Context of the book

- Equality -We are all the Same, no matter what we look like or what our background is.

- War toys -The toys we use to play like guns and tanks and other destructive toys that can hurt someone if they were real.

- Violence and Anger -Violence and anger are not going to solve our problems.

- Human rights – We all have the same right to love, education, shelter, food etc.

- Greed –We must learn to share and learn to give

- Pride – The one thing that people say is the cause for more wars.

- Promote compassion –We must learn to try and look at the other person’s point of view, see the other side of the coin as they say.

- Caring – Care for more than yourself

* Children are exposed to so much violence. In some cases it is real - their communities are at war. In some cases it is found on television, where ‘conflict resolution’ often means the victory of the ‘strong’. In this environment, is children’s literature the last and best hope for peace?

Background

Sri Lanka & War

The Sri Lankan civil war is an ongoing conflict on the island-nation of Sri Lanka. Since the 1983 "Black July" pogrom, there has been on-and-off civil war, mostly between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or the LTTE, a terrorist organization who want to create an independent state in the north-east of the island. It is estimated that the war has left more than 65,000 people dead since 1983 and caused great harm to the population and economy of the country.

Sri Lankan children are the most affected by the clashes. Apart from those directly affected, killed or injured, many more are displaced from their homes, or are subject to abduction or recruitment by warring factions.

Despite the two year old ceasefire there are still many children suffering the effects of twenty years of conflict. It is estimated that 50,000 children in the affected region are out of school, around 140,000 have been displaced from their homes while landmines have killed 20 and maimed 17 children in 2003 alone.

All children in Sri Lanka are suffering, even those who have not experienced or witnessed the violence personally

Need for book

War, Equality, valance and human rights have been big part of every child in Sri Lanka, each affected by it in some way. Though such topics are talked about with adults many don’t take the time to talk to children who are the tomorrow of today.

No matter what back ground we have or what the majority has to say about it, we all have a right to life. If we can reach children with this massage at an early age then a seed is planted that will grow and change that out look of life.

Children think differently by neater, not focusing constantly on them self’s. They don’t wont heart others and would rather be kind then violent. Even though throw TV, films and other media they are thought like the test of valance, many children still would rather be kind and non valiant.

“Rainbow friends” is written with crating non violent thoughts in mind. The book hopes to make children think more about others, to be that seed that makes them think even one thought that will make them act none valiantly.

In October 2005 Timothy Seneviratne launched his book The 3 Friends and the Big Wave[1]. Written in English the book was an outcome of his work with children affected by the Tsunami in various parts of the island[2]. An immediate success, the book was used by several NGOs and CBOs to implement their psychosocial support programs for children throughout the island. Today it’s been translated and published 4 lugvegers becoming one of the best sellers in Sri Lanka, to date 22000 books have been published. “Rainbow friends” been hiss second book with a equally relevant subjected is bound to make a bigger impact in the minds of children.

[1] www.lankawork.blogspot.com

[2] www.trfsrilanka.blogspot.com

Beneficiaries

The beneficiaries are the children throughout Sri Lanka, from the ages 3-12.

• Children – Primary
  
• Parents, Teachers, counselors – Secondary
  
• NGO’s, CBO, - Tertiary

Objectives of the proposed project

The primary objective of the project is to publish the book in the English, Tamil and Sinhalese languages and distribute it to the children throw out Sri Lanka. Using simple language and creative illustrations the book hopes crate thoughts and feelings of Equality, Non Violence, the light of many children.

The book is also helpful to those children fortunate enough not to have been directly or indirectly affected while helping the children who are affected to understand the impotence of non Violence and peace and understanding. The book will be distributed by Ray of Hope.

Objectives & Activities

Ray of Hope

The Ray of Hope program begun under the auspices of the Tsunami Relief Foundation has been a great success with the children and the various NGOs who implemented it in collaboration. Using song, music, dance and art to work with children TRF conducted throw out Sri Lanka. Many of the children who participated in this program were directly or indirectly affected by the Tsunami. Most of them had lost their belongings, homes, environment, school and in the worst case a family member and/or friend. The Ray of Hope program offered them a platform to express their grief and confusion in a constructive way. It allowed the displaced children living in camps an opportunity to be just a child once again[1]. “The 3 Friends and the Big Wave” book was distributed with the assistents of TRF[2].

The Author

Timothy Senaviratne has a background in child psychology and has been a pre-school teacher. A filmmaker / photographer at heart considers him self an artist of sorts. [3]Having experienced the Tsunami himself, Timothy was motivated to take time off work and together with his friends, began the Tsunami Relief Foundation. This project was designed to use the arts as a means of connecting with children all over the country and to give them an outlet for their fears. The resulting book The 3 Friends and the Big Wave was written after he had worked with children affected by the Tsunami.

. In October 2005 Timothy Seneviratne launched his book The 3 Friends and the Big Wave[1]. Written in English the book was an outcome of his work with children affected by the Tsunami in various parts of the island[2]. An immediate success, the book was used by several NGOs and CBOs to implement their psychosocial support programs for children throughout the island. Today it’s been translated and published 4 lugvegers becoming one of the best sellers in Sri Lanka, to date 24000 books have been published. “Rainbow friends” been hiss second book with a equally relevant subjected is bound to reach children effected by the conflict of Sri Lanka.

[1] www.lankawork.blogspot.com

[2] www.trfsrilanka.blogspot.com

[3] www.aragornfilms.com

www.laninafilms.es

www.timswork.blogspot.com