Update from Father Paul Caspersz of Satyodaya

This update came to Barrie from Father Caspersz at Satyodaya in Sri Lanka:

Nancy Waxler Morrison Memorial Fund for Vocational Training of Estate and Village Youth

Report of the first two trainees under the Fund, Damayanthi Nirosha and Alexander, upon the completion of their training, August 2007 – July 2008. Submitted in Sinhala by Amarapathi Devi, Coordinator of the Training and rendered into English by Fr Paul and Harsha.

First of all, the trainees wish to express their deeply-felt gratitude to Dr Barrie Morrison for setting up the Fund at Satyodaya in memory of his wife, Dr Nancy Waxler Morrison. The Fund has been established for the vocational training of youth in the plantations and adjacent villages. The youth are from poor families and have often not been able to complete their secondary education. Hence the opportunities for them to obtain vocational training and subsequent employment outside their plantations or villages are scarce. They pray that Dr Barrie Morrison will have the strength and resources to continue this programme.

The two trainees, who have now successfully completed their training and found employment, are grateful to Satyodaya and to the three members of Satyodatya – (Ms) Amarapathy Devi, Abeysekera and Sivakumar – who supervised their training.

Damayanthi and Alexander speak as follows of their training: at Natashaa Printers, Kandy :

Damayanthi : My training was in book binding and in all that is needed for this work. Upon successful completion of my year of training, I was offered employment in the same Natashaa Printers at a starting salary of Rs 5000/- per month, plus the statutory EPF (Employees Provident Fund) and ETF (Employees Trust Fund) payments. My family and I are very grateful to Dr Barrie and to Dr Nancy Waxler Morrison and Satyodaya for all that they have done for me.

Alexander : My training was in printing machine minding both for single colour and for four colour printing and for maintaining the machines in full working order. It was hard work but very interesting. Sometimes I was requested by the Proprietor-Manager of Natashaa Printers to do overtime work for which I was paid. This money gave me some useful pocket money for my normal requirements of toilet articles. It also allowed me to make some contribution to my home and poor parents in Galloway Knowe estate as well as to the VT Fund set up at Satyodaya by Dr Barrie Morrison in memory of his wife, Dr Nancy Waxler Morrison.

Any reader who wishes to make a contribution to the Fund may do so by cheque or bank transfer, payable, a/c payee, to Satyodaya, A/c No 900001003289 . The payments will be immediately acknowledged by the Satyodaya Finance Unit.