Puskwelada Primary School, about 10 kms inside of Galle) was founded the proprietor of Waulugala Tea estate ,Mr B R Disanayake at the request of his superintendent and Devsiri’s late father Mr D C Hewavidana in 1957. Puswelkada is a very poor village and most of the villagers are working as casual labourers in nearby tea estates earning mere £10 a week. The parents of the children cannot afford to buy books or shoes for their children. Some of the children only have their school uniforms to wear (They wear them every waking moment). This school was facing closure about five years ago and due to the combined efforts of staff, supported by UKFG, that threat has been removed and the roll-call is slowly increasing.
On 11th January 2012, Nicky Pharoah and Colin Newbold visited the school for the first time . They were accompanied by Mr. Sirisena Gamage. Devsiri and little Dinum . The guests were warmly welcomed by the Puswelkada School children, staff and villagers. The VIPs were treated to a full programme of music, dance and numerous speeches, kicked off by being ceremoniously escorted up the hill by the school band.
In his speech Mr Gamage explained that , investing in the education of rural Sri Lankan people, encouraging them to go on to further education and to university and get qualified and then come back and serve their village communities is the way out of poverty for Sri Lanka. Nicky and Colin joined together for their own speech to the school (teachers, students and parents) and explained how delighted they were to visit the school at last. To the utter delight of parents they promised to present the children with new uniform and a pair of shoes every year.
At the end of the speeches all the children were presented with a set of excise books , pens and pencils followed by tea and home-made delicacies, taken with the Principal and her teachers. Finally children their parents and villagers all enjoyed ice-cream treat.
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