Wattala, 03 March 2007 – The Wattala and Dehiwala Change Maker’s Clubs came together and put up a talent show – Ranga Rangum (Acting and Dancing). 170 children participated in the event. Several parents were present and this gave a chance for ADT staff to illustrate to them what the Change Makers Club is all about.

The children were dressed in colorful costumes; they sang and danced acts which they themselves put together. A lot of talent and enthusiasm were displayed by the children and the parents were impressed by the program.
 

Wattala, 24 March 2007 - Presently we have between 160 and 180 children at the Change Makers Club in Wattala. Most of these children were affected by the Tsunami and they come from illiterate families whose only source of income is gained through fishing. Every week we plan and organise programmes and activities for them and almost every month we organise a special programme which encourages them to bring their talents out. Coloured pencils and watercolours were distributed to the children and we held an art competition on the themes of “How to avoid environmental pollution” and “How to develop our area”.

Each and every child was enthusiastic and made use of their talents. There were different varieties of drawings and some children drew their own houses, which were built by Alliance Development Trust. It is encouraging to see children so full of creativity and it is our duty to give them the opportunity of expressing themselves through their art.

23 June 2007- The Change Makers Club in Vavuniya conducted a “Peace Tool Kit for Change Makers” programme at Ganeshapuram in Vavuniya. Nearly 100 children from the Change Makers Clubs in Kartharsinnskulam, Kuhanager, Neppankulam, and Thandikum participated. The children and their families are displaced due to the war. The Government Agent for Vavuniya was also present.

Children, especially from the Vavuniya District, enjoyed the programme because they do not have any facilities in their refugee camps. Our main objective was to build peace and unity between the Tamils and the Sinhala children from our various Change Makers Clubs. Sinhala Children were invited to this programme from there respective areas in Vavuniya to come and join the Tamil children. Through such events, we can build good relationships between the two ethnic groups from an early age.