www.rainbowcentresrilanka.com - UK Registered Charity Number 1114933 Maddewala Road, Obadawatta, Bentota - 26 Campden Grove, London W8 4JQ

alisonnagle@yahoo.co.uk – aruniw_cooray@yahoo.com Patrons: Jane Chilcott, Evelina Girling, Emma and Jason Isaacs

Ambassador: Gillian Anderson

Rainbow Centre News Summer 2016

You’ve Done It!

Thanks to your Huge Generosity the Rainbow Centre has just bought its rented premises.

It now has a permanent home.

The campaign to raise funds to buy the Rainbow Centre premises met with outstanding generosity from

individuals, families, schools, companies. The response was overwhelming and has meant that the initial

target of £50,000 has been exceeded. Fortunately, the post-Brexit decline of the pound means that active

fund raising will continue to ensure there are sufficient reserves to keep the Rainbow Centre running after

the acquisition. The legal process has been rigorous enabling the Rainbow Centre’s ownership to be secure.

Ownership gives the Rainbow Centre invaluable security and will mean it can make many future

improvements; including the expansion of the sports ground, construction of a training area and upgrade

of existing classes. In short, everyone at the Rainbow Centre is overjoyed.

Our Valuable Work The Rainbow Centre is a daily haven for children who live in extreme poverty in South Western Sri Lanka. It

provides education, medical care, welfare and loving support to more than one hundred children. The

Rainbow Centre’s aim is to equip children with the skills to break free from the poverty in which they live. It

works to ensure that children can access the mainstream school system and succeed with their studies by

providing transport, scholarships and after-school tuition. The Rainbow Centre runs medical programmes for

children and their families. It operates a school, pre-school and nursery and is run like a family in which every

individual is given the love and respect they deserve. The Rainbow Centre is the only facility in this area for

these children to turn to and has been praised highly for its standard of care

Mass Eyesight Clinic

In August, nearly 200 Rainbow Students, their parents and grandparents were given free eye tests by the

Rainbow Centre supported by Vision Care, Sri Lanka’s leading optician. In the day long treatment session,

patients’ sight was given thorough examination using state of the art equipment. Thirteen children were

found to have problems, some of which will need specialist eye hospital care in Colombo for the treatment

of more complex problems, including one child with cataracts. Three quarters of the adults examined need

glasses. All glasses which will be supplied by the Rainbow Centre. The Rainbow Centre is grateful to Vision

Care for providing an invaluable service. Vision Care returned at the end of August to supply and fit the

glasses.

Sandun, the Centre’s youngest student – examination in the mobile clinic – Dammit will finally get help with his sight

Congratulations to Star Student Nirosha

Nirosha joined the Rainbow Centre aged five, in 2005, and was amongst the first Rainbow children to enter

the mainstream school system. The news that she had passed all her nine O Levels marks a tremendous

achievement given her background and the absence of any support at home in slum housing. Nirosha is

currently studying A Levels in Economics, Accounting and Business Studies and well as taking intensive

tuition and English classes. She is determined to go to university. This summer, she continued to study

during the long school holidays attending extra classes five days a week and completing extensive

homework. Her success has inspired her fellow students as they prepare for O Level examinations.

Programmes to Improve Education at the Rainbow Centre Children who go to mainstream school aged six to sixteen are given intensive tuition after school by

Rainbow Centre teachers and experienced teachers from the mainstream system. Retired headmaster,

Peter Perera, who has had a career specializing in teaching underprivileged children continues his lessons.

All the children are given help with homework as well as receiving specialist tuition in Maths, English,

Sinhala, general knowledge, art and music.

Peter Perera Retired Headmaster Harry Barron English Teacher Homework

New teachers have been employed to teach art, music and Sinhala

Welcome to Three New Full Time Teachers

University degree holder Dinushika Chamali, pre-school and middle school teacher

Tharaka, one of the most energetic, loving and creative teachers to join the Centre

Following a difficult few months, when two of the Rainbow Centre teachers left to marry and a third became pregnant, three new teachers were recruited in spring 2016. The three young teachers work a long day. They teach the pre-school in the morning and then teach children in the mainstream system after school ends at lunch time. Much of their work involves supervision of extensive homework for children aged six to twelve. Older children are educated by specialists or sent for outside tuition. All three teachers are to be given intensive English and computer training. Meanwhile, the Rainbow Centre is looking for a headmaster to help oversee all aspects of education and the running of the Rainbow Centre schools.

Yoga Master Begins Teaching at the Rainbow Centre

All Rainbow students practice yoga and meditation every day following instruction from visiting teachers this

year. In August 2016, Yoga Master Darshana will train pupils who have expressed an interest in becoming

professional teachers.

Newcomers The nine young students who recently joined the Centre come with sad stories. Two of the preschoolers’

different sets of parents are not able to hear or speak; one relies on the care of her grandmother, the other

lives in appalling conditions with an alcoholic father and a mother who’s only managed to find employment

by sweeping the road outside a local police station. Several children show signs of abuse and are to be sent

for counselling. All are victims of parental disputes and addiction. All have suffered profound neglect and

trauma. Adjusting to the Rainbow Centre has taken time but, despite their suffering, the children love

coming to the Centre and being given a secure childhood, education, plenty to eat and loving support.

Some of the students who recently joined the Rainbow Centre

Recent Rainbow Graduate News

Shantini (above left) achieved four A Levels and is studying English intensively in preparation to go to

university. Sarojini, (middle) was unable to go to mainstream school and was educated in the Rainbow day

school. Currently she has a good job at a garment factory and continues to produce greetings cards to sell

at the Centre. Danushka (right) has completed hotel school training and has just got a job at a local hotel.

All three graduates live in extremely challenging conditions but all three are working hard to improve the

lives of their families. The Rainbow Centre is extremely proud of them.

Congratulations to Navod and Hansani

Navod came third in a district competition for maths while Hansani came first for dictation and handwriting. This is a great achievement for children who suffer profound parental neglect and severe difficulties at home.

Huge Thanks to Francis Holland School Regent’s Park Parent Association

The Rainbow Centre has a new tuk tuk thanks to the great generosity of parents, pupils and staff at

Francis Holland School, Regent’s Park. The Rainbow Centre tuk tuk is one of the busiest vehicles on the

road and it was badly in need of a new tuk tuk. The Rainbow Centre has gained so much from its close

links to the school which have seen teacher training visits, a sports tour visit and a sixth form initiative

where girls acted as teachers of the Rainbow Centre children and the standards of English, maths and art

were given a huge boost. The Rainbow Centre is delighted to have the ongoing support of the school.

School Partnership Programme Progresses after two School Visits in July 2016

Sports tour visitors from Hull Collegiate (left) and John Hampden Grammar School (right) were a stunning

success with Rainbow cricketers determined to display their tremendous skills. The visit by Hull Collegiate

is planned to be followed up with meetings at the school about partnership and volunteer teacher visits to

focus on training and improving standards of the Rainbow educational programmes.

Puwendran - Gifted Rainbow Centre Artist - Prepares for his First Exhibition

As a result of the assistance of visiting professional artists, Puwendran, aged15, is in training to hone his

fine art skills. His exceptional talent has been universally acknowledged. He is currently compiling a

substantial body of work for an exhibition in December 2016. He brings home artwork every evening and

works until late in the evening producing new pictures. He is being taught by the Rainbow Centre’s art

teacher and takes his inspiration from nature, his imagination and love of animals. A school trip is being

planned to go to Hambantota to the safari park to sketch animals in August.

Club Villa Hotel Supplies Monthly Gourmet Lunches

Rainbow Centre children are delighted to enjoy luxury lunches every month thanks to the generosity of

Club Villa’s owner, Channa de Silva, his head chef and kitchen staff. These meals are a highlight of the

month and provide children with nutritious food of gourmet standards following consultation with the

children on what they would like to eat most. Rainbow Centre children rely on the Centre for lunch which

is often the only meal they receive a day.

Romesh who has been at the Centre since a baby – art work for school going children – daily music practice

Just a few of the 41 children aged six to ten who join the Centre after mainstream school

Housing News

A squatter area of basic housing was destroyed in July 2016 leaving eight families homeless and living in

plastic shelters. The Rainbow Centre is assisting the families with children who attend the Centre as well

as supporting a local appeal to raise funds for all affected families who subsist on low incomes and do not

have the funds to find housing elsewhere. Most of the families live on loans with prohibitively high interest

rates. Most hope that by remaining in the devastated area where they lived they will acquire some land.

How to Support the Rainbow Centre Children If you would like to support the Rainbow Centre, please set up a standing order or donate by contacting

http://www.justgiving.com/rcsl/donate. Or please make cheques payable to: “The Rainbow Centre Sri

Lanka” at Spring Pond House, Tote Lane, Stedham, West Sussex, GU29 0QH. Alternatively, please make

direct bank transfers or standing order payments to: The Rainbow Centre Sri Lanka, a/c no. 71647431,

sort code 40-04-09, HSBC Bank, 16 King Street, London WC2E 8JF. The Rainbow Centre Sri Lanka is a UK-

registered charity and Sri Lankan NGO. Or please go to www.rainbowcentresrilanka.com