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STORY: SRI LANKA / EDUCATION
TRT: 2.08
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / TAMIL / NATS
DATELINE: JULY 2010, AMPARA DISCTRICT, SRI LANKA
1. Wide shot, children playing musical instruments
2. Med shot, Philippe Duamelle, UNICEF Representative in Sri Lanka
3. Med shot, children waving flags
4. Med shot, young girl clapping
5. Wide shot, flag hoisting
6. Med shot, dignitaries standing in attention
7. Med shot, children singing the national anthem
8. Various shots, school girls dancing
9. Wide shot, sea to a group of children singing
10. Wide shot, Tsunami memorial
11. Med shot, graves
12. Med shot, construction workers
13. Various shots, Sithiravel family
14. SOUNDBITE (Tamil) Sitharavel Manonmani, Mother:
“The children still live in fear and get nightmares. They can’t sleep. It’s like in a movie. They get flashbacks. But things have improved and it’s better now.”
15. Med shot, bull dozer
16. Wide shot, soldiers standing with a bull dozer
17. Various shots, boy taking out water from a well
18. Various shots, children playing in a park
19. Various shots, school children entering their old classroom
20. SOUNDBITE (English) Yogarajah, Student:
“Already that problem has been solved. It has been eradicated and completely we are living peacefully now.
21. SOUNDBITE (English) Veerapathiran, Student
“During the Tsunami, we faced grade five scholarships; in that time our books are lost in the Tsunami water, at that time we can’t study very well.
22. SOUNDBITE (English) Philippe Duamelle, UNICEF Representative in Sri Lanka:
“This community here was badly affected by the tsunami in 2004, was affected by the civil conflict that came to an end last year so it was very important for us in UNICEF the children from poor communities also regain access to education.
23. Med shot, children watching the school function
24. Pan right, the new school
25. Med shot, school boys clapping
26. Med shot, school children dancing
In a flurry of fanfare, garlands of flowers and fluttering flags, the children of Ampara district in eastern Sri Lanka cheer in a new era, dressed in their finest. But a solemn moment too, as flags are hoisted to mark the tsunami tragedy that destroyed their old school and village and took many lives six years ago.
Today this state of the art school is part of a building-back-better project that has breathed new life into the community, symbolizing a new era. It was a chance too to show off the cutest kids for the assembled crowd and proudly parade the rich tapestry of Sri Lankan culture, like Tamil traditional dancers. In all six new schools were constructed in the district benefiting more than 3 600 students.
The scars of the tsunami are still scattered along this coastline. Tombstones, and ruins of the time when the sea took 35 000 Sri Lankans to their deaths.
But coupled with the long civil conflict in these parts, the double blow has left deep wounds on the people here. The Sithiravel families were displaced 15 times during the conflict. The mother and children have seen too much but they now have some hope.
SOUNDBITE (Tamil) Sitharavel Manonmani, Mother:
“The children still live in fear and get nightmares, they can’t sleep. It’s like in a movie, they get flashbacks. But things have improved and its better now”
Signs of renewal and rebuilding are everywhere here. Wells have been dug, communities are healing and learning, landmines are being cleared and even former battlegrounds are now playgrounds.
From a sophisticated new school building, these young boys and girls survey their past, their tin-shacked classrooms and are excited about their future.
SOUNDBITE (English) Yogarajah, Student:
“Already that problem has been solved. It has been eradicated and completely we are living peacefully now.
SOUNDBITE (English) Veerapathiran, Student
“During the Tsunami, we faced grade five scholarships, in that time our books are lost in the Tsunami water, at that time we can’t study very well.”
SOUNDBITE (English) Philippe Duamelle, UNICEF Representative in Sri Lanka:
“This community here was badly affected by the tsunami in 2004, was affected by the civil conflict that came to an end last year so it was very important for us in UNICEF the children from poor communities also regain access to education”.
A firm foundation for learning and a bright start to a new chapter for their district and their country has given these young people a reason for joy and a reason to jive.
