From September to November 2009, I was a volunteer English teacher at Talpe’s Temple School. As the next stage of the school’s development needs your help, I wanted to share with all involved what the school means to the people of this wonderful village, and why your continued support is so important …
As many of you already know, Talpe is a poor, rural village. It was seriously debilitated by the tsunami that nearly took our friends & Foundation Directors, Eugene & Matthieu, and which took the lives of many villagers. Much of the village is now rebuilt, but 80% of homes have no electricity or running water. Some locals live in homes of bricks and mortar, others remain in wood and weaved coconut palm leaf buildings. Materially, they may not have much, but everyone in this village is wealthy in their spirit and soul. The village is 100% Singhalese and 100% Buddhist (typical of the region). Day-to-day life is lived by the fascinating and generous philosophy of Buddhism.
Family is at the epicenter of Sri Lankan life & Talpe is no different. The village has a host of large families. Every child I encountered there is loved and adored, irrespective of whether they are the first, fourth or sixth child born to the family. And unlike some other Asian cultures, girls are as precious as boys, especially when it comes to education. Education is considered important in Sri Lanka, and very much so by the parents and guardians of children in Talpe. So it is hard to adequately convey the value of the importance of the Temple School’s provision of free & additional education to this village.
Monday thru Friday, the school is home to the Isuru Montessori Pre-School. +/- 65 village children aged 3-5 receive uniforms, exercise books, pencils, school bags, water bottles, teaching and an indispensable early learning opportunity that they would otherwise not have. Your donations have made this possible, and it is money well spent. The Pre-School children are bright, enthusiastic and truly enjoy their time there.
The Pre-Schoolers responded exceptionally well to their English lessons. In less than 3 months, they had learnt the entire English alphabet, could count to 10 in English, knew basic anatomy and could sing “Round & round the garden”, “A, B, C”, “Twinkle, Twinkle” and “Itsy-bitsy spider”. They regularly did so unaided & with the pleasure that comes with understanding the lyrics & it was a delight to witness. There were many moments when their abilities astounded me, but the day five 4 & 5 year-old Pre-Schoolers wrote their own names (properly, on manuscript tablet) in English brought tears of joy to my eyes. It was probably the most satisfying moment of the whole, incredible 3 month experience teaching in Talpe.
In addition to the twice-weekly English classes I gave to the Pre-Schoolers, I taught the village children at the Temple School. Every Tuesday & Thursday afternoon, after their regular lessons, +/- 65 village children aged 6-16 rushed home from their state school, ate, washed, changed & arrived early (never late!) for two hours of English class in the afternoons. Their appreciation of the opportunity the school provided them was just terrific & I am delighted to be able to share it with you. None of this would have been possible were it not for Eugene & Matthieu’s vision, supported by your contributions.
The Monks were (as their veneration dictates) taught in their Dhamma Hall, but all 55 of them spent a lot of time in the School, helping me lay out the classroom and especially helping me create and decorate the “Friends of Talpe” and “English” walls (generously paid for by the Bonsee-van den Berg family in October 2009).
By the time I left at the end of November 2009, all children & Monks were able to give a final performance entirely in English. The concert was held in the Temple School as it also serves as a Village Hall when the need arises. Over 250 villagers came and the pride of the families who came to see the concert, and view some of the work accomplished on the walls, was evident & delghtful.
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The concert was a fantastic event, and convinced me beyond all doubt of this village’s appreciation of the gift it has been given by Eugene, Matthieu & all the friends & supporters of the Foundation from around the World.
Looking ahead …
I cannot describe how thrilled the villagers and Monks are as they watch the 2nd storey of the School near completion. The concept of a “Knowledge Room” has been agreed upon & is, I believe, ideal for the needs of the village. It will house a Library (‘story time’ will become a regular part of the Pre-Schoolers’ week!), an Early Learning Center for toddlers, provide access for the monks, village children & villagers to books & IT. The Computer Room is an amazing prospect, as are purpose-built school rooms, enclosed from the elements. It is all hugely exciting!
On the proviso that sufficient funds will be sourced, we are searching for another volunteer Engish teacher to continue the work I began in 2009. Please refer to the “Volunteer” section of this website for more information. If you are interested, or think you know of someone who might be, please don’t hesitate to let us know!
And finally …
A note of my personal thanks to you all. By contributing to the High Priest, Eugene & Matthieu’s brilliant idea of building the Temple School in Talpe, you enabled me to go to an amazing place and enjoy a life-changing experience. The months I spent in Talpe were soul-building, eye-opening & faith-restoring. I look forward to maintaining my involvement with the Foundation & villagers, and doing my bit to ensure that all our efforts combined bring opportunities to the children, monks & villagers of Talpe that they would otherwise not have.
Rebecca Johnson, February 28, 2010
rebecca@rebeccajohnson.org
