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American Red Cross and Rotary Club Reopen First School since Tsunami
Brian Hatchell, Press Officer, Sri Lanka
Thursday, December 22, 2005 — The hallways will once again be filled with the sounds of students at the Randombe Junior School when the school year begins on January 2, 2006. One year after the devastating tsunami destroyed thousands of homes, businesses and educational facilities in Sri Lanka, the Randombe Junior School has risen from the rubble.
The former Randombe Junior School, located near the beach, was completely destroyed when the Tsunami struck the coast of Sri Lanka.
An artists rendering of the new Randombe Junior School, completely rebuilt on land donated by a local Budhist Temple, features a state-of-the-art computer centre, a well stocked library, a gymnasium and a science lab. |
The school is one of 25 throughout the country being completely rebuilt by the Rotary Club of Sri Lanka. Through the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRC), the American Red Cross is investing more than $1 million to provide clean water and modern sanitation facilities to all 25 schools. The American Red Cross is also working with the SLRC on a comprehensive hygiene promotion program, which includes forming school sanitation clubs and organizing student fairs that focus on safe water and good hygiene practices. Together these programs will help thousands of school children in Sri Lanka. The goal is to reopen these 25 schools in 2006 and each will be equipped with libraries, computer centers, gymnasiums and school laboratories.
“Working with schools provides us with an incredible opportunity to educate children to the benefits of safe, clean drinking water and good hygiene practices that can last a lifetime,” said Gianni Bicego, water and sanitation delegate for the American Red Cross. “In turn, these children can share this knowledge with their parents and siblings, benefiting an entire household and ultimately, an entire town or village.”
In Sri Lanka, 92 schools were completely destroyed by the tsunami. Another 90 were partially damaged, affecting over 85,000 students across the country. The new Randombe Junior School, located in Ambalangoda in the southern district of Galle, will be moved about 1 kilometer from its original ocean side location. It will accommodate up to 400 students in grades one to 11, almost twice its previous capacity.
Suranee Weerasinghe teaches English to students in grades 9 to 11. She remarked that she is completely amazed by the new school.
Suranee Weerasinghe, an English teacher at Randombe Junior School, looks on as 16-year old Chathuri Priyangika uses a computer for the first time. |
“At the old school there were no separate classrooms. It was very loud, which made it difficult for students to learn,” said Weerasinghe. “This school is very large and will provide a better learning environment for the students.”
Over the past year, students and teachers were forced to attend school in various locations throughout the district. Now, Chathuri Priyangika, 16 years old, is looking forward to being reunited with her teachers and to using the new equipment.
“I know very little about computers and have never used one before, so I am excited to get into the computer lab and learn how they can benefit my life and my future career,” said Priyangika. “I think the new facilities will help students get better grades, which will lead to a better education and allow us to compete for better jobs.”
Priyangika say she hopes to return to the Randombe Junior School one day as a teacher so she can serve the people of the community she lives in.
The rehabilitation of schools is one of the programs by the American Red Cross to improve health conditions in communities impacted by the tsunami. By focusing on its core strengths and implementing programs that complement other organizations’ services, the American Red Cross is meeting the essential needs of millions of people living in tsunami-affected countries.
The budget for the entire project is estimated to be $12 million, which will be provided primarily by the Rotary International, Standard Chartered Bank and the American Red Cross.
Nihal Bogahalande, district governor for Rotary International, said this was a true team effort: “When we first thought of this project we knew we couldn’t do it alone. But with the support of organizations like the American Red Cross we were able to make this dream a reality.”
You can help those affected by countless crises around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. Call 1-800-RED CROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the International Response Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation.
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