SEDA student's dancing items

It was an early start for the students of SEDA Vocational training centre, but they did not mind at all, they were excited, and there was a buzz of energy in the air. The students all met together in a class room at Ratmalana's Blind & Deaf School, where the government were hosting a regional dance competition for differently abled schools and charities in and around Colombo. 

We set about applying their make up and doing their hair before dressing them in their bright and colourful costumes. Their costumes are traditional to match their traditional dances, and were lovingly made by the devoted parents of our SEDA students. Once their jewellery and accessories were added they were all ready to head out to the performance area and check out the stage!! 

As is tradition in Sri Lanka the event would not start before making sure everyone was well fed and watered, so off the students went to the dinning hall, dressed in all their bright glamorous frocks, to fill up on noodles and fruit juice before their performances

Finally the show started, the judges were in place at the front of the audience with all their files and forms to read through and complete as the groups of students performed one by one. The staff from social services were crowded around the sides of the stage making sure everything would run smoothly, and a room full of brightly dressed, enthusiastic and nervous performers watched among family, friends and supporters of the many charities gathered for this wonderful event. 

One by one the groups performed, some performers so young they could barely make it up the steep steps onto the stage, but everyone up the stage was loving the lime light, smiles were abundant all over the stage. 

Finally is was the turn of our first group, the girls, who were to perform a traditional rice harvest dance, complete with rice basket props. They performed to live singing by our head teacher, and was accompanied by a solo traditional drummer (also a student at SEDA). They danced with much confidence and enjoyment, they worked as a team to stay synchronised, and the audience thoroughly enjoyed their mature and established performance. It was a fantastic performance and everyone was so proud of how far this group of girls have come in the past year.

Later up it was the turn of the boys, again performing another traditional harvest dance, with props and flags. Again the boys danced with confidence and uniformity and led a very mature and well established routine, flawless in its performance. 

It was wonderful to be part of such a great and inspiring event, to see so many young people full of so much energy and enthusiasm, so excited to show off their new found skills, to be on the stage performing their hearts out to people they love, cherish and admire. There was barely a moment in the whole day in which you remembered these children are 'labelled' as differently abled, because quite frankly they were just as abled as any performers i've watched over my many years of working within the performing arts. It was a delightful and uplifting day and everyone at SEDA was delighted to be apart of such a well established gathering of young performers. Thank you to everyone involved in the organising of this event, and also to our teachers and volunteers at SEDA who work tirelessly to help our young students shine at these performances.

Bringing in the Sinhalese New Year with Fun and Games

April 2015

The students of SEDA Vocational training centre had lots of fun and games celebrating the Sinhalese New Year at Rathmalana United S.C this year. From riding bikes to tug of war, the competition was high as the teams fought through the many games designed to challenge their motor skills and co-ordination. Parents and volunteers all joined in with some of the challenges the students had designed for them! It was a fun filled family day, the perfect way to bring in the new year and celebrate just how far these young students and their families have come in the past year.

Celebrating the Inauguration of our new charity

March 2014

The 14th February 2014 will be remembered by many as another Valentines day, or the arrival of a new moon for the Sinhalese Poya day in Sri Lanka. But for SEDA this special day was chosen for the official Inauguration celebrations of our new charity (in fact we celebrated for 2 days!), as well as being the 75th birthday of our founder Mr Gamini Keerthichandra. The day started early as preparations got under way for receiving over 200 guests to the opening ceremony at the VTC headquarters. What seemed like endless supplies of Butter cake and Kiribath (milk rice) were brought in, and the obligatory Nescafe machine was put into place ready to serve sweet milky coffee and tea to the hundreds! 

Official proceedings began with the arrival of the Buddhist monks, including chief advisor venerable priest Bengamuwe Nalaka Thero who is a life long friend to Mr Gamini Keerthichandra. He lead a traditional Pirith ceremony or chanting and blessing, and was followed by opening speeches from our chairman, vice chairman's, our principal of the VTC and (unexpectedly and reluctantly!) our International Public Relations Officer (me!). 

Newspaper reports and photographers all piled in to capture the special moments, and after a short video presentation the SEDA website was officially published by one of our VIP guest representatives from the UN. As well as the unveiling of our website we also unveiled the new uniforms for the trainees, bright orange T-shirts bearing our logo in bold colours, they were modeled proudly by all the members and of course our chairman Mr Gamini. Finally all 23 trainees of SEDA VTC took front and centre and led us all in proudly singing the Sri Lankan national anthem, a proud and emotional moment for everyone involved.

To much applause it was official, SEDA was now in action and ready to build dreams and futures for these very special young people, and for many many more that come through our doors in the future. In true SL style the celebrations were finished with LOTS OF CAKE & TEA, a special birthday cake for our chairman's 75th birthday and red roses presented by each trainee of SEDA. 

The following day the VTC was transformed again for a very special Buddhist overnight chanting ceremony that bestows the highest blessings of good fortune for the new project. At 9pm the ceremony started with a procession led by SEDA trainees, traditional Sri Lankan drummers, Buddhist monks, family and supporters of SEDA all baring national flags and torches, and fire crackers interspersed between the chanting all led to the ceremonial atmosphere. Arriving at the VTC the monks took their place to start the chanting led by the drummers in spectacular traditional national costumes. It was inspiring to watch all the young trainees join in and enjoy so enthusiastically the celebrations and chanting of this special event for our charity. The monks took it in turns to chant throughout the night, and many people stayed throughout the night too, staying awake with cups of sweet tea and cakes that volunteers and helpers provided throughout the night. As dawn broke the chanting came to and end and venerable priest Bengamuwe Nalaka Thero joined us again for the final pirith and array of delicious traditional Sri Lankan food that was prepared over night. 

It was a wonderful way to open the charity and bless it in this traditional Sinhalese Buddhist way. I am sure the positive energies created with the chanting and blessings will give everyone confidence as we prepare to start a special journey with these young people.