February 24th, 2010 — Events, Pages, Workshops
The Rotary Club of Kandy partnered with us to start a Sunera workshop in the Kandy town on 23 February. Approximately 20 participants attended the inaugural workshop.
We wish to extend our gratitude to Mrs. Ayesha Imbuldeniya Wijeratne and her team at the Kandy Rotary Club for supporting our work.
Sunethra Bandaranaike (Centre) and Ayesha Wijeratne sign the MOU establishing the workshop
February 15th, 2010 — Events, Workshops
We are pleased to have started two new workshops in Thirukovil and Kalmunai on 13 February with the support of the Swiss INGO, Terres Des Hommes. The inaugural workshops proved to be a success as they were well attended, and appreciated thanks to the successful activities conducted by our PDOs, Chathuranga and Sandun.
We wish to extend our gratitude to the local government official for the Kalmunai Tamil Division Mr. Victor de Alwis, General Manager for Human Link Mr. A Kamardeen, Deputy Principal for Wesley High School in Kalmunai Mr S. Kalaiyarasan, Public Relations Officer for Terre Des Hommes in Batticaloa Mr G. Nivard, The local government official for Thirukovil Mr, K. Rajarathnam and Reverend Ravi Murukapillai of the Methodist Church Thirukovil, for supporting our work in this area.
Participants in Thirukovil
Participants in Kalmunai
January 18th, 2010 — Events, Workshops
The participants and mothers of our Panadura workshop enjoyed a change during their regular workshop, on Friday 8th January.
Singapore based jewellery designer, Rashantha Devanesan conducted a jewelry making workshop, during which participants and mothers enjoyed putting together their own creations from colourful beads and accessories that we had provided for them.
Whilst the children had great fun, the mothers saw the exercise as extremely relaxing and therapeutic.
Susila, one of the mothers said, “this was such a wonderful experience. We hope we have more inputs like this soon”.
Dinusha (far right) enjoys making jewelry with her step mother and sister
All the participants sporting their own creations!
September 17th, 2009 — Events, Pages, Workshops
On 12th September, participants of the Matara District workshops performed dance and drama items to local audiences. The Akuressa workshop participants performed a play titled “Apooru Thegga” (Special Gift) which was directed and produced by Menaka Priyadharshana. The Dennipitiya workshop participants performed “Wahallu” (Slaves), which was directed and produced by Danusha Stella. Finally, the Matara workshop participants performed “Thoona Hamarai” (Three Thirtday), which was directed and produced by Chandana Vasantha.
These performances were jointly organised by Sunera Foundation and the Matara Samadhi Community Development Foundation.
Sunera Chairperson Sunethra Bandaranaike, Samadhi Foundation Chairman Buddhika Pathirana, Sunera Executive Director Chandrika Subasinghe and Sunera Field Manager Dhammika Gamage attended the performances, which had an audience of approximately 400, consisting of the family members of the cast, Local Government Officials, clerics and general members of the community.
Based on the feedback we received after the performances, it is apparent that the participants, parents and trainers greatly appreciated this endeavour and its value in raising disability awareness in the their community.
August 18th, 2009 — Events, Workshops
Date - 12th September
Time - 2 - 3.30pm
Venue - Rahula College, Matara
The South Coast workshops will be performing dance and drama items. The Akuressa workshops will perform “Apooru Thegga” which will be directed and produced by Menaka Priyadharshana. The Dennipitiya workshop will perform “Wahallu”, which will be directed and produced by Danusha Stella. And, the Matara workshop will perform “Thoona Hamarai”, which will be directed and produced by Chandana Vasantha.
There will also be three dance items that afternoon, so why not come along and enjoy all the performances?!
June 4th, 2009 — Events, Workshops
Sunera’s 13 senior trainers, who have been undergoing scriptwriting and stagecraft training with Delon Weerasinghe, complete their 3 stage training programme on 21st June 2009.
To mark the end of this training and to showcase the information they have inbibed and the scripts they have developed during this process, these 13 trainers will be performing excerpts from their scripts to an audience on the evening of the 21st of June.
The evening titled “Readings” will take place at 6.00pm at the Punchi theatre.
February 6th, 2009 — Events, Workshops
Sunera endeavours to build on the abilities and knowledge of its trainers on a continuous basis. In this spirit, Sunera has organized an intense Stagecraft and script writing workshop for 12 of its most senior trainers, which will commence in 14th February 2009.
The workshops will be conducted by actor, director and Graetian Award winner 2005, Delon Weerasinghe.
Each stage will consist of a 6 day residential programme, during which director and Delon will give the trainers inputs and practical guidance as to how to take a production from beginning to end.
Revisit our website for details and photos of these workshops as they progress.
February 6th, 2009 — Events, Medical Camps, Workshops
The medical camp initiative that Sunera has embarked on with Sarvodaya has entered its second phase. It has also expanded its scope of work by now offering medical counselling to parents with disabled children, thereby, giving these parents support and tools with which they are better able to deal with their disabled children and the challenges they face by virtue of having a disabled child.
Parents’ counselling is now complete in the Kurunegala District and commences in Galle and Akuressa this weekend (commencing 7th February 2009).
Below, a doctor talks to a parent and workshop participant from the Dehiwela workshop…
Parent’s counselling time table (2009) - all sessions take place from 9.00am to 3.00pm
Nikaweritiya - 31st January
Horombawa - 1st February
Chilaw - 3rd February
Bingiriya - 4th February
Akuressa - 4th FEbruary
Galle - 8th February
Anuradhapura - 15th February
Galnewa - 16th February
Anamaduwa - 21st February
Horagolla - 22nd February
Panadura - 23rd February
Daraga Town - 4th March
Bandarawela - 7th March
Welimada - 8th march
Badulla - 9th March
Talawa - 14th March
Galewela - 15th March
Denipitiya - 20th March
Matara - 21st March
IMaduwa - 22nd March
Dehiwela - 29th March
Maharagama - 30th march
Puttalam - 4th April
Pannala - 5th april
Negombo - 9th April
Kurunegala - 10th April
Mawanella - 19th april
Mahiyanganaya - 20th April
Horana - 26th April
December 19th, 2008 — Events, Media Releases, Workshops
The 6 finalists from the Samanalayaya 2008 District performances were presented at the John De Silva theatre on the 17th and 18th of December 2008. The audiences, which braved the wet weather to attend performances on both days, were greatly appreciative of all the performances.
Here’s what some of our more “recognizeable” audience members had to say about the performances.
Punyakante Wijenaike (Writer)
“I could hardly believe that these people had written and producted these plays, doing their own choreography and training the actors and actresses to nplay their parts to naturally. Also, the messages the plays brought to the audiences were to powerful and meaningful”.
Kaushalya Fernando (Theatre Personality) - “The performances were presented at a very professional level and the manner in which the directors have harnessed the talents of the disabled participants is very good. It was great to see disabled children as part of such a professional production.”
V. Kamalawathy (Disability Rights facilitator and activist) - “Had I not known of the exact nature of Sunera’ work, I would have thought that Sunera offers a residential facility to its’ participants - the performances were of that level of professionalism. Sunera carries out it’s work and workshops in such a thorough manner and the result was there for all to see at the performances last night.”
Here are a few moments…
March 6th, 2008 — Workshops
In the build up to Samanalayaya 2008, Sunera organized a 5 day residential TOT in Malabe, where all our trainers received valuable input and knowledge on stage management, script writing and performance related activities. They will now utilise this training to put together their individual performances for this year’s drama festival.
