The 42nd and 43rd ‘Piyawara’ community preschools were ceremonially declared open in Dehikindagama and Mahasenpura by the Hemas Outreach Foundation (HOF) Chairperson, Mr. Abbas Esufally on 21st October 2017. A warm welcome and colourful event was organized by the surrounding community. The ceremony was also graced by the trustees of HOF, Mrs. Sue Evans and Mrs. Azira Esufally.

The areas for the Piyawara preschools were carefully selected upon identifying that the children in their vicinities did not have a preschool all these years and had, in the meantime, occupied the village community center and the temple premises with bare minimum facilities to conduct their activities. Most children who attended these schools come from underprivileged communities in the area. Monaragala district is considered as one of the poorest districts in Sri Lanka and the HOF selected these locations with the guidance and direction given by the Children’s Secretariat of the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs.

The Dehikindagama school was funded by Der Touristik, Germany and Mahasenpura by Reiner Meutsch Stiftung FLY & HELP/ families Kögler, Horn, Döppers , Mühmel Germany.

The ‘Piyawara’ programme, launched in 2002 by Hemas with a mission to enrich the lives of underprivileged children of Sri Lanka through early childhood care and development, has 43 preschools across the country with over 3500 children attending them daily. A sustainable and a successful model enriching the lives of the most vulnerable communities in Sri Lanka.

This is only another milestone added to our long journey of 15 years.