NUFFIELD HOSTEL FOR THE DEAF AND BLIND, JAFFNA, SRI LANKA.

SHIVA Charity Project Manager, Kumar Fernando, and our Sri Lankan builders, have embarked on a large building project in Jaffna. The Nuffield Hostel for The Deaf and Blind is a complex of buildings established many years ago. It is in a very poor state of repair. With funding from TVF (True Volunteer Foundation), SHIVA Charity will rebuild and renovate these buildings over the next nine months.

There are about two hundred disadvantaged children staying at the hostel, and being educated in the school buildings. We hope that some time in the future we can help these children through sponsorship and donations, but in the meantime we will concentrate on getting the buildings finished and improving the facilities.

Image left, showing Jaffna in the North of the island. This area was ravaged by the recent war. The onset of peace gives well established charities like SHIVA the opportunity to help make things better.

The two photos (right) show the first stages of renovation. The Blind Boys' Hostel needed a new heat reflective ceiling, new floor and toilets, and many other repairs, modifications, and decorations.

The SHIVA Charity FAST Appeal was set up more than a year ago, with the intention of making a resources' training "circuit" of ONE HUNDRED schools. This month the SHIVA Charity teacher trainers went to the 50th school, and so we are half way towards our ultimate goal. Once the circuit is finally established the trainers will be in a continuous process of training, visiting and teaching in each school, and taking resources with them. This will help hundreds of teachers to see the merits of a more child-centred and creative approach to lessons, and give many thousands of children the opportunity to enjoy using resources. We believe that this is the most efficient way to improve the quality of education in Nepal. Please visit our FAST Appeal web page at www.shivacharity.com/appeal.html