The year 2023 is already drawing to a close. Christmas and the turn of the year are just around the corner. Unbelievable how fast this year has gone by! In the previous news release, we already wrote that it had been a while since you heard from us. Now, if possible, that period has been even longer. So we have a lot to report and are off to a fast start. In this news item, you will read about:
- Christmas in Sri Lanka
- Great news from the learning/working farm in Iyakachchi
- Enthusiasm at YEC and OBTEC: happy with course offerings
- Enormously happy with solar (project with SEHH and Wilde Ganzen) and laptops donated by Rockids
- Status of ongoing projects
- Father Ramesh visited
- New treasurer Erik Blom
- Wonderful donations
- Website www.havonos.nl updated
Are you reading with us again?
Christmas in Sri Lanka
People in Sri Lanka celebrate Christmas. An important time of the year. We experience this even here in the Netherlands, through the many, exuberant, warm Christmas wishes we receive from Sri Lanka. Many of these wishes are also addressed to you, our donors and interested parties. We will not mention all the wishes, as there are too many to mention. However, we do like to mention Father Ramesh's. He knows better than anyone that Havonos cannot do its work without your support and commitment and he thanks you very much for that. We are very happy to endorse that.
Those who regularly read our news reports know about the miserable situation in the beautiful yet bankrupt country of Sri Lanka. Because we know the importance of Christmas in Sri Lanka, we recently transferred a sum of money so the directors of the projects, as well as the projects themselves, can do something extra at Christmas. We are not talking large sums, but the money was accepted in gratitude.
Great news from the learning/working farm in Iyakachchi
Currently, Father Suren is in charge of the learning/working farm as project director. And we are extremely happy with Father Suren, because the moment he took office, he rolled up his sleeves and breathed new life into the farm. All sorts of things have been refurbished, and the number of chickens, pigs and goats is growing.
We are especially pleased with Father Suren's focus on sustainability and climate-friendly farming. He is therefore very happy with the solar panels on the farm. When it comes to sustainability, a large plantation has been set up on the property to grow coconut palms, cashew trees, mangoes and bananas. Peanuts and vegetables grown on the property are also grown in an eco-friendly manner.
Enthusiasm at YEC and OBTEC: pleased with course offerings
The country of Sri Lanka is not doing well. This is noticeable and palpable in all walks of life. Young people are particularly affected, as they are aware of the seemingly hopeless state the country is in and the powerlessness they feel to change anything about the current situation. And they still have a whole life ahead of them. We can hardly imagine how they feel.
What we can imagine however, is the enthusiasm with which these same young people participate in the courses offered by YEC and OBTEC.
Taking a break from everyday life and working together on subjects such as computer courses for beginners and advanced students, singing, dancing, music, make-up, sewing lessons, etc etc. The courses at both locations - YEC and OBTEC - are doing extremely well.
Enormously happy with solar panels (project with SEHH and Wilde Ganzen) and laptops donated by Rockids
We may have mentioned it before, but in 2023, with financial support from Stichting Een Helpende Hand (SEHH), Wilde Ganzen and Havonos, solar panels have been installed at three locations, namely Thodapaham, Jaffna (OMI headquarters), at OBTEC in Kilinochchi, and at the YEC. The solar system at the learning/working farm comes from an earlier and older project.We are now receiving reports about how happy and grateful people are with the solar system. The facility meets a need created by extreme weather conditions (climate change) and the failure of regular electricity sources. 
A good example of the benefit of the solar system, is visible in Thodapaham, at OMI headquarters, where students get ICT lessons. In doing so, they use laptops purchased with funds donated by Rockids. The advantage of laptops (over desktops) is that even in case of power cuts, classes can continue in the evening when solar power is not available.
Status of ongoing projects
This is the third news release of this year. Never before in our almost 20-year existence have we issued so few news releases. It may seem like we have been standing still, but that is by no means the case. And you may have already come to that conclusion while reading the above(?).
Regular readers know by now that Father Ramesh of OMI Sri Lanka is our permanent contact regarding the projects set up with your - and our - help and support. One of Father Ramesh's tasks is to inform you and us regularly about the status of the projects. He does so both verbally (video calls) and in writing, with short reports and lots of visual material. An example of such a report can be found here.
Father Ramesh on a visit
Speaking of Father Ramesh, he visited us earlier this month. Father Ramesh had never been outside Sri Lanka before, and now he was invited by Rome based OMI headquarters, to visit Rome where he attended an international consultation. And when in Rome, a trip to the Netherlands is obvious of course.???? Father Ramesh was only able to stay for a few days and during those days he got to know the Havonos board, which - apart from the chairman - he only knew through screen calls. He also visited a supermarket to learn about an important source of our income (donations from supermarket customers via packaging) with which we largely finance the projects. Father Ramesh was impressed and repeatedly expressed his gratitude for our and your support to the people of northern Sri Lanka. Click here for more pictures.
New treasurer Erik Blom
It is our great pleasure to tell you we found our new treasurer in Erik Blom, owner of Administratiekantoor Finovion in Raalte. We are very happy and grateful that Erik wants to dedicate himself to Havonos and its projects, and we warmly welcome him. At the same time, we say goodbye to board member Geert van Ommen, who has supported us administratively in the past year. Geert and his wife Ditty remain actively involved in Havonos, which we are very happy about.
Wonderful donations
We are equally happy with every donation and not all donations are mentioned here. Sometimes we make an exception for various reasons. This time it is for the donations from Transfair Foundation. From this fund we received with great thanks the amount of €2,020, earmarked for the solar project we wrote about above. Another exception is the flea market organised last summer by the Diaconate of the Plaskerk. Part of the proceeds were earmarked for Havonos, as a result of which we were able to receive the nice sum of € 500.
Website www.havonos.nl updated
We were not only behind in writing and sharing our news; our website was also no longer up to date. This has now changed, especially in the overview of current and completed projects, and projects under application. We cordially invite you to take a look. So much for this news item. We had a lot to share with you, but that makes sense when the previous message has been published for half a year. We hope and wish you enjoyed reading our messages.
As he left, Father Ramesh pressed us to convey to you above all his very best wishes for Christmas and the New Year, and that too on behalf of the staff of CPR, the organisation assisting him in Sri Lanka. Of course, we are happy to do so. 
Happy holidays and all the best, health and happiness for 2024
A year in which we will lovingly and joyfully dedicate ourselves to our projects in Sri Lanka, with the silent wish that you will continue to support us in doing so. Supporting financially, or otherwise, for example by sharing your interest, or participating in an action. For your support and interest in the past year, we thank you very much, also on behalf of the residents in our project area. Hope to see you next time, in 2024!