'Pediatric Cancer Patients' Project in Maharagama, Sri Lanka
Many of our members who visited Sri Lanka this year visited with the children at the Maharagama Cancer Hospital. To say that they were moved by their experience would be an understatement. The volunteer ladies of the Pakasthi Women's Organization with limited funds and facilities bring a lot of cheer and smiles to these children. SLANE is funding the transportation for families to bring their children to the clinic and to get pain killing medication and nutritious food.

Valvoosa/Life Voice Project in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka
This school for deaf children sponsored by the Batticaloa YMCA draws children from as far away as Anuradhapura. The dedicated staff teaches these children sign language and crafts in addition to the normal school curriculum. Chitral DeMel met with the General Secretary in Colombo and Bevis Peries visited the school in Batticaloa in December 2003 and observed the good work that is accomplished by a dedicated band of teachers and administrators. He was very impressed by what is being done at the school and touched by the welcome he received by the staff and children. Vaalvosai does not get the funding other Colombo based schools receive and as such, SLANE's donations are extremely welcomed.

SLANE has been supporting this project for the past several years and this school is making considerable progress due to the efforts of the leadership and their dedicated staff. This year, the funds provided by SLANE will be utilized to send two teachers for special education training to India. Thereafter, it is the goal of the school to have these two teachers take the role as master teachers and thus be mentors to other teachers and volunteers.

Life Giving Project
The goal of this project is to continue to provide assistance for the two children that S.L.A.N.E. financially supported for heart surgeries. These children are back in their villages and are cared for by their families. In both cases their parents are not able to provide them with the after-care support they need. We are looking to collect $10 each month for the next 12 months to help their parents provide for the care they need.

The children are: Asini Laksarani (8-months when underwent surgery) of Ambalantota and Dhanushka Buddima (6-months old when underwent surgery) of Ampitiya, Kandy.

SLANE will assure you that your money will go directly to children you are supporting and SLANE will establish a monitoring system that will report the progress of each child as well as highlight the difference your support makes in the lives of each child. SLANE will also arrange for the child you sponsor to directly correspond with you.

Each payment you make to this project is tax deductible and will be acknowledged with a receipt by the SLANE Treasurer. SLANE will also maintain a continuous list of sponsors for each project in its website - www.slaneusa.org as well as the quarterly newsletter.

If you wish to contribute please call Chitral de Mel at 508 476 1573 or email us at slaneusa2001@yahoo.com. Please mention 'Life giving project' in the subject line.

Life Line Project

	This child's prescriptions cost Rs. 6,000/month, an amount the family cannot afford.

The Sri Lanka Association of New England (SLANE) is establishing funds to support three Children's Projects. Two of these projects are an add-on to programs already supported by SLANE, while the other is to provide continuous support to the two pediatric patients whose heart surgeries were funded by SLANE

The children are: Asini Laksarani (8-months when underwent surgery) of Ambalantota and Dhanushka Buddima (6-months old when underwent surgery) of Ampitiya, Kandy.

SLANE will assure you that your money will go directly to children you are supporting and SLANE will establish a monitoring system that will report the progress of each child as well as highlight the difference your support makes in the lives of each child. SLANE will also arrange for the child you sponsor to directly correspond with you.

Each payment you make to this project is tax deductible and will be acknowledged with a receipt by the SLANE Treasurer. SLANE will also maintain a continuous list of sponsors for each project in its website - www.slaneusa.org as well as the quarterly newsletter.

If you wish to contribute please call Chitral de Mel at 508 476 1573 or email us at slaneusa2001@yahoo.com. Please mention 'Life giving project' in the subject line.

Scholarship Project
Provides two scholarships to two graduate students. This is done by the University Grant Commission of Sri Lanka from the interest earned of our principal amount from the scholarship funded by SLANE.

Mother Theresa Orphanage
Supported this orphanage with a regular donation.

Discover Sri Lanka Project
The art competition we held on the theme of 'Peace in Sri Lanka' in 2002.  We reached 9000 schools in Sri Lanka and got about 2000 entries.

Fundraising events
SLANE conducted several fundraising projects to support its missions in Sri Lanka. They were.

•  May Fair at Harvard Square, Cambridge: SLANE had a craft booth that attracted many people.
•  Yard Sale: A yard sale was held at the residence of committee member, Ms. Ramyani Perera in North Attleboro. MA

Sri Lankan Recipe Book: Ms. Akalushi Muthukumarana of SLANE initiated a Sri Lankan recipe book to be sold to both Sri Lankans and non-Sri Lankans.