Sunday, January 27, 2008

Weekend


This weekend was a relaxed one though we had some engagements. Kanchana started with the Sarvodaya executive committee meeting on Saturday morning where she is a member. After spending some time at Sarvodaya she had to rush for another appointment at a Temple close by. The chief priest of the temple invited K for a lecture after listening one her former lectures delivered somewhere else. This lecture was on her pet topic “environment and motherhood” where the audience was pregnant mothers and their husbands. Kanchana has been delivering this lecture for past 4 years as a voluntary service. This is a joint venture with another gynaecologist where he directs pregnant mothers and fathers to behave in a certain way benefiting the unborn child as the foetus is sensitive to external world form 5 weeks on wards. Sometimes she had to visit remote districts too with the programme. What she focuses in her lecture is loving and respecting mother earth (mother of all living beings) and her sons and daughters (all trees and animals). Asking mothers to start looking at the nature listening to birds songs, sound of wind and enjoy the beauty and at the same time talking with the unborn and teaching the beauty of the natural environment and importance of protecting it to the unborn baby in her tummy. This is based on the scientific basis that the foetus can hear and feel outer environment through mother’s feelings and voice. With our experience during last 4 years mothers say it a beginning of a real change within them and they have seen a real change in their babies after they were born. I too experience that with my two boys as they are very sensitive and care about the nature.

It was a pleasant morning with like minded people where we shared our ideas on Buddhism, environment and people’s attitude. These responses always drive us to do more for the people and environment. I felt this meeting as one of the changing point of lives and something we have been looking for a long time.

Thushara

Friday, January 25, 2008

Sinharaja 97'






I met Claire as one of the team members of Sinharaja 97' a project came to Sri Lanka after winning a BP Conservation award (now CLP awards) in 1997. Jules (Dr. Julia Jones), Cathy (Dr. Catherine Isherwood) and Chris Knight were the other members of this expedition team where I was the Sri Lanka counterpart. This was the turning point of my career and I went to establish ECO-V in 2001. Claire and her husband Geoff visited us in 1998. Claire is the Conservation officer (Planning) at RSPB in Northern Ireland. Jules and Cathy are also involved in the Conservation field. I gain experience while working with them on environmental conservation and research. They directed and supported me to get a training at the International Training Centre of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in UK where I was born as a conservationist. Thanks to all my friends and today I consider them as my own sisters and friends of ECO-V.

After 10 years (2007) we had a reunion in Wales at Jules home in Wales unfortunately Cathy could not join us.












Wednesday, January 23, 2008

New year-new step


Dear Friends,

We wish you a very happy new year! Thushara and me decided to share our experience in our day today life and news on ECO-V as we felt that we are not communicating regularly with you. Both of us planning to update this page as frequently as possible and keep you all informed on ECO-V activities.

Geoff and Claire was with us in Sri Lanka in December and helped us to plan the future activities of ECO-V. We enjoyed their presence very much and their encouragement for ECO-V activities.

We will come back to you very soon and your comments will be very much appreciated.

Thushara and Kanchana