Ring, ring: It’s time for English on Skype
English with a difference: The children get ready for their twice weekly chat . Pix by Ranjith Perera
Around 4.15 p.m. the tell-tale sound of the Skype ringtone is heard in their simple ‘ICT lab’ and a few of the older children from the Sudhaar programme gather around a laptop. “Good morning,” they happily chorus to the children on the other side of the screen for whom it is still morning. The children then go on to exchange details about the different religions practised in our country – the chosen topic for the day.
This is the ‘Learning English and Building Confidence through Skype’ programme where Sudhaar has joined hands with a school in the United Kingdom called Hurstpierpoint (Hurst) College with whom they conduct a weekly Skype call where the students talk and learn from each other.
All this takes place at the M.H. Mohamed Community Hall in Wanathamulla where the space is used as a school with classrooms furnished with colourful chairs and tables and the walls decorated with posters denoting shapes, numbers and the alphabet. Every Tuesday and Thursday at 3 p.m., around 45 children troop in for afterschool English classes conducted by the Sudhaar project.
Previously known as ‘Project REACH’, Sudhaar (a Sanskrit word meaning betterment) is a not- for- profit organisation that has been working in the Wanathamulla area for more than 20 years. From starting a preschool, community development projects and more, it is the English classes begun 14 years ago that is now their main project.
“We have been trying to see what works for the people and what we can learn from them as well. Though we say English classes we talk a lot to them about their future and about being concerned responsible citizens. Our job is to help improve the way they speak,” shares co-trustee Yasanthi Soysa.
In 2017, 11 students from the Hurst College from Years 7 and 8 along with three staff members came down to Sri Lanka to meet the children they are Skype friends with.
Together the children from UK and Wanathamulla brightened up the community hall painting posters together. Trees with branches decorated with words such as ‘truth, love and peace’, number boards and even murals of the Big Ben took shape amidst much fun.
They also staged two plays with the Sri Lankan group taking the lead in ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ and the British group leading in ‘The Jungle Book’. They performed the plays at the Russian Cultural Centre with the British High Commissioner as the Chief Guest.
Darshana Quintas, 16, who played the role of Emperor says his experience with his British friends and the Sudhaar programme has boosted his self-confidence.
“Really, this programme helped me improve my English. By coming for this programme I started to talk, now I don’t get shy,” he says. It was hard to play the emperor – he had to learn 43 dialogues but he managed it well, he says proudly.
Samantha, 19, dreams of becoming a fashion designer.
With big dreams and determination, Sudhaar has helped these children break out of their shell. “After O’Levels, the children want to do computing, media and all of that but they don’t really know what exactly is involved. Depending on what they like to do, we try to get internships for them,” Yasanthi explains as she has seen how the early exposure has helped the children have goals for their future.
Sudhaar also provides opportunities for the children’s mothers to learn new skills and earn for themselves. They conduct sewing, cardmaking and knitting classes for them, and their creations are sold at either stalls at the International Christmas Charity Bazaar (on today) or any pop-up stores they can find. They also plan to start doing embroidery on saree jackets in the future.
Sudhaar’s dedicated team Yasanthi Soysa, Ayoma Fernando, Subadra Perera, Gita Sekaram, Alnaas Esufally, Azira Esufally, Samitha Weerawardene, Renuka Priyadarshani and Kumari Dharmapala all willingly volunteer their time to help better the lives of these children.
For more information email them at – sudhaarsl@gmail.com or at their registered address, 442 R.A. De Mel Mawatha, Colombo 3.