As you can see from the latest photographs the Rosie May Home is now completely finished and looks amazing. Staff have been appointed and will commence employment from October 1st 2008. Most importantly, the first children have been identified and will go to live in the Rosie May Home shortly afterwards.
We have recently discovered that we are the only charity in Sri Lanka that have been granted permission this year to provide a residential home for Orphans, therefore despite anxiety caused by recent delays we do feel very privileged to have finally achieved full official approval of the Rosie May Home. The Commissioner for Child Services was most impressed and said "the high standards will be used as a model for future residential care."
Our first team of volunteer’s have just returned home and have used their skills to put policies and procedures into place for the Rosie May Home and volunteer programme.
Alongside this they have made a valuable contribution teaching English to pre-school children and staff at the child & youth development centre on site which continues to thrive. An "English Day" comprising of literacy, numeracy , physical and creative activities was thoroughly enjoyed by children and staff and has now become a monthly event! After school cricket coaching has been set up by one of our volunteer teachers for the local boys who attend the free English and IT lessons at the centre.
Practical tasks such as cleaning, painting, organising furniture, fixtures and fittings, making beds etc have been accomplished in challenging conditions of high humidity and a temperature of 32c!
We are very grateful to all of the summer volunteers for their hard work.
Graham & Mary x
Our first team of summer volunteers had an amazing experience and worked extremely hard at the Rosie May Home to help complete the interior and exterior. They painted the perimeter walls with the help of the local village children and made a welcoming mural of handprints of all who contributed.
Helping Hands!
ROSIE MAY HOME: May 2008
Dear Volunteers
As you know Graham and I have just returned from Sri Lanka at the beginning of May. We arrived at the Rosie May Home and we were amazed at the transformation as a result of the beautiful landscaping it really is breathtaking! Unfortunately 29 coconut trees had to be removed, however the safety of the children is paramount and we could not risk coconuts falling on heads! We had just received news of our acceptance of NGO (non governmental organisation) status in Sri Lanka, which enabled us to meet with Social Services.
After a few lengthy meetings with the Social Worker, architect, contractor, and landscaper (lots of translating by Ruchi our project manager!) we have put in to place recommendations from Social Services to be completed by June 1st.
Mary & Graham with pre-school staff and volunteers Laura & Hannah
We have ordered furniture and fittings, bedding, kitchen equipment, which should all, be in place by the beginning of June when the final inspection by Social Services will take place. The most exciting news is that the first five to ten children will arrive a month later at the beginning of July! (A court order has to be obtained to move a child from one place to another, which takes four weeks.)
Pre-school children enjoying birthday lunch!
Our first two official volunteers Hannah & Laura arrived the week after us for their four-week stay. We were able to work with staff and children at the Pre-school, which is on site funded by our Sri Lankan partners People In Need Foundation. The Pre-school is thriving and has over 100 children registered every morning that is free to tsunami-affected children. Teachers are paid by Great Ormond Street Hospital; the pre- school gives local children a head start to education that ordinarily their parents would be unable to afford. Children travel up to 15k with their parents often walking a lot of it to get there! Our time spent working with the volunteers teaching English to children & staff was challenging yet rewarding!
Teaching English to Pre-School Teachers and children with Laura & Hannah.
Our first team of summer volunteers had an amazing experience and worked extremely hard at the Rosie May Home to help complete the interior and exterior. They painted the perimeter walls with the help of the local village children and made a welcoming mural of handprints of all who contributed. 
Helping Hands!
