Ocean Stars Lanka End of Year Programme Report

Our annual end of year programme was held on Friday 7th December 2012. The guests started to arrive at 9.00 am and were welcomed with traditional garlands by the children.

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The children’s costume’s reflected their race i.e. Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim or Burgher. The guests lit the traditional oil lamp at the beginning of the ceremony.

Pupils from Pulliyadimunai School performed the welcome dance. After that each playgroup performed one item. The performances were amazing. There were 480 people in total at the performance. This included the children and parents. The hall was full to capacity and people had to stand outside. The children were very happy to receive their Christmas gifts. The programme finished at 1.00pm. OST sponsor children helped us to organize the day.

Parents of the Kallady sponsor children helped to decorate the hall and arrange it. Parents of Vincent Sponsor children helped to serve refreshments and the children welcomed the guests.

D.Dharmaranchan welcome Speech

I warmly welcome you all to our end of year programme. Every human life is precious and particularly children in their lives aged 1-3. We are very happy to work with Ocean Stars UK to help these children get the best possible start to their education. When we started off in 2005 we had 4 nurseries, 8 teachers and a few sponsor children. We now have 13 nurseries, 27 teachers and 59 sponsor children. We also run Palmeirah classes for parents of nursery children, painting classes for young ladies and we constantly help with immediate relief following floods and also with the annual gift catalogue.

We have established our first link with an UK high school call Calthorpe Park School in Fleet Hampshire. We are hoping that students from Calthorpe Park School will visit us in October 2103. The Edinburgh Global Partnership EGP selected us to build a new nursery in Ampalanthurai. Eight students from Edinburgh university our visiting us in July 2103 to help with building this nursery.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Dilanee and Ocean Stars Trustees for their guidance and all their funding. I would like to thank our management team, and our field assistance U.Kugathasini and S.Diana and our Treasurer Mr.T.Saravanapavan and painting class teacher Mrs.Saravanapavan and our Palmeirah teacher N.Thushanthini. Without this wonderful team OSL would not be able to function so successfully.

Thank you.

Summary of the guest speech

Mr.V.Thgavarajah Divisional secretary (Manmunai west, Vavunathivu, Batticaloa)

I thank OSL for giving me the chance to come here today and be your special guest. I was here four years ago to see my children perform at the end of year programme. Today I am here as a special guest. Lots of nurseries in my division do not have this extra support from OSL. I would really like to thank OSL and OST UK for their support to our nurseries and our children. I also thank the parents for taking part in the income generating projects. I am very proud to have been selected by EGP. I would like to continue supporting and working with Ocean Stars in the future.

Mr.N.Andew (Programme co-ordinater save the children)

I thank OSL for inviting me here today. When I see how the children have performed today I see how effectively OSL and OST UK work with our nurseries.  I am impressed by all the hard work, preparation and origination. I wish these children well with their future education. I would like to thank OST UK for all their support and I wish them all the very best.

Mr.M.Puvirajah (ECCD co-coordinator, Zonal education office)

In Sri Lanka 15% of the student population has been affected by mental illness and sexual exploitation. 6% of children get pregnant before marriage. I am so pleased that OSL and OST UK are working with our children from a very young age. I thank OSL for inviting me as a special guest and I wish them luck with their future work.