After a 2-year corona break and a politically difficult time, we were finally able to return to Sri Lanka in November 2022 to visit our current and new projects. Horizon Holland supports small-scale projects that often have to do with the living conditions of the socially weakest in society in particular.

Sri Lanka is a country that has to get back on its feet again and again economically. From the past they have to deal with domestic resistance from the Tamil tigers, the tsunami and most recently the domestic political unrest and Corona.

A major source of income for Sri Lanka is tourism, which is hit again and again and has to start again. The socially weaker community is often the victim of this. Prices are rising and government aid is becoming less and less available. The country is almost bankrupt.

We have been asked for help this time, especially in rural schools which have problems of various kinds. For example, there are schools that have no or poor water supply, bad or too few toilets and also a school where girls are taken care of with a difficult home situation.

During our stay we visited about 15 schools ranging from 30 to 300 students. It is striking that the poorer the population is, the more parents are willing to work with the school to make something beautiful out of it. For example, there is a plan to set up a large school garden together with parents and students in order to be able to provide for themselves in part, as well as a small school that asks for a new water tank. The director of the school indicates that the parents themselves will remove the old leaking water tank and put a new one in its place. It is fantastic that self-activity increases parental involvement and reduces costs.

For example, we as the Horizon Holland foundation have been trying for many years to offer a better perspective to the lives of the underprivileged in Sri Lanka with small-scale help. This varies from donating a wheelchair to, among other things, building new toilets and ensuring good water supplies.

If you want to know more about the projects we support, a visit to our website is certainly worthwhile. You can also contribute here if you want to support us.