Articles
Tsunami's Lessons Taken to Heart
Taking Pride in Making Change
Adopt a school program in East Timor
Rebuilding Schools in Sri Lanka

Following the fact finding visit to Sri Lanka by PLC Sydney Principal, Dr William McKeith and his associate, Mr Philip Brewer in February, promises of support for the fifteen schools and organisations profiled in southern Sri Lanka have been most gratifying. All of the Sri Lankan schools and organisations visited have been matched with supportive schools in Australasia , with a number of other schools keen to participate as well.

Over 70% of the Sri Lankan coastline was affected by the tsunami, with some of the most serious destruction and loss of life in the region around the city of Galle . Schools were affected in various ways. Some reported complete, or near complete destruction of their facilities and the homes of local families. Others spoke of deaths, injuries, missing persons and the loss of livelihoods. Most put a brave face on things, bravely declaring their intention to re-establish school routines and to normalise the situation as quickly as possible for their students. Almost all told of lost resources, either resulting from tsunami damage, or pilfering or both.

Townsville Grammar School in Queensland has made a commitment to support ‘Magalle Sudharma MV' , a school near Galle . Over one hundred Sudharma students lost their lives, over fifty lost both parents and many more were injured or displaced. The school roll fell from nearly 1300 prior to the tsunami, to less than one 1,000 afterwards.

King's College in Auckland , New Zealand , has confirmed support for ‘G/Martin Wickramasingha', another school near Galle . Less than 100 metres from the ocean, Wickramasingha lost one major building that incorporated their highly valued library, and all teaching resources. Several classes are currently being taught under temporary canvas awnings.

		Buonavista College has been adopted by a school in Western Australia , Atwell Primary School . Their primary school, ‘Sri Sumanjothi' in Unawatuna just south of Galle , was completely destroyed by the waves. Over one hundred students have been relocated either to the high school or to the pre-school, both of which are nearby on higher ground. The King's School Preparatory School in Parramatta , NSW, has adopted G/Peraliya Shri Jinarathana school at Thelwatta, half an hour's drive north of Galle . Here, seven buildings were completely destroyed and countless homes lost. Eighteen students and three teachers lost their lives. Nearly two thousand people sheltering on a passenger train here lost their lives here when the second wave swept it from the rails. There are plans to relocate the entire school. In the meantime, 300 of the 650 students continue their education in wooden huts that serve as temporary classrooms.
Children at Martin Wickramasingha .

Another school close to the ocean, MR Mirissa M.M.V ., commonly known as Mirissa Central College , has been adopted by Sydney 's Trinity Grammar School . Mirissa College recorded no loss of life, but did lose two buildings and all teaching resources including a classroom full of recently donated personal computers. Priority has been given to repairs and a new classroom building constructed to accommodate the 500 students transferred to this site from a nearby primary school that was completely demolished.

The town of Matara lies at the southernmost tip of Sri Lanka . MR/Polhena MV, is situated beside the beach on one of the most picturesque stretches of the coast. Much of the school was severely damaged, three buildings utterly destroyed and all resources swept away by the waves on 26 December 2004. Most of the site lies within 100 metres of the beach. The Principal believes they may be relocated in the near future, but for the present, attempts are being made to clean up the damage and recommence teaching in what remains of the school. Sydney 's famous Cranbrook School has already commenced raising funds for Polhena .

		St Mary's Convent School at Matara sits immediately across the road from the beach. It is made up of a primary school and a secondary school. It took the full force of the waves, but this strongly built Catholic school withstood the pressure of the water very well. Although the school walls and one classroom block were seriously damaged, most of their buildings remain intact. All ground floor rooms, however, were flooded to the ceilings, with a great quantity of teaching resources, equipment and furniture destroyed or lost. Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar School and their sister school, Kilvington Girls Grammar School, both in Victoria, have given undertakings to support St Mary's.
Polhena's principal with damaged instruments.

		Trinity Catholic College at Goulburn , New South Wales , has made a start on fundraising for St. Servatius College , Matara. St Servatius, a Catholic school for boys has over 2400 students, over 630 of whom lost their homes to the tsunami. Many ground floor buildings were damaged and a much of their furniture, equipment and teaching resources ruined or swept away. In particular, the school is keen to replace a considerable quantity of sporting and musical equipment as soon as possible. Bronte Public School in Sydney has adopted Dharmapala School in Weligama. Both are primary schools. Bronte has commenced fund raising, is seeking to involve the wider community in their endeavours to support Dharmapala and hopes to establish a long term association with the school. Over 250 of the 750 students at Dharmapala were directly affected by the waves, many losing their homes, or family members or both. Nine of the twenty-nine teachers lost their homes. Twelve students died.

Siddhartha College , also in Weligama, is a large school for 2700 boys, nearly 500 of whom were directly affected by the tsunami. It received significant damage to water, power and drainage systems. There was also a considerable amount of looting after the tsunami when the school was used as a Relief Centre for over 750 persons. A great deal of equipment was lost and much furniture damaged or stolen. The Scots College in Sydney has adopted the school. There are hopes that a cultural/cricket visit to Siddhartha and tour of Sri Lanka may be possible in the future.

Pymble Ladies' College in Sydney has adopted Sumanagala Girls' College in Weligama. Already, the year Eleven students at Pymble have held one fundraising concert and a second larger scale ‘Microwave Aid' concert scheduled for 31 March was expected to draw bands and students from a number of neighbouring schools, with proceeds to be directed to Sumangala. Sumangala is attended by 2900 girls of whom, more than 600 were directly affected by the tsunami, either through loss of family members or their homes. The school suffered limited damage to walls and some classrooms, but like most others nearby, it was the loss of equipment, furniture and resources that proved particularly challenging when the basic clean up had been completed.

Presbyterian Ladies College Sydney has adopted Ruhunu State Childrens' Receiving Home in Galle . Ruhunu is an orphanage for children aged from just a few days old to five years. Under-funded and under-resourced, the facility has been in a bad way for some time. Today things are improving, but until recently, many of the fifty-four babies and children slept two or three to a cot or bed. Twenty-two Year Eleven PLC students accompanied by teachers and some parents visited Galle in mid April of this year. Each of them undertook eight-hour, day and night shift voluntary work at Ruhunu, caring for the children and attending to their most essential needs. Fund raising has already occurred and gifts for the children were delivered in person.

		Wesley College in Perth , Western Australia has confirmed its decision to adopt Bathigama Maha Vidyalaya near Matara. Bathigama school, built beside a picturesque sandy beach, suffered extensive damage and destruction with many buildings lost. Only those on adjacent higher ground survived intact. The government hopes to relocate the school, but for the present, it continues to operate on the present site, using various forms of temporary accommodation. A few kilometres down the road, Dickwella Methodist College will receive support from St John's Grammar School in South Australia . A smaller school, Dickwella caters for many students from one-parent families and for students that have various learning difficulties and disabilities. The school, situated on high ground, was untouched by the waves, but nearly eighty of their two hundred students lost their homes, or family members, or both.

To this point in time, ‘Adopt a School - Australia' , working in concert with the ‘Adoptsrilanka' team in Galle, is working to support 14 schools and an orphanage in the region, thereby providing assistance to nearly 15,000 students and staff. With requests received from a number of other schools to adopt schools in Sri Lanka , plans are in hand to identify and profile another group of tsunami affected schools in coming weeks.

A party of 22 Year 11 students accompanied by 7 adults left Sydney on Sunday 17 th April bound for Galle . During the course of their seven day tour their programme includes visits to three of the schools identified above, working night and morning shifts at Ruhunu orphanage and a visit to Senehasa Girls' Home. In each case their goodwill visits last for three or four hours and enable students from both schools to engage in English language and sporting activities.