Our New Project

There is much to report about our Talalla Bay adventures since the last entry and since finishing the tsunami relief work, which first brought us here.



As we fell in love with the life and people of Talalla we realised there was more that we could do to help the community, and so we, cousins Jess and Hayley, developed a clothing label with an idea to manufacture domestically from Talalla Bay, to generate livelihoods and support an industry from within the very heart of the village.



We have been dedicated to our cause working out of Sydney and Sri Lanka to develop KissinCussin, aptly named for the two of us life-loving cousins and the journey we started in Talalla together.



From humble beginnings, two years ago, we produced a range of cute summer dresses for the market stalls of Australia. Since then, in leaps and bounds, we have made much progress and have a great following in Australia of women eager to support our outlook and buy our stand out designs.

If you wish to see KissinCussin’s current collection please visit www.kissincussin.com

Increased popularity and demand for our label means we have managed to double the number of employees in Talalla Bay, again set to rise by 100% next year. Our team of local ladies is headed by Nishanti, and we all come to her house each day to work.













Through KissinCussin, stocked widely across Australia, we hope to continue in our efforts to generate further employment in Talalla and to help the wider community. We aim to implement vocational education classes, for the community hall of Talalla Bay, which was built during our work for the tsunami relief project.



This has been the most amazing experience from the beginning until now and it only gets better as more opportunities for Talalla Bay present themselves, if we can assist some of the many gifted and talented people here, to give them some opportunity to realise and follow their own dreams, as we have been able to follow ours, then it is all the more worthwhile.

These pictures can tell our story infinitely better than words so please take a look to follow the amazing adventure we started and which, by no means, is over. We will be updating regularly with images and insights so please stay in touch at this address to learn more about the KissinCussins and Talalla Bay – Enjoy xx

Foundation Stone Ceremony

On Monday 8th August, the Talalla Support Group were guests at the foundation stone ceremony for the building of the Community Hall. The day was full of colour and happiness as the whole Talalla community came together for the commencement of this wonderful project.
Our charity, headed by Lawrie Rose, a Jewish man, is funding the Hall, to be built by a Muslim man, Mr Uwaiz, on a Buddhist site for the benefit of local Talalla people of many varying religions and backgrounds. This is brought so much joy and optimism to everyone taking part in the project, as an area of such a diversity is brought together in such unity, proving we can all work and play together with a little respect and understanding. In my opinion, it is the way the world should be.
The day started mid morning, as we followed the students of the Sunday Dharma class, elaborately dressed in traditional Sinhalese costumes, singing, playing instruments and dancing up the driveway to the site. On arrival we were presented with Betel leaves by some of the Montessori preschool children, and then sacred white flowers, which we took up to the temple and presented to Buddha.
Next on the agenda, the Talalla Support Group, the builders, some local council members and respected gentlemen were all presented with a brick each. We lined up along a trench, which was dug in the area where the Community Hall is being built, and one by one we placed our bricks in the ground and covered them with cement provided.
A lot of credit goes to Mr Pinsiri, a local teacher who was also a victim of the Tsunami, he has selflessly given much of his time to organising this event as well as the planning for the construction of the Community Hall.
By Jess Brown.

Beginning the Community Hall

With livelihoods restored and life in Talalla returned to some normality, the Talalla Support Group are in the process of using the remaining donations to build a new Community Hall next to the local Buddhist Temple. This is a great project, involving the whole community and providing a wonderful place for all locals to meet for various differing purposes.
The Montessori pre-school will use the hall five days a week. With twenty students, five years of age and down, they will make great use of the new facilities. On Sundays, the Buddhist classes take place for local children from four years old to eighteen. When rain prevents them from being able to take their classes outside, the hall will be a necessity. It will also provide a great area to organise local dance and Poya, full moon, celebrations. In addition, any money not used on the construction will go towards setting up the school with more books, chairs and tables.
The Buddhist Hall is also a place for community meetings. From fishing to farming to banking, many different groups and organisations will benefit and make good use of the hall.
Over the last six months, I have realised that there is definitely an importance in community projects, bringing the people together and encouraging them to work as one. The Buddhist Hall will be a useful and beautiful sanctuary for the people of Talalla Central and Talalla South to learn, meet, and celebrate their religion.
By Jess Brown

Returning Other Livelihoods Lost

Livelihoods lost in the tsunami go beyond the fisher folk. From tailors to coir makers, tree fellers to fish sellers and technicians to electricians, these are just a few of the industries affected which we have since endeavoured to restore.
As well as giving back what was lost and destroyed, returning tools and equipment helps the locals take their minds away from the living conditions they are now forced into as they busily work, starting their businesses from scratch.
Some women of Talalla, displaced and living in refugee camps, are nursing new born babies. They can hopefully feel assured and see some positive light ahead as we try and do what we can to get their family life back on track, offering whatever security there may be left.
Jess Brown

Fishing Livelihoods

Restoring those livelihoods lost in the tsunami has been by far one of the most rewarding jobs as well as the most promising for the future. Being primarily a fishing village, replacing what the local fishermen lost has been a huge hurdle. The majority lost there boats, engines and nets and ropes in the tradgedy leaving them with little hope for an income and the futures' of their families. With no prior experience in fishing i learnt in the deep end about net sizes, boat types amongst much else and have since been named the fishing madame of Talalla, i now have great new found knowledge of an industry previously a complete mystery to me.
With the arrival of the first boats we saw the whole community on the beach for the first time, giving buddha's blessing to the new boats and setting them out to the ocean which months ago stole so much. I feel the bravery of the men setting back out on the water is truelly amazing and heart felt and with the arrival of their new nets and ropes coming next, it is wonderful seeing them busily getting back to there old lifestyles and survival skills. Sadly this is still in the confines of their temporary, but possibly more permanent, living conditions. With new laws inplied, building in a hundred metres of the shoreline has been stopped and is of course causing some real concern and desperation for the majority of the fishermen whose lives revolve around and are based on the coast line.
Another problem which has arised for the men is the huge amount of debris they have found, mainly coconut trees, in the ocean making it extremely hard for them to use their new nets and thus fish. We have started trying to remove the trees which can now be seen on the water's edge but much hard work still lies ahead.
The bravery and positivity in the village is so inspiring and constantly leaves me speechless. Few words can describe how the people here make me feel and i am completely blown away by their abilities to look to the future however foggy and unsure.
Talalla and the people will always be so special to me and i wouldnt be anywhere else in the world right now.
Jess Brown