Given deep ties with Sri Lanka going back well over twenty years that form the bedrock (and something like a third of the staff) of a global business, my employer has created a foundation to give something back to a faithfull country that continues to serve us so well. Work is currently focused on the community of Weluaumanapura where living is often as basic as it can be; no potable water, no sanitation, no electricity, the most basic of schools and a subsistence – and sometimes foraging – existence.  Colleagues, friends of colleagues and a few sponsors globally are engaged in fundraising, and the formally governed foundation is ensuring appropriate disbursement.

I am a believer that opportunity is like fire; you need a source of fuel, oxygen and a source of ignition; a spark. Amongst the local populace there are plenty of sparks; engaged and engaging children.  Give them the fuel and some oxygen, and a fire will start; a fire that brings change on so many levels.

Yesterday therefore, we were especially priviliged to join a painting party at the Welasiya Vidyalaya school, from where we returned with two exhausted children and a deep sense of shared achievement. Up at 4:10am and back home at 23:30pm after a hot, dusty, humid day of toil, friendship, laughter, reflection and the shared reward of providing something to fellow members of the human race. Previous working parties had prepared the school for painting, working hard to clear classrooms and prepare rough and crumbling walls. It was our task to paint, but as we quickly found out, splashing some magnolia emulsion on and being done with it is not the Sri Lanka way; Yes, the walls were indeed painted magnolia, but the pillars were painted bright blue and a number of the external walls were decorated with beautiful murals; recreating what had been done many years before but had since faded away to nothing.

As I wrote internally to colleagues; to our CSR sponsor for his infectious energy and passion; to the programme leader and all involved in the planning for giving their leadership and ensuring that everything needed was in place; to those who as mentioned on previous dates had clearly worked hard to prepare the school for painting; to the villagers who catered for us and out of two plastic buckets served an amazing fish curry and dhal for lunch; to the village elder and school principal whose gratitude was so profound; to the enthusiastic teamwork with villagers; and last but certainly not least, to my fellow colleagues for their companionship, spirit, energy and obvious pride – We salute them One and All. What an amazing, AMAZING day – and there will be more of them to come.

There is much more to be done to truly turn the school in to a seat of learning, but we pray that when they turned up to the start of the new school year this morning, the school children found a place of motivation and colour.

In addition to the school, the foundation is deeply involved in resolving the absence of potable water and sanitation; fund raising for tube wells that are typically 75 to 120 metres deep, as well as building toilets and cess pits. The difference in existence between the few families that have access to water and those that don’t is profound – not only for domestic consumption but being able to irrigate land and make a small living. I will write more of this on another date, but for now in the images you will see a very happy boy sat on the top of the first tube, this having been funded by colleagues in the United States; he sauntered over with an impish grin, jumped on top and proudly posed!

It might not be fit for its original purpose any more (it is now spattered in paint), but I very proudly wore my Scouting polo shirt.

I leave Rennie to describe the bus journey to and from. Holy moly! I am now well used to Sri Lankan roads and driving, but this was a trip we’ll never forget.

Steve