts are on the above three issues.

Many blessings,

Joseph Vos December 2005 St John’s Church, Uranee, Batticaloa. Sri Lanka