Kirimetiyawatte case studies

In early 2016 Shining Life Children’s Trust (SLCT), in partnership with the Women’s Development Centre (WDC) started a new project with the community in Kirimetiyawatte. The project is working to strengthen the community to enable them to build a positive future of their own.

Sally, our Field Director, recently spent some time with two inspirational young women, Subadhini and Sugnya, from Kirimetiyawatte to find out more about they have become involved in the work of the project.

Subadhini Chandrasekaran (22 years old) and Sugnya Nadaraj (20 years old) have both grown up together in Kirimetiyawatte. These inspirational young women are passionate about helping the young children in their village, and are committed to improving education opportunities for their community.

Through the work of our project in Kirimetiyawatte Subadhini and Sugnya have recently completed a three-month basic teacher training course and are now working towards their diploma. They are currently using their recently acquired skills at the newly opened 'super kid’s nursery' in their village.

Before they got involved with the project, Subadhini worked as a part time teaching assistant and Nadaraj a seamstress. They rarely left the village and most of their time focused on helping their families at home.

Subadhini and Sugnya heard about the work of the Shining Life Children’s Trust project at a women’s group meeting held in the village, facilitated by the Women’s Development Centre. When they heard about the plans for a new pre-school they knew they wanted to get involved.

CSubadhini explained 'The young children need a better start in life, to help them gain the education they need for a better future. We can help them with this, by setting up a pre-school and teaching them.

Staff at the Women’s Development Centre worked with them both to make sure they were able to complete the required training. Subadhini commented 'The staff at the Women’s Development Centre have helped us with our confidence to complete the studies. They explained what we would need to do and have helped us travel to class and check that we are ok and doing our homework.'

Subadhini and Sugnya have worked hard to successfully complete their three- month basic training in Kandy, which has enabled them to now take on the role of teachers at the new super kid’s nursery in Kirimetiyawatte. It is currently being temporarily held in the local Hindu Temple whilst the new community building, funded by the project, is being constructed.

Nine children under the age of five attend the nursery every morning, Monday to Friday. Sugnya described a typical day 'We start with some exercise or games to help start the day, we then focus on the alphabet and numbers and then go for break. After break we normally do an arts and crafts session or some singing. This is my favourite part of the day.'

When asked how their lives had changed since becoming involved with the project, both women stated that they felt more confident, and were respected more by their community. Subadhini explained 'We have more confidence in ourselves, the community trusts and respects us because they can see we are doing something good for the whole community. The community is very happy and we are very happy.

The project is working on a range of initiatives to mobilize and empower the community. The women have become key champions for the work of the project and are involved in the women’s group and the local building committee for the new community centre.

The women described some of the benefits they have seen so far:

'The project has helped set up the nursery which is great. The children’s clubs have really given the children more confidence, they participate more and play together more.' Subadhini

'Because of the project we have a new drainage system, people care about the environment more, we are sorting our rubbish and keeping things clean. We are working together more.' Sugnya

Both women expressed that they were extremely grateful for the opportunities the project has given them. Chandrasekaran commented “We are both so thankful for the opportunity to help our village and to become a teacher. Without the project we would not be able to do this. I have always wanted to be a teacher and help my community, and now I can.”

Subadhini’s mother described how she felt about her daughter working with the project. 'I am so happy she is doing something that she loves, and something that she has always wanted to do. I feel so good that my daughter is helping us, helping everyone.'

The women are now working towards their diploma, attending classes every weekend in the city of Kandy. When asked what their future plans were, they replied “We will finish our studies and stay in the village to teach the children and help give them a better future. We are both really looking forward to moving our pre-school into the new community building”.

Shining Life Children’s Trust owes its success to inspirational women like Subadhini and Sugnya whose passion and dedication to improving the lives of children has delivered real change to those most in need.

To find out more about the work we are doing in Kirimetiyawatte please visit the project page.