Page 59 - Hemas_Piyawara_Book

How could the media help?

“Tell tourists to visit our beautiful country, enjoy the warm hospitality of our people
and give them the courage and strength to move forward,” Shiromi had said.

Much later in 2009, the Reiner Meutsch Foundation’s ‘FLY & HELP’ based in Germany
had come on board to assist Piyawara in its quest.
Why did Meutsch decide to extend his support to this project?

He says that travelling being part of his job with the main reason of touristic
commercialization of a distinct destination, in many of the most beautiful travel
destinations, local people are living in less fortunate conditions.
This former managing partner of the tour operator Berge & Meer, had fulfilled a lifelong
dream by exchanging his desk for the cockpit of a small plane. Not only has he been
flying around the world but he has also aided numerous school projects.
“The fact that children do not have access to any basic school education and, therefore,
have no chance of better prospects in their lives, is my greatest concern. This is
the reason why I started encouraging educational projects. Within the past years,
donations valued at Euro 30 million have been used for over 600 aid projects of my
foundation,” he says.
Piyawara is one of them and under FLY & HELP, Meutsch’s foundation creates the
necessary infrastructure for pre and primary schools. The government, thereafter,
ensures the operation of these schools.

He assures: “My team and the donor – the DER group – are fully committed to the
project and regularly ask for updates on the schools and the children. We are happy
to hear that it is a successful ‘Public-Private Partnership’. Our hearts are entirely in it.”

When Meutsch visited some projects with donors in Sri Lanka, what had touched him
most had been the hospitality of the people and the happiness shining in the children's
eyes. The children were joyful and grateful to be able to learn.

FLY & HELP has already financed 20 preschools under the overall Piyawara project Talent tinged with sadness showcased by children who lost their parents to the tsunami.
with hopes of continuing such support in the years to come.

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