Dear club members, dear other club sponsors,
in Corona times, the framework conditions here on land and the measures envisaged at a distance of 8,901 kilometers also change for a “German” club. So I actually wanted to invite you to our 14th general meeting on April 26, 2020. On Friday we had our preparatory 44th meeting of the board of our association. Conducted as a conference call in corona times and with official ban on club events. This is also possible and so we were able to decide on the activities currently required by the board of our association. In this respect, the Board of Directors has drawn up the 2019 annual accounts in accordance with the Articles of Association, resolved the associated report of the Board of Directors and canceled the already scheduled general meeting. Therefore, unfortunately no invitation today and due to the general conditions we cannot name a fixed new date. We have planned August 8, 2020 as an appointment idea. This is the day of our 14th club birthday and a scheduled date for 2020. Of course we hope that we will have normal conditions again, but we will also invite you to do so in accordance with the articles of association. This special information is already accompanied by the 2019 Annual Report, which we have decided on. The board will of course answer questions in advance. Also included is our first planning of the Sri Lanka trip 2021. I have already received initial inquiries about this and for those who are interested in it, a certain advance notice is certainly necessary. However, of course we have to keep going to our “rose children” on a regular basis.
They also suffer from the aftermath of the global corona crisis. Kindergartens, schools, universities and state training centers have been closed for almost 2 weeks. For the region around Mahaweewa – there is our latest project in the ACBC blind and deaf and dumb children’s home a curfew has been in effect for a few days. Reason, this is a rather Christian area with lots of family contacts to Italy and some returnees from vacation visits. A national curfew has been in effect since 6 p.m. yesterday until 6 a.m. on Monday. I have been in contact with our helpers in Sri Lanka via email for the past few days. So here is a brief overview:• Rosenkinder sponsorships – Of the currently 68 sponsorships, 66 children / adolescents / students continue to receive their regular support, 2 prospective students are waiting for a place to study from 2012. It is hoped that after Sri Lanka New Year the schools will reopen in mid-April. Special thanks to our members from Wasantha, the rice farmer in Kotapola and volunteer from the monk Dr. Kirinde. The Rosenkinder Sri Lanka drivers know him well!
- Rosenkinder School Sponsorships – Of the currently 68 sponsorships, 66 children / adolescents / students continue to receive their regular support, 2 prospective students are waiting for a place to study from 2012. It is hoped that after Sri Lanka New Year the schools will reopen in mid-April. Special thanks to our members from Wasantha, the rice farmer in Kotapola and volunteer from the monk Dr. Kirinde. The Rosenkinder Sri Lanka fellow passengers know him well!
- Renovation of Ampakamam School – school operations in the north, in the former civil war zone, are also at a standstill. The headmaster there would have liked to meet us in February. The visit planned by our helper Dooland de Silva last week had to be canceled.
- Girls Balapitiya Children’s Home – Of course the girls no longer go to school. The 5 teachers financed by us now come to the home every morning for individual lessons. Mrs. Nilika, the head of all ACBC children’s homes thanks us for our support and reports that outside access to all children’s homes is blocked, the mattresses are or are to be equipped with mouth guards and efforts are being made to recruit “replacement mattresses”, in case of sick leave. The pictures today were taken a week ago in Balapitiya. Show the girls are hardworking and in good spirits. However, they pray for their Petra and all Rosenkinder members here every day. It is also known in Sri Lanka that the corona situation is exploding in Europe.
- Rosenkinder Hostel Panadura – the home is closed, the last 13 girls have returned to their original children’s homes. They are better off there because there is of course no training company in the adjacent state training center. Everyone hopes that this will soon come to an end. Maybe now in the meantime the opportunity to finally complete the last open measures from the renovation financed by us in an empty home !?
- Blind and deaf and dumb children’s home Mahaweewa – As already written, probably the center of the Corona crisis in Sri Lanka. Of course no school on the premises. But expect the latest news.
Otherwise, the situation in Sri Lanka is very tense. I know from my own experience that the people there react very emotionally to such a crisis. Maybe another consequence of the 2004 tsunami !?
Of course, we all hope that a “more normal life” can start again soon here and there. So I am already in the new year and in the Sri Lanka planning 2021. I have already received a few inquiries. We are of course planning a trip to the “Rosenkinder” and our helpers, probably at the end of January 2021. There will also be a group trip with or without Ayurveda afterwards. It will probably start around February 10, 2021. The planning envisages a particularly “nature trip” to the north of the island. The west coast high above Kalpitiya to Jaffna with stops. We also want to spend one night in a camp in Wilpattu National Park and on the elephant river Pinnewala before heading back to the west coast. So not the typical cultural sites, but we want to visit our projects in Mahaweewa and Ampakamam on the route. Also register non-binding interest with me. A look into the next year is a little comforting, because the current travel plans for you are all canceled or wobbly.
Until next time Dieter Kaske