07/12/2025
Nå har jeg tid å dele litt info om Lanka Learning Center og STEPS of forgiveness som drives av vår Sri Lankiske venn, Frances.
Vi ble kjent med ham sist vi var på Sri Lanka, i april og besøkte da noen av prosjektene hans. Nå er vi tilbake for å gjøre mer. Og kommende uke skal vi jobbe på Lanka Learning Center, blant annet med å organisere flere læreprosjekter for barn og ungdom, og vi skal kjøpe og dele ut julegaver til 1000 barn og lærere. Og innkjøp av mat som skal lages og deles ut. En slags julefeiring, og en dag barna vil huske som spesiell. Vi ser også på muligheter for videre IT undervisning for de som har talent for det.
Og vi skal inspisere toalett og dusj som vi har fått bygget på LCC.
Dette var den originale planen for Sri Lanka turen.
Men siden Frances og LLC har så bra nettverk over Sri Lanka fikk vi benyttet det til å hjelpe de som ble hardest rammet av flommen. Vi fortsetter det arbeidet parallelt. Igjen tusen takk for all Vipps! Det kommer veldig godt med.
Her er litt mer info fra https://www.steps-online.org/versohnungsarbeit-in-sri-lanka/
(Ja, den er på tysk, men lett å få oversatt til engelsk)
Reconciliation Work in Sri Lanka: Steps to Healing and Peace
For 14 years, we have been committed to sustainable reconciliation and peaceful coexistence with S.T.E.P.S. of Forgiveness in Sri Lanka. Together with the People Helping People Foundation and local partners, we are committed to building bridges between the wounds between ethnic groups and healing the depths of the decades-long civil war.
The conflict, which lasted over 35 years, claimed countless lives and forced millions to flee. Since its end in 2009, we have been faced with the challenge of alleviating not only material, but also emotional and social scars. Our goal is to pave the way for a peaceful future, in which forgiveness and understanding will take the place of distrust and fear.
An integrative approach to reconciliation
Our work is based on three central pillars: non-violent communication, playful learning and intercultural exchange. With our programs we have already reached more than 3,000 children. We create safe spaces where children and young people from different backgrounds learn to understand each other, break down prejudices and make real friends.
Our children's parties and exchange programs facilitate encounters that go beyond language and cultural boundaries. Through creative methods, theater, music and team games, we promote mutual trust and show that diversity is an enrichment.
Positive changes and sustainable successes
The effects of our work are clearly visible: communities that were once characterized by distrust are moving together. Families who have lived in separate realities for decades discover the value of togetherness. In particular, our educational initiatives not only promote the individual development of the children, but also strengthen the awareness of community and cooperation.
We experience how children who participate in our programs deal with the history of their country, leave the past behind and actively advocate for a peaceful future. This transformation is not only noticeable on an individual level, but is also evident in the village communities, which today live together more openly and harmoniously.
Why peace work is essential
In a country marked by conflict, peace work is not a luxury, but a necessity. We believe that education, dialogue and the targeted reduction of prejudices are the keys to a more just society. Our programs help to educate a new generation of young people who courageously take responsibility and stand up for peace in their country.
Our deepest thanks go to our friends, donors and volunteers in Germany. Their commitment makes it possible for us to continue this valuable work and gradually bring Sri Lanka closer to a future where people of different backgrounds can live together in harmony. Together we can promote a culture of peace and forgiveness – for a better future based on mutual respect and genuine coexistence.
