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14.01.2008

Wilkes on Sri Lanka dec 07th to feb 08th
[Patrick Wilke]

Christiane and Reiner Wilke will stay in Sri Lanka for a couple of weeks, visiting some of Friends of Sri Lanka´s projects. They are visiting friends and business partners, too. As many of you might know already, the Wilkes hava had business relations to Sri Lanka prior to their voluntary activities and projects.

Pics and news of this trip will be published here soon.

We wish a happy and successful new year to all the supporters and Friends of Sri Lanka!

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22.01.2007up

A very warm thank you to the British schools!
[Patrick Wilke]

The British schools in the Celle area support us regularly and are commited to making donations. Pupils of Shackleton school in Bad Fallingbostel organised a charity ice cream sale for us. Apart from money, this school has also donated approximately 100 nearly new text books, we areawaiting an opportunity of getting them to Sri Lanka.

Montgomery school in Hohne camp held a "mufti" day where the children had to pay to be able to wear their own clothes to school - the generous proceeds were donated to us. We always find a ready ear and a warm heart when we give talks about our work. We are even trying to organise a School sponsorship with one of the schools.

We would like to take this opportunity of saying a heartfelt thank you to the teachers and pupils of the British schools and of wishing them a happy new year for 2007!

And - of course - a special thank you to Sheila Burns for your time and translations (Patrick)

10.01.2007 up

Money counts
[Patrick Wilke]

At present the organisation has 92.000 EURO in donations in the bank. This year we shall invest 54.000 EURO. A further Î24.000 has been reserved for the management of the house in Bentota. In 2006 we received 12.000 EURO in donations. Administration costs for 2006 totalled approximately 100 EURO for bank charges and charges for the homepage. This is possible because all travel costs and administration charges are paid for out of our own pockets. Almost %100 of the donation money goes directly to the aid projects.

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01.01.2007 up

Report of our activities in 2006 and plans for 2007
[Patrick Wilke]

Dear members and sponsors,

We wish you a happy, healthy and succesful 2007!

At the very beginning of this new year we will be taking stock of and developing our projects in Sri Lanka. For example, this includes getting to know the children and their situation and and to look closely at on the spot developments.

A description of our projects for 2006 and plans for 2007 can be found on our project page.

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21.01.2006 up

6 orpahn girls in orphanage!
[Patrick Wilke]

As our "team" in Sri Lanka reports, the first 6 girls have moved in into the orphanage we are supporting in maho. Unfortunately we do not have any pics available at the moment. We try to get some in the next days.

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12.01.2006 up

2 Members are visiting Sri Lanka for 2 months
[Patrick Wilke]

Reiner and Christiane Wilke are in Sri Lanka during january and february 2006 for local investigations and to advance the club´s projects, contacts and friendships. We hope to soon recieve the first pictures of their work. Good luck!

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23.03.2005 up

Government report on the current situation regarding the catastrophe
[Patrick Wilke]

- From the HAZ: (Hanover newspaper)

To underline the dreadfulness of the situation, the German government has published a report on the damage: Sri Lanka has 31.000 dead. 6.300 people are still missing. 443.000 people are homeless. 143.000 homes have been destroyed. 1.000 kilometres of coastline have been affected. The tsunami destroyed up to 3 kilometres inland. 22.000 fishing boats, 70 percent of the fishing fleet, have been destroyed. Schools, hospitals and roads are damaged or unusable. The damage has been estimated at two billion dollars.

author: Bernd Knebel. HAZ. 23.03.2005

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22.03.2005 up

Foreign aid is proving difficult
[Patrick Wilke]

Unlike professional organisations with their PR departments and their advertising experts, we don't want to make light of weighty problems. Therefore here is a short article on the problems of foreign aid, particularly in Sri Lanka. It's true that donations of money and material goods have been flowing into this small country and will continue to do so. It is also true that the distribution of material donations is no easy matter, and can be extremely inefficient. Immediately after the flood catastrophe, we too collected clothing and looked into the possibilities of transport. However, we didn't want to transport at all costs and up until now therefore, we haven't spent the donated monies either on expensive flights or on other projects.

We want to commit ourselves to something long term. We decided that in January in discussions with many new friends in the disaster area and with supporters in Germany.This long term support is to be directed at a meaningful and achievable project. Over several weeks, the Sri Lankan government assured us that an orphanage was not only desperately needed but that permission would be given to build one. This was a period of great chaos and difficult for all those involved. It was and is most difficult of all for the Sri Lankans, who on the one hand are split into Tamils and Buddhists and on the other hand into those affected and those who stand to make a profit. There have been indications that deliveries of aid and aid projects have been sabotaged, that the price of cement has risen rapidly because of the demand, that the price of other products has increased and that aid monies have not been used for the specific purpose for which they were intended. It is certainly true that money donated to Sri Lanka is needed just as urgently in Africa or other countries. If you should make a donation through a large organisation, you should be aware that the donation may not be used for the purpose for which it was intended. (e.g.Ärtzten ohne Grenzen).

These problems are all too evident and leave those of us who make donations feeling very frustrated. They are unavoidable concomitants of all foreign and emergency aid.At first it is important that something is done rather than how it is done. It is important that everyone should be able to express an opinion. "Freunde Sri Lankas" doesn't just want to collect money, but over the long term to show solidarity with Sri Lanka and with the orphans.

We welcome everyone who has an opinion or a personal experience to share it with us, or those who require information to contact us. Please get in touch via our contact page.



Succesful visits to military schools (Patrick Wilke) [Patrick Wilke]

"Our schoolchildren were really enthusiastic about Herr Rainer Wilkes visit and they all want to do something to help" summed up Sheila Burns about Reiner Wilkes visit to British military schools in the area. The schools have already donated several thousand euros and wish to continue their involvement. Thank you so much from all concerned!

Thank you very much, kids of Celle, Bergen and Bergen Hohne! - Friends of Sri Lanka

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20.03.2005 up

Charity status at last!
[Patrick Wilke]

The organisation "Freunde Sri Lankas"(friends of Sri Lanka) has been officially recognised as a registered charity. Very soon, Mr. Hemme, mayor of Winsen Aller will be able to go ahead with auditing the donations account.

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11.03.2005 up

Some good news
[Patrick Wilke]

Today, the organisation was officially registered with the Celle county court. Our society number isVR 1678. The tax office was immediately informed and recognition as a charitable organisation will follow.

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07.03.2005 up

Problems and hold ups
[Patrick Wilke]

Unfortunately, at the moment we are making little or no progress. To our immense disappointment, the Sri Lankan government has put a stop to all private initiatives. As there are so many going on they need, first of all to obtain an overview of the situation. We are of the opinion that the government doesn't want to lose its influence over the activities. According to speculation, next years' elections could also be a reason that the payment of aid monies and support for any aid is being held up; so that there are some effective election projects left for next year.

- The managers of the "little Smile" children's village have decided against a joint cooperation. We very much regret this. We don't want to give out the donation money to just anyone but to commit the money whilst reserving our right to have a say in how it is spent over the long term

- Tomorrow we are meeting with a representative of the bishop of Kandy, who just happens to be in Hanover. Maybe we can achieve something through this connection.

- We registered with the communal partner initiative "inwent"three weeks ago, but the person who dealing with our project is apparently only in the office once a week. The work is obviously going to take some time.

- We are still in contact with the embassy in Colombo, but apart from general statements, we have unfortunately not been offered any concrete support.



Now to the good news:
On the 10th or 11th of April, Reiner and Christiane Wilke are flying to Sri Lanka for two weeks. They want to look at all possible projects there and then make a leading decision. All flights, telephone and mobile phone bills will be paid for out of their own pockets.

Reiner Wilke has been invited on the 9th March to speak in Slim School in Bergen. He has also been invited to speak in Gloucester School on the 14th March and in Mountbatten School in Celle on the 17th March. We would like to thank these local British Military schools once again for their support. A special thanks to Mrs Sheila Burns who has undertaken most of the translation of this page in to English (Any mistakes are ours!)

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29.02.2005 up

Donation-Counter
[Patrick Wilke]

The total amount of donations now is 60.000€!!!

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12.02.2005 up

A bit of extra help
[Patrick Wilke]

In an ayurveda hotel in Maho with which we have become friendly, instead of collecting tips, € 200 have been collected in order to buy something for a poor orphanage near Colombo. We have just received a letter containing receipts for the following items which have been bought for the orphanage: 2 second-hand wheel chairs for handicapped children costing € 42 each, several kilos of rice, vegetables, soya flour and pasta, various exercise books and pencils. The orphanage, where there are around 50 mainly handicapped children would never have been able to afford the wheel chairs. We will also be continuing to support this orphanage.

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10.02.2005 up

Lots of good news
[Patrick Wilke]

-A football club in Syke near Bremen is organising its this years' charity football competition for the benefit of Friends of Sri Lanka! Many thanks to Syke!!!

-We have been invited, on Saturday 12th February, to receive the cheque. On Friday the 11th February, we are going to visit the junior fire brigade in Hademstorf (near Schwarmstedt). Two weeks ago its members held a paper recycling collection for us and have already transferred € 1.000 to our account!

-The Ernestinum Grammar school in Celle has collected € 2157 and transferred it to friends of Sri Lanka. On Monday 14th February, an appointment with the press will take place. The Holty Grammar school is also going to make a donation to Friends of Sri Lanka. Thank you very much to Mr. Spering, Mr. Brandes and all those involved!

-A charity party held in Walle (organised by Danny Peters, thank you very much!) collected € 800 for us.

-On Saturday, 12th February, an interview with us and an appeal for donations will appear in a Flensburg newspaper. (more later)

-The Winsen branch of the social democrat party is going to donate a portion of its attendance allowance to us, I don't know how much yet.

-as a result of all this, the donation account has now exceeded € 50.000!

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07.02.2005 up

Charity concert a success
[Patrick Wilke]

The blues-rock band Stars 'n' Bars gave a concert for us in " gegen den strich" in Celle. Approximately 170 tickets at € 6 each were sold. A big thank you to the artists for their support!

Big politics, small politics
[Patrick Wilke]

Reiner Wilke visited the female delegates in Winsen Aller for a New Year reception. Regional politician Amei Wiegel was there and was of course asked if she would help us.

On the 14th/15th February, the Lower Saxony town and community congress is sitting in Celle. The communities are backing Schroders appeal to take on sponsorships. It is often unclear how and who a town/community can actually help. However, Dr. Wulf Haack, regional secretary of the Lower Saxony town and community association praised the idea of sponsorship as a meaningful form of long term help. We have prepared a letter in which we offer our help in the coordination and in the actual on the spot implementation.

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05.02.2005 up

Setting up of the charity making progress
[Patrick Wilke]

The charity "Friends of Sri Lanka" has applied for entry into the society register, the recognition of its non profit making status requested. We would like to publish names of founder members and rules here as quickly as possible. Then the admin work can begin… we will get in touch with the people who wish to become members or sponsors- and the charity can grow.

We are staying in touch
[Patrick Wilke]

Contact and talks with the big radio and television stations (through interviews and where possible reports) as well as with volunteers, people who know the country, churches and organisations will continue to be cultivated and reinforced. This type of public relations work is absolutely vital for us.