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CandleAid
commenced working with Saint Joseph School (SJS) in 2005 by opening a
CandleAid Library. SJS is run by Catholic nuns, but welcomes and nurtures
hearing impaired students from all ethnic and religious backgrounds. The
level of impairment varies between the students, but they are alike in
that they all come from low-income families. Bottom line, they are poor.
Of the 40 students, 18 are boarded at the school and live there almost
the whole year through.
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The school's aim is to prepare these hearing impaired children to
live in a hearing enabled world. The teachers work on language and creative
skills with the students, such as reading, writing, painting and dancing,
as well as vocational skills such as computers, cooking and sewing.
CandleAid has so far:
1. Arranged
sponsorships for all resident students. Each sponsorship costs US $ 25 per
month and the current sponsors come from all over the world through the
CandleAid network.
2. Facilitated
computer lessons twice weekly (full day) for all students at SJS. where the
teacher's salary (LKR 12,000 per month) is funded by CandleAid and the
teacher is also responsible for the maintenance of the computers.
3. Gifted custom
made furniture for the school library and study hall
4. Established a
system for foreign students to stay at SJS and work with the students. Two
students from Hong Kong University have already spent a month at SJS.
5. Provided
transport (LKR 5,000 per month) for children who study in distant schools.
CandleAid has many future projects planned for SJS.
1. Personality
development.
2. Establishing
a network so students can have access to the internet.
3. Arranging
vocational training for the older students of SJS.
Details of the students sponsored by CandleAid
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For more details,
please contact:
Roshan Mendis
Project Director/SJS Programme
Email: roshan.mendis@zuji.com
Phone: +65-82018400
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Dineli Mendis
International Coordinator/SJS Programme
Email: dinelimendis@gmail.com
Phone: +65-82000981
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