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| Sunday, 7 May 2006 |
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Junior Observer |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Preventing child labour in plantation sector A programme to prevent domestic child labour in the plantation sector was introduced recently by the Galle office of the Plantation Human Development Trust, in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation/International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour.
It will be carried out with the support of plantation management companies and trade unions. According to figures released nation-wide, the plantation sector is one of the most vulnerable areas of child labour. The project will include the provision of non-formal education to children who have dropped out of estate schools and were unable to re-enter the formal education processes, and children who have never attended school. For those who have recently dropped out of school, catch-up education is provided, so that they can be helped back into mainstream formal education. Remedial education has also been introduced to prevent those who are at risk of dropping out of school, from doing so. The intention of this programme is that the plantation sector would be strengthened and supported to prevent child domestic employment. Children numbering over 1,635 from the plantation sector were enrolled under the remedial and catch-up education programme, while vocational training has been provided for 1,070 children on a demand driven basis on agricultural practices, such as, machine plucking and pruning factory products, carpentry, rubber budding and cinnamon peeling. Micro credit facilities were provided to the families so that mothers can be enrolled under the project to learn some income-generating activity to support them, in sending their children back to school. The activities will be continuously monitored by a steering committee. Basic requirements such as education materials, uniform materials and school bags were recently provided to the children under the project. Come and be a part of Amadahara! No one saves us but ourselves, no one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path, but Buddhas clearly show the way. - The Dhammapada by Janani Amarasekara Over the past few weeks, we have been bringing you news about the Amadahara programme, and encouraging all of you to come and be a part of this event. Now, as the day draws nearer, we are ready to provide you with more information on the programme, so that you can make your plans early and ask your parents to accompany you to the event. The children's favourite event in this programme, which will be held over the three days, May 12-14, is sure to be the Vesak lantern competition. This competition will be conducted under two categories; one for the schools around Colombo, and the other on an islandwide basis. Twenty-five schools have already expressed their interest in participating in the competition. If you have not sent your application for this competition yet, ask your principal to do so right now. All children are welcome to take part in the Vesak lantern competition in the open category. Try your luck. You just may be the winner!That's not all. We have bhakthi gee recitals as well, which will be held in front of the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. (ANCL) building. Employees of ANCL will be participating in the recital. The People's Bank, along with the school students from outstation areas will participate in the bhakthi gee recital to be held on May 12. The Buddhist Society of Pettah will also join hands with ANCL for the Vesak celebrations. They will organise a thorana and dansala near the Pettah Bodhi. The People's Bank will be organising an ice-cream dansala on May 12, near the People's Bank Head Office and the following day, in front of the Bank's Foreign Branch, situated at the corner of the ANCL building. Now this is sure to delight all the children. For those of you who won't have the opportunity of visiting the Amadahara Zone, don't worry. You still can enjoy the programme, because the Independent Television Network (ITN) will telecast the programme live from 10.00 p.m, to 12.00 p.m. on May 12, 13 and 14. They will also give you the latest updates from Amadahara from 4.30 p.m. onwards. So, reserve your day to attend this programme. The trains named Yaldevi, Ruhunu Kumari and Udarata Menike, which commemorate their 50th birthday this year, will be especially decorated for the programme. We at Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited are ready to give you entertainment as well as religious devotion through the Amadahara programme. So join us to make it a success. Stamps to mark Buddha Jayanthi by Francis P. Gunasekara Prominent Buddhist sites are featured in 50 stamps issued to mark the 2550th Buddha Jayanthi. The stamps were issued on May 5 and will be available islandwide throughout the festive season. It was on a concept of President Mahinda Rajapakse that the Postal Authorities issued these special stamps to remember the significance of 2550 years of Buddhism in the world. Prominent religious symbols adorn all the stamps. Nagadeepa, Jethawanaramaya, Kiriwehera, Aluvihara, Thiwanka Pilimageya and Hindagala Raja Maha Vihara are some of the Buddhist shrines that have been honoured. The denominations of the stamps are Rs. 2.50, Rs. 4.50, Rs. 5.00, Rs. 10.00 and Rs. 17.00. Of all the Buddhist countries of the world, Sri Lanka is the only country issuing special stamps as a part of the Vesak celebrations. World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day tomorrow The Red Cross, as you know, is present in many countries across the world including Sri Lanka. It is one of the largest humanitarian organisations in the world, carrying out its activities. Children and adults from around the globe will be celebrating World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day on May 8. While these celebrations are going on, millions of Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers will be continuing their work of helping refugees, educating young people about HIV/AIDS and attempting to reunite families separated by wars, as they do throughout the year. The day commemorates the birthday of Henry Dunant, the Swiss national who founded the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in 1863, to help alleviate (reduce) the suffering of war victims. Dunant, who saw the suffering of war victims during the Battle of Solferino in 1859, called for the humane treatment of the sick and wounded during war times. Till then, soldiers wounded in battle were left to die or were killed by the enemy. The Red Cross he set up is now operational in over 173 countries, working to save lives and alleviate the suffering of local communities during wars. Dunant was the recipient of the first Nobel Peace Prize. The concept for the day was born around 1922, just after the First World War. The first Red Cross Day was celebrated in 1948, and after many changes to its name, came to be known as World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day in 1984. Children's Day in Japan All countries have their unique customs and traditions. Sri Lanka is no different, we have our own rituals and traditional practices, as you would have seen during the past avurudu month. Today, we will tell you about such a novel festival celebrated in Japan, the Children's Day.
The traditional Children's Day, known locally as Tango no Sekku (a seasonal festival), was celebrated in Japan on the fifth day of the fifth month (May 5). It used to be a day for wishing for the growth of boys, but now all children are celebrated, although families with boys carry out special rituals like putting up carp streamers, known as koinobori, outside their homes and displaying dolls of warriors and other heroes inside. Carp are fish that swim powerfully against strong currents; a Japanese legend says that a carp swam upstream to become a dragon. The streamers symbolise the wish that boys will achieve success and become strong and confident. On this day, families take baths sprinkled with iris leaves and roots, as iris was believed to promote good health and ward off evil. Rice cakes wrapped in oak leaves and filled with a sweet bean paste (Kashiwamochi) are also eaten. Although celebrations have been carried out from ancient times, it became a national holiday in 1948. A separate festival for girls, Hina Matsuri (dolls festival), is held
on the third day of the third month (March 3). |
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