Resla sent a letter last November to her sponsor, Monika, leaving us quite puzzled.  She wrote that her Grandmother had returned to Abu Dhabi and had sent Resla to live with her sister.  Her Grandmother had left her there without money;  and with no money, there was trouble with the school. 

We immediately stopped the monthly payments to the Grandmother’s account and informed Roy.  He talked with Resla over the phone and mailed back, that everything would be fine and the girl would attend school.

As desired by her sponsor, in the interim til we would be there and could sort matters out, the monthly payment was sent to the kindergarten teacher, a relative of Resla.  She forwarded the money to the girl and Resla again sent a letter to Monika saying that she was able to enter an IT class with that money.

On our visit the full truth was revealed:  the Grandmother had returned to Abu Dhabi because her husband, working there, had fallen ill and needed her help.  She moved Resla to her sister’s house and forbade the girl to continue school.  She would be neither willing nor able to take the responsibility for an 18 year old girl from abroad and wanted Resla to get married.

Completely aghast, we asked Resla, why she did not come forward with the truth from the beginning?  And why she had even lied to Roy on the phone?  And did she want to get married?  Her response: “NO!!” came as a cry, and added that it was her duty to obey her Grandmother, not to tell the truth.  At the same time, she was too ashamed also to do so.

Her confession was followed by days of back and forth.  We had a long talk with the Grandmother’s sister and I did not keep my feelings to myself.  I told her that in my opinion it was a bit strange to say the least to accept the support from a sponsor for all these years and then ban the girl from school shortly before her 18^th birthday, only to give her into marriage!  The money had been sent foremost for Resla`s upbringing and SCHOOLING. After talking to her on the phone, the Grandmother finally gave her permission for Resla to go back to school.

To get her back into the private tutoring classes was a piece of cake.  The teacher told us that Resla was a very bright student and that he was very confident, that she could catch up the lost months pretty soon.  Resla had turned 18 on February 5^th, so we were able to open an account in her name, where the monthly payments will be sent to enable her to pay for the classes.

The government school was another story.  Roy told us that it was not possible to just walk up to the Principal`s office.  He had to ask for an appointment and that would take some time.

I insisted on trying it straight away.  In a country where pale faces like us have to pay the umpteen times higher entrance fees at every point of interest – why should this pale face not be good for opening the door to the Principal`s office without appointment for a change?

The Tzu Chi School in Hambantota was donated by Taiwan and about 1,000 students are taught there by 45 teachers.

With Resla on the tow line, we went there during school hours and did draw quite some attention.  We were directed to the Principal`s office and then we all stood in front of an lady that gave us a rather cool and disdainful reception. 

The Vice Principal went for additional chairs and soon more and more teachers filled the office and the discussions went on and on.  The only one not saying a word was the Principal.  As the discussion was held in Singhalese, we did not understand a word, Resla was cracking the knuckles of her fingers and all the Principal did was nod or shake her head with a solemn face from time to time.

A big help was the appearance of the English teacher.  She told me that Roy had explained Resla’s situation as a Tsunami orphan and that we had looked after the girl for years.  She confirmed that Resla was an excellent student and that all the teachers had been under the impression that she had entered another school.  It would not be a matter of convenience to drop in and out of a government school……

After what felt like an eternity the Principal’s lips parted with a simple “O.K.” and the very same moment Resla`s arms flung around my neck.  Two days later the girl was back in school.  

After sharing her delight, we had a long and serious talk with Resla.  We had fought for her and now it would be her turn to fight.  No way was she to drop out of the IT classes without her diploma that she had started on Sundays (until end of May).  She would not be the only student attending classes seven days a week.

And there would be no need to explain to her under what kind of observation from the whole community she would be as an 18 year old Muslim girl.  The slightest misbehavior on her part would lead to the loss of our faces and our reputation as well as Roy`s.  Since there were younger orphans than her that we could look after, she might even ruin the future for them as well.  She promised to give her best to pass the A-level exam next year, to be able to enter University.

Since we have returned to Switzerland I have been keeping close contact with her by e-mail.  We keep our fingers crossed for Resla, her sponsor and ourselves, that everything turns out well.  

After the Principal’s O.K. the mood in her office became much friendlier and we were introduced to a number of teachers.  The science teacher asked us to have a look at the science lab and told us about the situation of the school.  The government pays the teachers’ salaries, nothing else.  The teachers are forced to get the teaching material wherever they can find it.  The laboratory was almost empty except for some laboratory glassware and a couple of chemical bins.  There was a complete lack of laboratory equipment.

Chemicals can be bought for little money in Colombo and we will turn to the chemical plants in Basle.  Maybe there is some equipment that is not in use anymore and would work perfectly fine in Sri Lanka.  We would be extremely grateful if one of our readers with relevant contacts could help us in this matter.