ペラレから現在の被災地の様子に関しての手紙が来ました。写真は写真館にＵＰしました。
To. Mrs. Takeuchi, Mikho, Toyoda & all M.I.X. Members
This is my report on what had happened regarding the Tsunami aid fund.
As you know I visited Hikkaduwa and found a very poor school which I think is suitable for our aid program.
The name of the sch ool is Mahamaya Balika Vidiyalaya ( Mahamaya Girls School ), Abbalangoda, Hikkaduwa. The school has about 520 students and the classes are from grade 01 to grade 13 ( the age group of the students are from 6years old to 19 years old ).
Altogether 23 students & 11 parents (9 mothers and 2 fathers) have died of the Tsunami and at the moment most of the students are living in refugee camps in the area and I should say that almost all the children in the school are very poor.
In my first trip to the school I explained to the Principal and the teachers about the M.I.X association and how they have organized and collected some money to help the Tsunami victims. They were very happy to hear about you and they told me that they will have a meeting and discuss on what they will request for the school.
I again visited Hikkaduwa on the 19th of January and by that time they gave me a list on what they will request. It痴 as follows.
Note books, colored pencils, Underwear for the grade 01 students.
For grade 02 till grade 04 students they needed some text books which are important for the syllabus.
For the Grade 05 students- some books which will help them prepare for the special government examination in which they give scholarships.
From grade 06 to 09- some subject text books.
For grade 10 and 11- past exam paper books which is very important because they will face the Ordinary level examination which is a must for the students who are thinking about graduating for the 12 and 13 grades.
For the 12 and 13 grade students ・accounting / arts/ language / home science text books to gain more knowledge on the subjects ( the grade 13 student will face the Advance level examination which will give points to enter the university.)
The principal has given me a quotation on how much quantities they need ( the information I have given you above is in a nutshell because if I give you all the details about the names of the book s and the quantities it will be hard for you to understand)
When I convert the funds you gave me in to Sri Lankan Rupees it痴 like this:
1yen = Rs.0.83cents ( 25/12/2005 )
70840yen X 0.83 = Rs. 58,798.
So from this amount a think I can buy almost all the things the school children required and if there is a shortage I will donate some money as well.
The text books that we buy will be used by the students over and over again in the coming years and , So it will be useful for many students year by year.
I also had a plane to set up a computer unit for the school which I think is very important because only the best schools in Sri Lanka is teaching computer for the children and the poor schools like the one we are helping will never get a chance to study so the talent of these students will die away. But to set up a computer unit we at least need 25 computers, tables, and ect. At the moment our funds are not enough so we will keep that for the future.
( I have sent attached e-mails with the photos I致e taken pls see the pictures )
So please send me information on how I should commence.
Hope for a quick reply.
Thank you,
Dinesh Perera