|
.
|
.
|
||
| . |
Home
|
Club meets at the Hilton Hotel Colombo every wed at 6.30 p.m.
Web developed by S Donald E Gaminitillake Associates - Donald Gaminitilllake © 2008 - www.akuru.org
5 April 2008
Visit to Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage
MG Project - 63504
Innocent children of convicted and remandees of Welikada Prison were taken on a one-day excursion trip to Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage. This was the first time the children had visited Pinnawela and seen live Elephants. They got the opportunity to view the Elephnats bathing from the balcony of Pinnalanda. Rtn Mahinda Seneviratne and Rtn Kamal Illagakoon of Rotary Club of Kegalle arranged the seating for the children.
Rotary Club of Colombo Central thank
Rotary Foundation
GÖTEBORG – HOVÅS ROTARY CLUB
The Rotary International Club of Brunswick Maine
And
Rotary Club of Kegalle
for all the assistance given to make this MG – Project a safe and successful event.
"Literacy for innocent children in prison" - Colombo Sri Lanka
Rotary Club of Colombo Central a Matching Grant 63504 with
GÖTEBORG – HOVÅS ROTARY CLUB
Children are getting ready to board the Bus. Each child was accompanied by an officer in civil. The two teachers, Welfare officers and Chief Jailor Kumari, Rtn Lars Berg from Göteborg - Hovås Club, Keerthi, Mahir, Donald, Leisha, Malkanthi, Bhadra, Shantha, and Children of Mahir from Colombo Central joined the group.
Pinnawela elephant orphanage has existed since 1975 and has grown to become one of the most popular attractions of Sri Lanka.
Before the arrival of the British in 1815 an estimated 30,000 elephants lived on the island. In the 1960s, the elephant population was close to extinction. This prompted the Sri Lankan government to found an orphanage for elephants that had lost their mothers or herds. Today, their number is around 3,000.
Pinnawela, about 80 km northeast of Colombo, is regarded as the biggest herd of captive elephants in the world. Among the elephants is one that lost a foot when it stepped on a mine. Another is blind and is totally reliant on humans. The elephant herd in Pinnawela makes the journey to the river twice a day to bathe under the eyes of the tourists. For a few Sri Lankan rupees they are allowed to touch the animals. The sound of cameras clicking increases everytime one of the young elephant babies splashes about in the water. But anyone who wants to take a picture of the babies feeding in the orphanage has to pay extra for the privilege.
Some 110 people are employed to care for the herd feeding them with leaves from palm trees. About 14,000 kg of food are needed every day. The Pinnawela elephant orphanage is financed by the government and by charging visitors to see the animals.
Before the arrival of the British in 1815 an estimated 30,000 elephants lived on the island. In the 1960s, the elephant population was close to extinction. This prompted the Sri Lankan government to found an orphanage for elephants that had lost their mothers or herds. Today, their number is around 3,000.
Pinnawela, about 80 km northeast of Colombo, is regarded as the biggest herd of captive elephants in the world. Among the elephants is one that lost a foot when it stepped on a mine. Another is blind and is totally reliant on humans. The elephant herd in Pinnawela makes the journey to the river twice a day to bathe under the eyes of the tourists. For a few Sri Lankan rupees they are allowed to touch the animals. The sound of cameras clicking increases everytime one of the young elephant babies splashes about in the water. But anyone who wants to take a picture of the babies feeding in the orphanage has to pay extra for the privilege.
Some 110 people are employed to care for the herd feeding them with leaves from palm trees. About 14,000 kg of food are needed every day. The Pinnawela elephant orphanage is financed by the government and by charging visitors to see the animals.
It is not only the people who are victimised by land mines. This elephnat lost her leg in a disputed area. She is a now an orphan here
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/970921/plus9.html,
Smiling faces of the children when getting out of the prison gates- photo by Lars