The physical damage caused by the tsunami is slowly being made good. The conflict remains an immediate reality. Grief and trauma, a sense of dislocation and bereavement, are the common experience of uncounted numbers of Sri Lankans. Hardest of all to repair is the damage to Sri Lanka’s future potential, which may be calculated in terms of opportunities lost to its children.
To mitigate those losses – to inform, educate and bind together Sri Lanka’s children – assistance must go beyond the supply of such basic needs as food, shelter and security. A multitude of public and private humanitarian efforts exist to address such issues. However, needs that are, in the long run, equally important – information access and social cohesion - are more difficult to fulfil.
It is to address precisely these needs that Solidarité Laïque and Sri Lanka Solidarity have begun publishing and distributing Yuti, a magazine that presents useful and interesting information entertainingly, in the form of articles, features, do-it-yourself projects and games. Yuti will be a friend and guide to the children of Sri Lanka on their journey beyond tragedy and trauma, helping them grow into independent, responsible adults who will help rebuild Sri Lankan society in a new, equitable, enduring form.
This booklet helps explain what Yuti is and what it hopes to achieve. I hope it will convince you that the effort is worthwhile and worthy of your support. As you may imagine, a project like this needs many generous friends.
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