The English College sponsored by the local Tamil community was opened in September 2004 to provide opportunities for their young people. The first group consisted of 15 students, ranging in age from 20 - 25. All of the students were from the north, many from the Jaffna area and were housed and provided for at the college, returning home on the weekends.
Margaret was involved in the design of the college compound. She suggested teaching areas with half walls (cooler and more natural light) and thatched roofs, which are traditional and economical.
“We arrive at 9am and I sit in and assist the student teachers in class. We chat a lot as they want and need lots of conversation practice. They work on their preparations for their after school community classes until lunch time. At 2 I give a practical class on classroom strategies and games. At 4 the school children arrive for their small group lessons. After dinner, eaten together, we go through the English Language coursebook, which deals with grammar, idioms, comprehension exercises etc until 7pm.”
Afternoon community classes
The main hall, kitchen and the girls’ dormitories
Music and dancing to finish the school day
Always fun and laughter
There were drama activities. This play was written and performed for a National Day celebration.
The girls had all learnt traditional Indian dance as children and were so graceful.
At 4 pm local school children arrived for English tutoring. Our students each had a small group to implement the lessons we had been practising.
Two meals a day were delivered to the college for all students and staff.
My impressions
“Food is pretty basic delivered in individually wrapped newspaper parcels. It is mainly a large serving of rice with a small serving of fish or vegetable curry. At other times we’ve had a pancake dosa and sambas - delicious with grated coconut, chilli and some kind of fish.”
Piraveena’s tea recipe
Put a handful of tea leaves in a sieve and pour hot water through it. Put half a cup of sugar in a jug, add dry powdered milk and mix with hot water. Combine with the tea leaves. Then pour mixture into another container back and forth until the mixture is the right colour and temperature.
Boys were responsible for carrying water from the well to kitchen and wet areas for washing
The trusty caretaker
Transport was limited for the journey into Kilinochchi
Three-wheeler
In my final week I organised a mini bus to collect us all to go to a local restaurant
The following June this remarkable group of students graduated as the first English teachers from the college.
Despite the many years of hardship due to displacement of the civil war, their subsistence lifestyle and the tragic loss of family, one a small daughter, in the tsunami, they persevered with this opportunity.
As you can imagine, this was a life-changing experience for me, working with such a talented and dedicated group, determined to survive and progress despite their poverty, deprivation and lack opportunities.
M
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