Recycling Project in California Builds a School in Sri Lanka.

Greetings:

A group of my Hindu Summer Camp students in Irvine, California for the past few years have been raising funds to help needy people in Sri Lanka by recycling. They collect empty cans and bottles, and with the help of their parents, they take them to recycling facilities who pay for these collections. The children donate those funds to us to help people in need.

Last year, the Sivapoomi Trust purchased one and a half acres of land in the village of Galaha, 20 km from the city of Kandy. This land is a tea plantation with buildings already present on it. Sivapoomi Trust renovated the old house and opened an ashram to serve the people in the hill country.

Behind the ashram, there was an abandoned farmhouse building. Utilizing the Irvine kids recycling fund, we renovated the building with a new roof, floor, windows and doors and turned the building into a big classroom.

Abayam – Foundation for Health and Education in UK, furnished this school, hired teachers and are now running a free educational center. On weekends, around 80 students study science, math and other subjects in this tuition-free school.  Abayam – Foundation is also  providing a free medical clinic at this ashram

Recently, Sri Vetha Vithyasagarswami and  I visited the school and spent some time with the students and teachers. Herewith, I am enclosing photos of our Irvine Recycling Team and few photos of the students at the new school.