On September 20th, 2001 Colombo International School presented the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies with a cheque for Rs. 291,000 for use in drought relief in the South.

The money has been raised by contributions from students and staff and a donation of Rs 100,000 from the School’s Management.

The photograph shows the Head of School, Sidath Senanayake presenting the cheque to John Gwyn the Federation’s representative in Sri Lanka.

Also in the photograph are students Kimberley Adams, Andrew Speldewinde and Anya Udeshi along with the Senior Vice Principal Ben Morgan, the Vice Principal Swarna Goonetilleke and the Principal David Sanders.

The money will be used to supply basic food to desperate families in the drought areas of the South.

The International Federation of the Red Cross, together with the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, has agreed to supply 6,500 families (39,000 people) with food relief supplies for the next 6 months until the next harvest in February 2002. Even if rains come in October and November, families will still not be able to earn the wages they need to buy food until the harvest.

The Red Cross daily food ration consists of 0.125kgs of rice, 0.075kgs of flour, 0.04 kgs of dhal, and 0.015 kgs of sugar per person per day (calculated against international standards required for minimum nutritional requirements needed per person per day). This amounts to the equivalent of Rs 6.6 per person per day, or Rs 39.6 per family of 6 per day, or Rs 1,188 per family of 6 per month.

The School has an active social service programme and this Red Cross donation is one of many made throughout the year.