The mountains of Sri Lanka are home of some of the finest teas in the world. However, job options besides the tea industry are very rare in that region. Our charitable organisation supports the Diyanilla Technical Institute in creating them.
The highland youth can take courses in tailoring, woodwork, electronics and data processing. In 2012, a new focus area, computing, was added. However, there’s still a lot of work to do in terms of education to lessen the dependence on plantation owners.
What makes the project particularly special is the encounter between the different cultures in Sri Lanka: Singhalese and Tamils learn and live together. The old conflict between the two groups is often own to problems of understanding – they speak different languages and indeed have a different script. The classes and living areas at the DTI are therefore deliberately mixed. Taking classes in the other language helps to dispel prejudices and develop mutual interest and understanding.
The role of Lemonaid & ChariTea e.V.
For years, the project was kept alive with private donations. Ultimately these dried up and the project was facing its end. With the help of funds from our charitable organisation, former founder Rangit Gunasekera was able to revive the DTI in 2011.