Arts
Riding into a better future
Some years back, the childrenof Poonakary, Jaffna, were beginning to drop out of school at an alarming rate. The main reason was that many of them had to travel weary miles, as much as 6-7 in the hot sun or the monsoon rains to reach school.
This was when Appe Lanka, spearheaded by the indefatigable Shaan Corea, stepped in. Shaan had been looking into ways her rural development project under Awakening Lanka could help rekindle a land ravaged by 30 years of war when the Poonakary Divisional Secretariat put before her the plight of hundreds of school children.
Back to school: Thanks to Appe Lanka’s bike project
The ensuing ‘Just Give A Child A Bike and Prevent Them Dropping Out of School’ project by Appe Lanka, proved a resounding success. Shaan roped in a medley of celebrities to hold a mixed bag of fundraisers: artists painted, musicians performed, celebrity chefs cooked and opinion leaders and influencers held programmes.
The results were astonishing and the bikes that effort brought in have ensured over 400 children went back to school. Today, the dropout rates have decreased and the attendance is impressive. The children can concentrate on school work- not having walked miles in the hot sun.
But years on, those bikes now need upgrading and many students have overgrown the smaller bicycles.
Appe Lanka’s simple appeal for this year’s season of giving is for you to donate your old bike to a child from Poonakary. They plan to refurbish and service the machines and hand one each over, hopefully to 650 youths.
It will be a pivotal project though one among others to ensure these students ride to a better, brighter future.
Over the years Appe Lanka has been making Poonakary livable for over 20,000 people spread over a 4392 km area by the end of the war, gasping for basic amenities including safe water, sustainable livelihood, proper education, gender equality and good health and nutrition.
Apart from the bike project Appe Lanka has initiated a number of others in the area amongst them Let Them Bloom, Give Them Water which in two stages has ensured that 21 grade schools, a village of 2000 called Ponavali and three preschools have been given water (in the case of the village for all their needs including tending to crops).
With the Let No One Go Hungry project, 408 families undergoing hardships were given dry rations during the first stage of lockdown. Equal Chances- English for All will soon see 24 audio/video English teaching modules (already produced) distributed around Poonakary.
You can deliver your bikes to 7/9 Second Lane, Nawala, Rajagiriya. Or contact +94772872056 or mail info@appelanka.com. Also visit appelanka.com