On Higher Grounds: JDC Rebuilds Primary School on Land Donated by Buddhist Priest

Traipsing through his rice paddy fields, the sun at his back, Rakave reaches a small clearing. He looks down at the deed in his hand and points to the area where his three acres end. "Until here," he says, "is for the school."

While the government of Sri Lanka has yet to allocate land for homes and other institutions destroyed by the Tsunami, Rakave — Priest of the Ahangama Maha Viharay Temple in Ahangama, Southern Galle — is donating half of his own land as a new site for the DKV Primary School, which has been operating in tents on the Buddhist temple grounds since January 17th.

Once located a few feet from the ocean’s edge, DKV was inundated with more than 10 feet of water during the Tsunami, ravaging the school. Though the children were at home when the disaster hit, the impact on the youngest generation was still devastating. Of some 781 students grades 1-5, three were killed; two lost a parent; 36 had their homes destroyed with dozens more damaged; and, these months later, most are still exhibiting signs of fear and trauma related to after-effects of experiencing the deadly waves.

But for those living in Ahangama, where the Tsunami death toll was 100, life must go on. Monday through Friday at 8am, students pile outside in the temple yard for the national anthem and Buddhist prayers (though more than one-fourth of the student body is Christian or Muslim) followed by 10 minutes of physical activity. They then disperse into makeshift classrooms — an average of 40 children to every one teacher — where only one half have the luxury of a blackboard, provided by UNICEF. There are no other learning tools; there are no toilets and no drinking water.

With funds raised from its Tsunami Relief effort, JDC, in partnership with local businessmen of the Rotary Club of Colombo, held a ground breaking ceremony for the new school on June, 2. The Ministry of Education of the Government of Sri Lanka declared that schools being rebuilt should include upgraded facilities, such as computer centers, science labs, libraries, etc. JDC supports this initiative and will be providing funds to ensure that needed equipment and facilities are included. "The rebuilding of schools is not only an urgent need, but also an investment in the future. JDC is utilizing its considerable know-how with school reconstruction based upon experience gained in Kosovo, Turkey, and many other countries around the world" stated Judy Amit, JDC’s Tsunami Program Director in Sri Lanka.

This project is like a dream following a terrible nightmare for Ranjani, principal of DKV, who admits that carrying on since the Tsunami has been a major challenge. In addition to having herself experienced the natural disaster, more than a quarter of Ranjani’s teachers have been greatly impacted. "What I would like is to rebuild the school as quickly as possible so more and more of our students can achieve better academically and get scholarships," she says, focused on getting help for her students to attend better secondary schools. "The temporary space we are in now is a gift — a miracle that we have it — but it is a very crowded space and not a proper learning environment."

Rakave, who has been a Buddhist priest for 40 years, is eager to help his community surmount the obstacles posed by the natural disaster. "We are very thankful for the assistance of the American Jewish community; now it is our duty to provide the land and the rest of the needed support." And he intends to make good on that assertion. When the Sri Lankan government eventually compensates him for his land, Rakave intends to give the proceeds to the local poor to rebuild their homes.

When the Tsunami hit and more than 1,000 internally displaced persons moved into the temple area as a shelter, Rakave took the little cash he had to buy food and set up cooking stations. "People wanted to volunteer — women wanted to make food for everyone," remarked one of the villagers. But Rakave, along with other priests and students, insisted on serving their faithful followers. "It was our chance to do something for them…to do for the people," he said. He gave money to help them build temporary shelters, and bought much-needed supplies — cooking utensils, pillows, mattresses and blankets — for those returning to their damaged homes. He still maintains a discretionary fund so that anyone can come to the temple on Sunday, state what he or she needs, and get it by Wednesday.

Rakave's Buddhist principles of modesty and humility are evident. "I am very careful not to give extra to anybody. If you give the needy extra, then what you give them loses its value," explains the veteran leader. But amidst wreckage of the old school building, where someone has scribbled, "Sunami not well come" on a lopsided blackboard, for now, at least, it seems safe to say that nothing is being taken for granted.