WYE VALLEY TSUNAMI FUND

More news from Sri Lanka

Thursday we went to the Anula Balika Vidyalaya School in Galle. After much persuasion, (they were reluctant to impose on our kindness they were just glad to see us) they asked if we could help them with their school tannoy system, it doesn't work. The school has all ages from reception class to teenagers. About 1700 pupils I think. They use the tanyo to communicate with the children on mass . Since the tsunami the children many who have lost family members and most have lost friends are all frightened that it will happen again.

I have arranged for a new system for them, state of the art. They will have a speaker on every floor , two four storey blocks, the main areas, staff rooms and reception classes with a central amplifier in the head mistress office and microphone. I also suggested and they thought it was a good ideas to have one in the school yard but were worried about the cost. Total cost in the order of £2k.

Additionally they have a computer but no internet access but it is available. I asked what would be needed to be done to sort and before we left the guy had the necessary forms. Hopefully they will be on line within a few days !!!! That is SriLankan telephone company not BT. They have to pay 250 rupees about £1.50 per month for 15 hours access. I told them that the Wyevalleytsunamifund would pay for 60 hours per month, at a cost of about £60 per year. I would suggest that this arrangement be on going. Hopefully Ann has got my e mail to her and Llandogo school will want to team up. This is one of the more lucky schools. friends of Unawatuna have re built the boundary wall and as it is one of the few schools operating in Galle gets help. Our donations will really sort them out.

On then to the orphanage. This place has been transformed in recent weeks for a stinking, disease ridden, cockroach infested building, with most of the children sick dirty and under nourished to something almost acceptable. 49 children from the age of a few weeks to 8 years or so. We have a shopping list and I am going out today. Nappies soap baby wipes baby food etc etc. We gave them the toys we bought in Colombo and they were really pleased.

On then to and old people / mental home in Galle. Nearly 100 people died here Only one really needed request here. A teacher here has lost his leg and is in great pain, we have to take him to Colombo for a fitting when he decides how tall he would like to be a nice day trip for me !!! Sally will not be joining in me hoverer.

Small panic here yesterday among the western softies, the locals we were with at the time did not panic. An Irish women (obviously distraught about the prospects for her fellow countrymen in Cardiff on Saturday) had a message on her mobile phone saying an earthquake had taken place and that another tsunami was on its way. After a few calls to the UK we found tout that it was not the case.

Sally is finding things more difficult than me so she is going to have a quite day while I go on more missions today. Another two schools. I have spoken to one and they need a school bell (trying to get engraved 'From your Friends in the Wye Valley' (is there no limit to the challenges we set ourselves !), reneo machine ( I don't remember these but Sally does) for the printing of school exercise and exam papers, two typewriters, one English one Sinhala. 500 pupils and not one has a pair of shoes, water bottle or school bag.

18:00 hours I have just returned to the hotel having left at 07:30 this morning.

The man with one leg turned out to be a polio victim who is in great pain given the state of his legs, he has two colleagues in an equally sorry state. On Tuesday a trip to Colombo for measuring and fitting. Tears flowed when we told them what we were going to do.

Went shopping, for the orphanage and another school, 1000 nappies, 50 hair shampoos, 50 tooth brushes and paste, four paddling pools, 36 boxes wet wipes, 100 bars of soap, 500 books, 4 gross of pencils, 3 desk fan, 10 dustbins, 1000 bin liners, 50 pairs of scissors. Have also paid for 500 printed books for the school that they could not afford to buy. The teacher will collect next week. She was in tears when I gave the receipt to enable her to collect.

Also the one eyed wood carver that we have bought our couple of carving from in previous visits, lost everything except for a few carving that he managed to save. After long and deep discussions I have handed out my first cash today. We have been careful not to do this preferring to buy goods but really think we can trust him having asked lots of people about him. By Tuesday his shop should be rebuilt and re opened with a few pieces that he has been carving at home. Over the door will be a carved plague saying something along the lines of My shop rebuilt by my Friends in the Wye Valley, If it doesn't happen he knows that I know where he lives, need I say more. I know the boys!!

Tomorrow I am going further south, The further south you go the worse the damage and the more forgotten the area is.

I have bonded with a local guy who has been fully checked out by friends of Unawatuna and is a fantastic. He remembers and survived Sally pasta the days after boxing day. He and I could do some serious sorting here, your dosh. my what ever it is I have got, and his local knowledge. He likes our way of operating as FoU have to get trustees approval to spend anything as required by their constitution. He can not believe that if I say yes , we go shopping and get brilliant !!! Thanks for the trust you have put in Sally and I it makes and unbelievable difference.

He is coming to the UK end of next month as he has a job and has for number of years building stages for pop concerts Glastonbury Reading etc. Last year spent sometime living in Cinderford and working in Lydney !!!

That all for now folks. I could done with being out here indefinitely. Looking for sponsors

Kelvin and Sally