DESPITE THE ONGOING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN
SRI LANKA, VISIONS CONTINUES TO AFFECT
THE LIVES OF DISADVANTAGED YOUTH

Operation USA is sponsoring VISIONS (Volunteers Inspire Students in Orphanages of Northeast Sri Lanka), a charitable organization that aims to empower and educate disadvantaged Sri Lankan youth to become community leaders.

Founded in 2003, VISIONS offers programs and services that unite dedicated volunteers with eager and energetic youth living in Children’s Homes in war torn regions of Northeast Sri Lanka. In the years since its inception, VISIONS has partnered with 15 Children’s Homes to conduct summer leadership camps in Batticaloa, Jaffna and Trincomalee. The leadership camps provide an opportunity for volunteers to serve as role models, teachers and friends to the students who are broadening their capacity to achieve their goals and dreams. These youth have formed Student Leadership Committees (SLCs) through which they organize a variety of educational competitions and activities for children in their communities.

The leadership camp model has served as an inspiration for planned construction and development of the Visions Learning Center in Trincomalee to offer employable skills to young Sri Lankans. Construction has been postponed due to the resurgence of violence in the area, but preparations continue in anticipation of an opportune time to commence. The Learning Center will function as a residential training site offering nine month courses in English and office management, child care education and library management, art and sewing and cultural dance and music.

In 2006, VISIONS put forth an initial scholarship program, which led two of the first dance scholarship students to a debut performance. The scholarships will sponsor talented and motivated youth in Northeast Sri Lanka and enable them to further their education. VLC Scholarship programs include an English teacher-training program based in Colombo, a dance and culture program based in Chennai, India and a planned implementation for a computer and technology-training program. The goal is to select at least 10 youth to be the first recipients of the VLC scholarships.

While waiting for the ground situation to normalize so that building can begin, VISIONS is focusing on identification and capacity building of future VISIONS Learning Center staff, as well as curriculum development and long-term operational planning. As VISIONS continues to grow, more underprivileged youth, especially those war-affected and tsunami-affected, are being given a chance to succeed and better their own communities.

02/07