Wednesday 1st February 2023

Well, we have reached February, which is a definite sign that I am almost half-way through my latest visit to Sri Lanka, which is proving to be just as enjoyable as the first two. They were three months long, whereas my current visit is just for two months, which I am already thinking is a better length, as three months is a rather long time to be away from home, however much I like it here, as I miss family and friends.

There is still much to be done here though, and today saw me staying in Blackpool to take part in what was loosely called 'Social Media Promotion Training' and was led by Dayaneethibabu. It was all guys, apart from Aruni, who is now leading the KNH team, and I can assure you is more than a match for any of the guys. I worked with her for part of the morning session, and it was a pleasure to listen to what she had to say.

This was a good session, and clearly a very important one, as Tea Leaf is thriving as a Non-Government Organisation, with both of the key things it does showing a very healthy growth. The number of schools offering the One-Year Diploma Programme is expanding, as is the number of Self-Help Groups formed through the KNH Project, which will expand even further if the latest application for funding is a success.

I feel so privileged to play a very small part in what Tea Leaf Trust is delivering here in Sri Lanka, and it is all the more enjoyable for me that I have a very good knowledge of both the English teaching side of their work and their KNH Project work, both of which ultimately have the same aim, as they both impact the lives of some of the poorest people who live on the tea estates in the beautiful hill country of Sri Lanka.

Today's photos show a couple of shots of the 'Social Media Promotion Training' in action, plus two rather soaked horses I saw in the middle of Nuwara Eliya when I popped in late on in the afternoon to get some cash for my trip to Ella this weekend, contrasting with two photos showing the cosiness of The Grand Hotel on a cool, rainy night!










Comments

  1. CharlesFebruary 3, 2023 at 12:44 AM

    Good to learn a bit more about the KNH Project - I hadn't appreciated how integral it was to the overall TLT offering, but I take it that women supported by the self-help groups can't sign up as trainee TLT English language teachers - because that opportunity is only open to trained government school teachers? How does the relationship between the two elements of TLT's outreach work in terms of funding? Are they kept strictly separate or is there some overlap?
    On a different tack, I like the way the horses are allowed to graze freely, as opposed to being corralled in a paddock as they usually are in the first world!

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