Talalla South Mahavidyalaya is from primary to senior level and caters for 635 students, grades 1 – 13, ages 5 – 18. The School is located about 30 metres away from Talalla Central village and serves many of the children from each area.
School begins at 8:30am and students form lines in their appropriate divisions, while music is filtered through speakers in the courtyard. Each day at this time the students start with a light established routine, serving as exercise and awakens their bodies and minds for the ensuing day.
Physical damage to the school includes a torn gate and harm to the buildings and classrooms, as well as equipment. Before the tsunami the school had spent a sum of money on library facilities such as shelving and books. Their shelves were subsequently well stocked and filled with literature - essential for the enriching of young minds. Now they stand bare and abandoned. Approximately 30 books were salvaged, and the library is currently disused.
We recently cleared the side entrance to the school, clearing a pathway and knocked down some minor buildings (old disused toilets) that were causing obstruction. Council approval was given for this. This is a major improvement and provides easier access for the children.
The principal has requested the possibility of a road, which they didn’t have before but would be a great asset, especially with the rainy season approaching. We also need to repair one gate and obtain another, completely damaged, for the front and side entrances. I am currently looking into costing for this and the above. There are some larger buildings that were damaged and in the future we hope to be able to help with reconstruction. At the moment, as with many established and damaged buildings, the school is still waiting for government decisions on reconstruction to be confirmed.
The library and it’s content were seriously damaged/destroyed. Most of the furniture and shelving can be repaired and repainted to avoid the costs of buying new. Books, dictionaries and learning materials were washed away. Prior to the tsunami money had been donated for the library’s refurbishment and a budget was allocated to books, hence the shelves were filled and the librarian said that children were taking great advantage of the system. There are no longer books available to use. The children loved the many books and stories in both Singhalese and English and the range was suitable for all levels from ladybird editions to advanced. Replacing these vital development tools would be greatly appreciated.
The library also lost a ceiling fan in the disaster, which they need replacing to cope with the stifling heat - unbearable throughout the day. The library walls are closed for security and as reading requires a concentrated mind the lack of breeze is highly disruptive. Further equipment that would always benefit the school includes uniforms, stationery and exercise books.
In the day to day running of the school children battle the elements, shifting and manoevering equipment chasing the shadows from the sun's probing rays.
The items above are essential. In order to heighten the moral, happiness and general mental well being of their students, teachers have suggested that musical instruments and costumes for dancing would be wonderful assets. Singhalese people are highly demonstrative and expression is a central way to alleviate grief and suffering and to lift spirits. I think supplying such items can also be considered vital necessities, to add life and light to their young troubled minds and form an interest and escapism from their barren homes.
