It has been a crazy but good two days. I arrived in Colombo, late because of a fog clogged Dubai, and 10 minutes after checking in was out to dinner with the Hettiararchchi family - the frantic start seems to have set the pace for the trip so far.
Arriving in Nawagaththagame (near Puttalam) on Monday afternoon we were whisked off to meet with three Permaculture project beneficiary families, but in the Sri Lanka way, it was not just the families but their community. We were welcomed onto the property by a group of children bearing gifts of Betel leaves for each of us, and after receiving the leaves the children knelt at our feet and paid their respects to elders and visitors.
In this community and the two which would follow we were introduced to families who have been trained to design and plant organic gardens, take care of cows and chickens and in a few cases bees. It is humbling to hear the stories of children who no longer attend clinics for gastric issues on a very regular basis because now they eat fresh vegetables and fruit, and they drink clean, safe water and milk, and because of the extra income available from surplus produce they go to school, in uniform, with books and shoes and they love it!
Mum's and young women are managing their own gardens and finances. Some have bought extra cows and chickens, others are learning the art of 'value add' by turning surplus milk into yogurt and milk toffee which they sell to local traders and share with community.
They have established seed banks which together with the 'cattle banks' (the second new born calf must be given away to another member of the cooperative), means that the community is benefiting from the success of our direct beneficiaries.
And all this is good, very good, but perhaps the most powerful results are those less tangible, but more life transforming impacts: a dad who for most of his life has worked away from home now works at home 4 out of 7 days and is making enough income to begin to build a new brick house for his family - "I can watch my children grow now and I can afford to keep them healthy and in school, they have a chance now". His wife, who was trained in organic pesticide production is the village leader in plant nursery production, she teaches others how to do it, and from her own stock is helping other families establish gardens. She is a voluntary permaculture teacher - and as she talks about her work her eyes are smiling, her little 8 month old baby is obviously healthy - she is happy.
In many ways a simple intervention, but one that has produced hope, trust, community, happiness as well as food, milk, honey and income for over 4,000 families - so now phase 2 commences with another 3,800 families, in 5 new communities.
Arriving in Nawagaththagame (near Puttalam) on Monday afternoon we were whisked off to meet with three Permaculture project beneficiary families, but in the Sri Lanka way, it was not just the families but their community. We were welcomed onto the property by a group of children bearing gifts of Betel leaves for each of us, and after receiving the leaves the children knelt at our feet and paid their respects to elders and visitors.
In this community and the two which would follow we were introduced to families who have been trained to design and plant organic gardens, take care of cows and chickens and in a few cases bees. It is humbling to hear the stories of children who no longer attend clinics for gastric issues on a very regular basis because now they eat fresh vegetables and fruit, and they drink clean, safe water and milk, and because of the extra income available from surplus produce they go to school, in uniform, with books and shoes and they love it!
Mum's and young women are managing their own gardens and finances. Some have bought extra cows and chickens, others are learning the art of 'value add' by turning surplus milk into yogurt and milk toffee which they sell to local traders and share with community.
They have established seed banks which together with the 'cattle banks' (the second new born calf must be given away to another member of the cooperative), means that the community is benefiting from the success of our direct beneficiaries.
And all this is good, very good, but perhaps the most powerful results are those less tangible, but more life transforming impacts: a dad who for most of his life has worked away from home now works at home 4 out of 7 days and is making enough income to begin to build a new brick house for his family - "I can watch my children grow now and I can afford to keep them healthy and in school, they have a chance now". His wife, who was trained in organic pesticide production is the village leader in plant nursery production, she teaches others how to do it, and from her own stock is helping other families establish gardens. She is a voluntary permaculture teacher - and as she talks about her work her eyes are smiling, her little 8 month old baby is obviously healthy - she is happy.
In many ways a simple intervention, but one that has produced hope, trust, community, happiness as well as food, milk, honey and income for over 4,000 families - so now phase 2 commences with another 3,800 families, in 5 new communities.
