“Smile for Sri Lanka” Joint Charity Project 

Tadaaki Wakamatsu Q-pot. designer, designed “Kirin Gogo-no-Kocha Sweet & Zero” package： Milk Tea with Biscuit, Camu Camu Lemon Tea with Macaron and Straight Tea with Whip Cream & Strawberry.

Part of the proceeds from the sales of this product collaboration were donated to the international charity organization, “Save the Children”.

※Contact info for inquiries ： Kirin Beverage Company, Limited Customer Service Number  0120-595955

※These products are no longer sold.

●Smile for Sri Lanka

“Kirin Beverage Sri Lanka Friendship Project” and “Q-pot. Toro-ri Ribbon Project” jointly launched a collaborative designed package for “Kirin Gogo-no-Kocha Sweet & Zero” tea series. Part of the proceeds from the sales were donated to “Save the Children” in order to support the education of children in Sri Lanka, the main tea leaves supplier for “Kirin Gogo-no-Kocha”. 

●About “Kirin Beverage Sri Lanka Friendship Project”

Kirin launched this project to present their appreciation to Sri Lanka for their production of tea leaves, which have been supporting the success of their long selling tea product, “Gogo-no-Kocha.” Kirin will be building libraries and donating books to elementary and junior high schools in Sri Lanka over this next five-year period. 

http://www.kirin.co.jp/products/softdrink/gogo/egao/

●About “Save the Children”

Established in England in 1919, "Save the Children" is the world's leading independent children's rights organization, with members in 29 countries and operational programmes in about 120. We fight for children's rights and deliver lasting improvements to children's lives worldwide. 

●REPORTS

Thanks to all your wonderful support and contributions, a total of ￥4,000,000 was successfully collected to donate to Save the Children Japan.

◎Badulla District’s “Early Childhood Care and Development” (ECCD) Progress Report

Save the Children Japan (SJC) is implementing a project to provide better educational environment for children attending the ECCD Centers located in the tea plantations in Badulla District, Sri Lanka. 

1. Overview of the Project

Period： from June 1st, 2011 to May 31st, 2012 

Area： Spring Valley in Badulla District, Uva Province, Sri Lanka 

Objective： To improve quality of ECCD environment for the children of the area.  

Beneficiaries： 200 children in the age of 3 to 5 working in the tea plantation in Badulla District. 400 adults including ECCD teachers, parents, and ECCD committee members. 

2. Progress of the Project and Future Plans

For this project we have been working in partnership with local education office, plantation committee, and local residents. Upon implementing the project, we have also partnered with NGO Uva Workers Development Foundation (UWDF), which has worked for years in improving the living standards in communities of Badulla District tea plantations. Partnership with the local NGO plays an important role in the project to ensure the sustainability of the project. Their office is located within 30 minutes by car from the project site, enabling them to closely monitor the progress every day, and to follow up even after the completion of the project.

As of May 1st, 2012, construction and renovation of three ECCD Centers in May-Mallay, Kottegoda, and Nawarawatta have been completed. Opening ceremonies at each ECCD Center were held on April 24th, 2012 with the attendance of Tadaaki Wakamatsu Q-pot. designer, and over 300 people including children attending the ECCD Centers, parents and local residents. Children performed songs and dances, and the Principal of adjacent school and members of ECCD committee expressed their hope towards early childhood education.

Opening ceremony (May-Mallay ECCD Center)

Children performed their original dance. (NawaraWatta ECCD Center)

Children performed a traditional dance. (Kottegoda ECCD Center)

A donor plate was installed in each ECCD Center.

3. Message from the person concerned and children

◎May-Mallay ECCD Center

May-Mallay ECCD Center was a small meager shack standing on a cliff at the hilly tea estate. 41 children were studying in broken chairs in this deteriorating, hazardous school facility. Neither could they play, nor exercise due to lack of space for a playground. In order to improve this situation and make a child-friendly ECCD Center, the project supported reconstruction of the building and playground. 

After the renovation, a parent said, “When I saw the beautiful newly constructed center, I felt very happy and thankful that our kids could attend this wonderful center. It motivated us to participate in the school and be a help for this project.” At the beginning of construction, most of parents only passively observed the site from a distance, but they gradually started to participate in the operation, helping to paint and construct the playground. One of the mothers spoke to us, “All buildings need solid foundation. They can’t stand for long without it. That is also true for child education. Early childhood care and education is the base for child development just as a solid foundation is the base for a strong building structure. 

ECCD Center is very important for our community to bring up the next generation, so adults in the community must support this ECCD Center.” Such words were widely spread among the project area, leading to more involvement of local residents.

In the left: ECCD Center before renovation. Children gathered in a poorly constructed shed.

In the right: Newly built ECCD center and play ground.

◎Kottegoda ECCD Center

“Today is a memorable day for 35 children in Kottegoda ECCD Center. Look at this beautiful ECCD Center! Quality education in early childhood is very important for children to achieve their dream in the future. We, parents, are proud of sending our children to this center. Our dream has come true!” A mother passionately expressed her gratitude in English. This school was scheduled to close down prior to this project plan, due to deteriorating roof and risk of collapse. Now we can see many smiles on children’s faces and can hear joyful voices all the time in the new center. Children even started to speak out their dreams. The most popular future career for boys is a “Policeman” and for girls is a “Teacher”. 

Renovated center and children

◎NawaraWatta ECCD Center

NawaraWatta ECCD Center did not own an educational premises before the project started. Classes for 23 children had taken place just in a corner of a teacher’s office in a primary school in the village. It was a tiny and inconvenient space for the children. In this unblessed situation, teachers tried their best to bring liveliness for the children with activities such as singing and art-craft, although they all wished to be more physically active. Through this project, a new building and playground were constructed, creating enough space for all the children to play and exercise. The Principal of the primary school expressed his deepest gratitude towards Kirin and Q-pot., “Although we speak in different languages, it does not interfere our friendship. I am delighted and happy to see the children smile. We appreciate your great support.” 

Children enjoyed new play ground.

●Link

・Save the Children JAPAN
・Kirin : Gogo-no-Kocha

Q-pot. will continue to create a chain of smiles across the world!