ON THE COVER I Went To Help… And Found True Love
Fate led Kat to Sri Lanka
As the sea of smiling faces welcomed me, I felt at ease. After five years in London working in recruitment, I felt ready for a new challenge and a change of scene, so had put all my belongings in storage, given up my room in a shared house, and set off for Sri Lanka. I’d expected my new surroundings to take some getting used to, but I’d never felt more welcome.
I’d chosen Sri Lanka because my dad was born there, although he hadn’t been back in years. He told me of an orphanage built near the beach and one quick Google later, I’d found Prithipura and signed up to volunteer for six months.
I had no experience of working with people who had disabilities, but as I read up on the history of the charity, I knew I wanted to contribute.
Set up in 1964 by Brian De Kretser after he heard there were children abandoned at the local hospital because of their disabilities, he’d been given some land and a hut and took on three children.
Thillaka was one of the first women to start working with him and they fell in love. Marrying a few years later, they had three sons – one of whom, Pieter, picked me up from the airport the day I arrived. He was late!
I was in awe of all the family had achieved. Prithipura means Happy Village and that’s exactly what it was. Set across four locations, there was a home for young children as well as adults with severe disabilities, a school and home to 80 more vulnerable children and young people, totalling 240 under Prithipura care. There were two farms, generating an income and vocational opportunities to the adults with less severe needs. There was a rubber plantation, a coconut plantation, cows grazing in fields and over 40 different types of fruit, vegetables and spices grown to feed the team and sell.
Everything operated on a small budget. Pieter’s family had achieved so much with so little and what struck me most was how happy everyone was. My role was to look after babies and young children who had severe disabilities. The first few weeks were hard but I developed a level of patience I never knew I had and loved every moment.
A network of local employees and visiting volunteers kept the cogs turning and I was honoured to be part of something so magical. As my stay was longer than most volunteers, I got to know Pieter and the team well and when it came time to say goodbye, I was heartbroken. I cried all the way home and when my parents picked me up from Heathrow, I burst into tears again. I should have known that my time in Sri Lanka was not over.
Forever changed by my experience, I got a new job as a key worker, keen to continue helping those less fortunate. It was strange to be back in London. In many ways I felt more of a culture shock than I had in Sri Lanka. Everything felt familiar, yet so alien. The people of Prithipura were never far from my thoughts.
Later that year, Pieter came to the UK to visit family and we met up. It was lovely to reminisce and ask him about all the children. Two years went by. Pieter and I kept in touch sporadically
Back in London, I felt more of a culture shock than I had done in Sri Lanka
and in 2009 I returned to Prithipura for a fortnight. Then, on New Year’s Eve 2010, Pieter called and something felt different. We’d always had chemistry but until then, neither of us had admitted it. It wasn’t just the children and endless sun I missed. It was Pieter too.
That summer, back in Sri Lanka again, Pieter and I sipped cocktails on a terrace overlooking the sea. As the sun set, he proposed!
We married in January 2012 and that March, I moved to Sri Lanka for good. Our ceremony fused elements of both our cultures and was unforgettable.
Pieter is kind, caring and dedicated. He looks after a lot of people and his life here is not easy, but he never complains. His dad passed away many years ago and sadly his mum died recently too, but they would both be so proud of all he continues to achieve.
We have 60 staff across four locations and Pieter oversees all projects. We rely on volunteers and donations, although the government here donate 15% of running costs. If it wasn’t for us, these children would have nowhere to go. Volunteers from around the world come and stay days, weeks, even months. There’s lots to do, but dancing and laughter too.
I miss friends and family and cheese and coffee. But this beautiful, complicated island has given me true love – for Pieter, for the children, for the happy village I now call home.