Kosgoda/Sri Lanka, May 2007 – When we visited the school in Kosgoda, we were greeted with bright smiles: 55 students in grades 1 to 4 passed their exams and will be moving up a grade in the next school year. School director Sato, a Buddhist monk and in charge since January 2006, was pleased for them.

Not long ago, these children's lives were suddenly devastated. Many people lost everything when the tsunami struck in Sri Lanka. Those who survived were left with nothing. Children tend to suffer much more from a traumatic experience like this than adults. What these children need most of all is to return to normal life as soon as possible.

The Augsburg Order of Malta Relief Corps is supervising a housing project in one of the UNESCO villages. Part of this project is a new school built with support from the WACKER RELIEF FUND, in which 55 children from grades 2 to 5 will be taught. In the meantime, 20 of the original 75 children have moved away with their parents or have moved to a state school. Six teachers are giving lessons at the moment.

The funds needed for teachers' salaries, school uniforms and school books and equipment continue to come from the WACKER RELIEF FUND. Eleven schools across Germany sent donations to help finance the construction of this school complex. The German students are kept regularly updated on how their donations are being used so they know how necessary these donations were. They correspond with the Sri Lankan students on a regular basis.

The school kids and monk Sato pore over the latest English edition of the WACKER employee magazine, WIN, and happily give its editor, Petra Hettich, an autograph.

This joint project initiated by the WACKER RELIEF FUND and the Augsburg Order of Malta Relief Corps is giving the children in Kosgoda hope for the future. Three of the children, who all live in the UNESCO village, introduce themselves below:

Ansanka, born August 13, 1997

lives in the village with his sister and parents. He likes going to school, especially when there's a math lesson or volleyball. Later he wants to be a math engineer.

Randunu born June 30,1997

lives in the village with his sister and parents. His favorite subjects are mathematics and English, his hobbies are reading and volleyball. He'd like to be an engineer someday.

Tharushi born January 29, 1997

lives in the village with her sister and parents. Sinhalese and mathematics are her favorite subjects; writing and badminton her hobbies. Later she'd like to be a math teacher.

There are currently 50 houses with about 230 inhabitants in the UNESCO village. Elfriede Süß, who heads the Sri Lankan FUTURE FOR CHILDREN Organization, has been supervising the school complex on site for the Augsburg Order of Malta Relief Corps.