Patsy Abayasekara, Club President for SI Colombo in Sri
Lanka, along with club secretary Nelun  Tennekoon will be representing Soroptimist International at
this year’s Commonwealth People’s Forum 2013. The theme will be Growth, Equity
and Inclusive Development and will focus on the Post-2015 development agenda
framework. Patsy and Nelun’s wealth of experience as Soroptimists will allow
them to join in the debates between civil society representatives and Foreign
Ministers on issues of gender inequality. Patsy recently explained to
Soroptimist International headquarters the work that her club does in Sri Lanka
and how much she is looking forward to being part of this year’s Forum.

SI Colombo are currently working on several projects within
Sri Lanka. They are managing a preschool in Thimbirigasweva (a small remote
village in the north of the country). The children are from some of the poorest
communities in the country and lack the basic necessities, as well as teachers
to work there. SI Colombo have, with financial assistance from the Soroptimist Hamamatsu
club, enabled the preschool to function with two teachers. Patsy now sees the
little ones perform, improve and then move into regular schools. 

They have also assisted a preschool at Panadura, this is in
the outer suburbs of Colombo and was formerly a Temple preschool which was
severely affected by the Asian Tsunami in 2005. With financial assistance from
SI Anguilla, SI Colombo were able to rebuild the school and get it back on its
feet. SI Colombo last year handed the school back to the Temple but visit
regularly and assist in any way that they can. The relationships built by SI
Colombo with other SI clubs and organisations have allowed them to make a big
difference within Sri Lankan communities.

Another project SI Colombo have been involved with has been
with women prisoners – the members have helped to look after two of the
prisoners’ children, contributing annually to their welfare whilst keeping
track of their progress. Furthermore they have begun to support a young medical
student – they provide the young undergraduate girl who has been struggling to
get herself through medical school with day to day expenses. She is now in her
second year and the club hope to continue this support with the assistance of
other Soroptimist clubs.  

SI Colombo is also in the process of providing a house for
an acutely autistic little girl. This little girl of 11 years old has been
diagnosed as acutely autistic and the family have no permanent home. They have
been living in rented accommodation but the various landlords have continually
asked them to leave as the little girl gets upset often and disturbs the
neighbours. SI Colombo approached Habitat for Humanity to build a small house
for her and her family in an area with space and privacy.

SI Colombo have showed that by using their connections to
the best of their ability they are able to empower themselves to help women and
girls within their community.

Patsy and Nelun, with great knowledge of how to network and
make the best out of partnerships, will be great ambassadors for Soroptimist
International at this year’s Commonwealth People’s Forum proving that by
addressing education and empowerment we can make great
strides in development.

Photo: Patsy Abayasekara from SI Colombo visiting SIHQ,Cambridge.