ABDF

Second graders at Irunuroovil

Irunuroovil (i-ru-NUR-ow-ville) is a rice farming hamlet located some 30 kilometers west of Batticaloa, deep in the interior jungle of the District. The population is scattered over a wide area, and the “downtown” of the hamlet consists of the school, a small temple, and two shacks selling basics such a snacks, onions, and sugar-packet size packages of laundry detergent. There is no mobile phone service, no electricity, no clean water, and one narrow dirt road that is more of a sand track than an actual road.

ABDF first visited the school in late 2007, shortly after the military offensive had driven the LTTE from the area, with the idea of installing a water pump so the villagers could have clean water. Just a month or so after the offensive, the school was a wreck; everything moveable, even the grills on the windows, had been looted, school records had been dumped outside and carried into the jungle by the breeze, and the toilet had been demolished. As it turned out we were unable to carry out our project; the security situation quickly became extremely unstable, what with bands of militia roaming about and running amok, and the government forbidding all foreigners from entry into the interior of the District. It wasn’t until 2009 that it was safe enough to work in the closer-in parts of the interior, and not until this year, 2010, that foreigners were allowed into the remote areas.

The 2010 members of EIA

The Education Incentive Association (EIA) consists of a group of medical students from Eastern University, which serves Batticaloa District, in coalition with Batticaloa-born engineering students attending Peradiniya and Moratuwa Universities. In existence for 15 years, membership is made up of around 50 active student members and 200 University alumni. The purpose of the Association is to promote math and science among Batticaloa high school students with the aim of increasing the number of medical and engineering undergrads.

Puhalidam

ABDF was first introduced to Puhalidam (Poo-AH-leh-dahm) last year. This is one of a handful of schools in the area that provide an education to mentally and physically handicapped children and was the recipient of funds from ABDF to provide a year of transportation for the kids to and from school. For details on the funding and running of the school, please see last year’s project page.