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Siri Peracom Vijahara 7 school, in rural Anamaduwa District will get a new library after 8 years of hard work by the dedicated parents.

The school is located off a red dust track in a poor, farming area in the dry zone. Like many schools in this region, its remote location and low prestige mean that it receives little funds from the government. In Sri Lanka it is common for the parents to provide assistance where the Government does not but for the parents of these children such assistance is difficult. The fathers are typically paddy farmers and mothers typically work on the cashew nut plantations. Neither job is well paid and they struggle to meet the family’s needs.

The parents have been keen to improve the facilities at this school and despite living precariously day to day the parents have given what small money they could save, and their time and skills to build a library. In over eight years of slow but consistent effort they have completed the walls and roof of the building. Indeed they have done a fantastic job and the building is strong and sturdy.

Using funds raised by the children of Sibford School in the UK, Aid Sri Lanka will provide the materials required to finish the job. The parents will then work together to complete the building. In addition we will equip the library with the necessary furniture and books.

At the initial planning meeting the teachers and parents explained how they had been working towards the library to help their children’s education. As with all our community projects the focus was very much on them designing the project, working out a schedule that worked for them and fits in with their other commitments. With the paddy harvest approaching the men will soon be very busy so they are keen to start immediately and work intensely to complete the work before the harvest starts. Through a lively discussion a list of the tasks and who would undertake them was compiled as well as a list of the materials to be delivered. Amongst the parents are masons and one of the teachers is a carpenter which is great news.

The children are excited about being able to use the library but the parents are even more excited at the opportunity to do the work and to finish this task they have been working on so long.

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