The Lasallian presence in Asia and its educational service to the most impoverished transcends borders, cultures and religions, and extends to the island of Sri Lanka, south of India. “The De La Salle Brothers of Sri Lanka, we have been working for over 150 years providing quality education to this country,” says Brother Jerad Mathews, of the Lasallian South Asia District (LASAD).
There, in the Mannar region, amongst the Tamil community – a vulnerable and marginalised minority group – where access to basic services is very limited, and where families are unable to provide their children with a nutritious diet, lies the La Salle English Medium School in Madhu.
“This school is situated in the north of part Sri Lanka, where the Brothers have been working for more than 75 years providing quality education to these students,” says Brother Jerad, explaining that this mission, founded on 17 September 2018, “is situated in a sacred area and in the middle of the jungle”, in line with “the concept of going beyond borders and responding to the needs of the poor people, and also to work in the peripheries”.
Meeting basic needs
However, as well as meeting educational needs, the Brothers know that “no child can truly learn on an empty stomach”. That is why providing the children with a nutritious meal every day not only fulfils a basic human right, but also safeguards their right to education, gives them the opportunity to stay in school and helps them to pursue their dreams.
“With the help of the La Salle Foundation, we are providing nutritious food to our kids every day,” continues Brother Jerad. “These kids come from very far and some kids did not eat proper food since yesterday, but this meal is really helping them because some of their parents also told me that we are providing a good food to our kids, so this food is really nourishing them to to have a better edification, and also the students they come to school every day; that is a big success for this program”, as they come every day, eat together and learn.
The programme also involves parents in preparing the meals. “Each parent prepares the food and they bring it here, and also we are providing quality food for our students,” states Brother Jerad.
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La Salle English Medium School is part of the 1LaSalle solidarity projects.
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* Content produced in partnership between the Office of Information and Communication of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools and the La Salle Foundation.
