2008 SPORTS FESTIVAL AT MINHATH PRE-SCHOOL IN DICKWELLA
By Michael Lear

On August 17th, 2008, the Minhath Montessori Pre-school hosted a regional sports event for the children of the school and the surrounding Muslim community. Our Project Coordinator, Minerva Fernando was invited as the featured guest to hand out the awards to the winners of the day’s events. Minerva reports that the children enjoyed the sports festival and her visit provided her the opportunity to “witness the cooperation of the Muslim Community, not just parents but other members who came to watch the festival.” Minerva explained that the families are appreciative of Real Medicine’s investment in their community by building the school and grateful for the dedication of Mr. Imthiyas, director of the school, who continues to reach out to children of all ages to provide opportunities for growth and personal development.
Mr. Imthiyas , the Director of the pre-school starts the after noon events with the “Search for Marbles” game and later in the day the kids enjoyed the Yogurt Eating Contest. The last events were the Drill Display and the Fancy Dress Parade. For the Fancy Dress Parade there were: a Tourist, a Doctor, a Nurse, a Fisherman, Spider Man , a Tennis Player, a Foot Ball Player, and many Soldiers. At the end of the day Minerva and Mr. Imthiyas handed out the awards. Mr Imthiyas also received and award of appreciation from the community.

Update May 15, 2008
By Michael Lear

The Minhath Montessori Pre-school, located in Dickwella is the only Tamil/Muslim school of its kind in the Tangallle Region where pre-school children can study in their native language and receive instruction in Arabic so they can read the Koran. Recently the Tangalle Muslim School was closed and children in this community now have nowhere to study in their native language and must attend the public Singhalese schools.

In light of this, perhaps the most important aspect of this school is that it goes beyond a mere offering of education by providing a venue for the Tamil Community to keep its culture in tact. This is no small contribution to this community that oftentimes is affected by the stigma of the conflict in Northern and Eastern of Sri Lanka.

Keeping with his original vision, Mr. Imthiyas is on his way to having a model Montessori school for others in the area to follow. He's re-doing the playgrounds, continues to enhance the curriculum per the Montessori guidelines and has hopes to start a garden for the children to learn about growing food. But Mr. Imthiyas, not unlike Mr. Mahendra, has expanded on his original vision for the Minhath Montessori School. He recognized that he needed to make better use of the facility in which the pre-school was located after the pre-school children had gone home.

Since my last visit in 2007, he has set up a computer lab with two PC's, and now runs weekly study classes in Language, Science and Health in the afternoons for children ages 9-13, 13-14, 14-16. With a teacher from neighboring town Weligama, paid for out of his own pocket, he's created some of the most heavily attended after school classes by teens in this area wishing to perform well on their government exams.

His vision however, hasn't stopped there. While he recognizes the importance of having an exclusively Muslim/Tamil school for the community, he ventured further to establish the only Sinhalese/Tamil Montessori School in the district and of the 64 Montessori schools in the area, it is at the top of the list for performance and academia. Led by both Sinhalese and Tamil teachers, two of each he shows how it is possible to honor and respect the two cultures under one roof, not to mention create a superior learning environment in the process.

Unfortunately, the building in which the school is operated is in poor shape and overrun by monkeys in the evening when the school is not active. He is prospecting for financial support to rebuild this structure and improve the grounds that surround it.

Mr. Imthiyas, like Mr. Mahendra, with the support of Real Medicine, has become a strong community leader who actualizes every opportunity available to him to serve his community. Productive partnerships such as these have come to characterize Real Medicine's participation in Sri Lanka and we look forward to supporting these and forging others to further our vision in Sri Lanka.

Update February 10, 2007
By Minerva Fernando

The MINHATH Pre-school is the first ever pre-school for the children of the Muslim minority community in Dickwella, Sri Lanka. The new building was officially opened on November 25, 2006. School activities started on January 8, 2007.

Four Teachers were hired:
1. Miss M.R.B.Rizka Latheef
2. Miss M.F.Nazaha
3. Miss M.H.N.S.Nasahiya
4. Miss M.N.F.Rumaiz

26 children are attending the pre-school right now, ages 3 to 5 years.

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 The names of the children and a parent are:

The construction of the pre-school was overseen by the principal, Mr. Imthiyas. And he got all the support and the blessings from the Muslim Religious Leaders of Dickwella Jumma Mosque. The Board of Directors are the Religious Leaders of the Muslim Community, it is headed by Mr. Imthiyas. The management is in his hands, supervision and advocacy is in the hands of Real Medicine Foundation.

Under Mr. Imthiyas’ guidance, the pre-school is a beautiful and educational place for the children who are attending. He turned an old well into a fish tank so the children can learn about fish without any danger. The tank is surrounded by a fence and it is covered with a net.

The playhouse for the children is next to the tank, a beautiful little hut. And there is a special place for the children to play with sand. The swings are in a corner of the garden. There are also several benches in the garden, and a playground, which has a rope ladder, allowing the children to safely climb up. It is interesting to watch the children doing that.

The class rooms are neat and tidy. The handicrafts the children are doing are hung around the class room. It is very pretty.

When I was visiting and entering the class room, the children were singing. And they all wished me Good Morning politely. I was touched with their decent behavior. The teachers with much care and love do their duty very actively.

I had a chance to sing and play with the children for a while. I was so happy and enjoyed so much to be with them. When I was ready to leave them all thanked me and bid Good Bye to me. I felt little bit sad in my heart to leave them.

I am very proud that Real Medicine Foundation has made a secure and a pleasant place for these little children.