This is a long-term scheme to provide scholarship funding for tsunami-affected children. The children come from a variety of coastal communities in the Southern Province, from Hikkaduwa to Haberaduwa. The ultimate aim of the scheme is to help lift children out of a cycle of poverty and deprivation and give them the chance to improve their lot and that of their own descendants.
Scheme managed by the Southern Tsunami Trust (STT)
The programme has been developed by the Southern Tsunami Trust (STT) in conjunction with FoS. The STT is a humanitarian organisation created after the tsunami. Its Board of Trustees include Father Patrick Fernando, Professor Susirith Mendis, former Dean of and currently professor at Ruhunu University medical faculty and Dr Sujeewa Amaresena, Head of Pediatrics at Karapitiya hospital near Galle.
Operational structure
Friends of the South provides funding through the STT for this scheme and has helped the STT establish an office from which it will be run. There is a significant administrative burden in running each scholarship, and a full-time employee is taken on per 50 children enrolled to carry out regular monitoring, follow-up and progress reporting. There is also a manager who is in charge of daily operations and all data gathering and reporting.
How the scholarships work
The children selected by the STT are between the ages of six and sixteen and the scholarships they receive are established for a minimum of three years. Funds for each child are raised and kept in a separate bank account for that child to provide for its needs over the funding period. It is the strong desire of FoS and STT that (funds permitting) scholarships are extended to the end of children’s education.
Scholarships to date
At 30 June 2005, 200 children are receiving these scholarships.
The breakdown of these children by age and size of scholarship is as follows:
Age Group
No of children
Amount
Education Exp
6 and 7 at outset
51
1,000
750
8 and 9 at outset
41
1,250
1,000
10 and 11 at outset
39
1,500
1,250
12 and 13 at outset
39
1,750
1,250
14 and 16 at outset
30
2,000
1,500
Total
200
Age Group
Savings
Total Cost per Child
Total Cost for All (Rs)
6 and 7 at outset
250
36,000
1,836,000
8 and 9 at outset
250
45,000
1,845,000
10 and 11 at outset
250
54,000
2,106,000
12 and 13 at outset
500
63,000
2,457,000
14 and 16 at outset
500
72,000
2,160,000
Total
10,404,000(c. US$105,000)
Learning centre and playground
The office space provided to STT by FoS will be used both to run the scholarship scheme from, and also as an additional learning centre for enrolled children. Classes in English, computing and handicrafts will be offered. Classes in these subjects will also be offered ccommercially to other children to help raise funds for the STT. In addition, a playground is being built so that all local children in this deprived area have a place of their own to come and play.
Large funding requirement
The cost for sponsoring 100 children across the range of ages of about $50,000 for the initial three years, and it is our intention to try to guarantee the scholarship continues to the end of a child’s education. For some children this could be 15 years, if they attend university. Funding requirements are therefore significant, particularly as more children are enrolled in the scheme.
If you are interested in donating to this scheme or helping to raise funds for it, please get in touch at: friendsofthesouth@yahoo.co.uk
Funds allocated
As at 30/6/2006 we have allocated Rs1.1m (approx US$11,000) to the STT.
