Volunteer Sri Lanka

Its crazy to think that 8 weeks ago we only knew you as our coordinator for our internship, but now you are much more that that. 
Thank you for opening your home for us and making us feel safe. We are very grateful for the way you have been taken care of us and the way you have been always treated us like family. 
Thank you for all your amazing stories and life lessons, we will never forget and we hope to bring it with us home to Denmark! We will miss all the late night talkes and if its okay with you, we would love to be on facetime for dinned once in a while. 
Thank you for imtroducing us for all "our" beloved patients, we wish them all the best and feel very secure leaving their rehabiltation in yours and future physios hands. Feel free to give us updates when Arosh is driving the tuk tuk again, when Indika is walking down the street or when Chaturani is baking again. We believe in all of them, Kelum, Arosh, Indika,, Jagath, Mulin, Hema, Nishantha & Chaturani, our patients we did physiotherapy. 
Thank you for planning all the trips unforgettable, for all the amazing food specially the banana bread, for all your guidance and advices and for always making us feel like you have the time in the world for us even you are a very basy man! 

Ida Hormemann, Cecille Mollerup-Degn, Magnus Nilsson

UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN - DENMARK 04th October 2024

When we decided to take a one month holiday beginning of 2024, we wanted to do a meaningful journey, mixing with the local people, bringing our contributions (even small) to local projects, getting implied in social and cultural life. When we discovered the Sea tutles conservation project in Sri Lanka, We immidiately felt called by this mission. It was an unique oppertunity to discover Asia for me as Lola had already gone in Bali & Cambodia before. But also to contribute to the protection of marine environment which is of primary importance to us. 
The WhatsApp call we had with Janaka a few weeks before coming confirmed we had made the right choice. Janaka, you were extra ordinary with us from the beginning. We will never forget these 2 weeks spent here at your volunteer house where we unf met fabulous people, incredibly matured to their age, (I would have never done a thing like this when I was in their age) with who we spent unforgettable moments at the projects, beach, lakes, safaris and here at the volunteer house. 
Janaka we infinitely thank you for what made for us, but more important to what you brought to us. When we came here, I had a lot of anxiety from my life, job, family and future. being here at your contact with the project and all the other volunteers, was a real treatment. It helped us resetting our minds for a more peaceful way. On the 02nd Day in Galle, I was called by the Japanese Peach Temple of Rumassala. From this moment, everything started to change in my mind. We discovered Buddhist culture something I came for and then we had this talk with you about the Tsunami, the buddhist way of living and the meaning of celebrations to Buddha. It all felt like a therapy for us, exceeding all we have expected before coming here. 
Your inspiring life, your kindness, your tricks for meditation or rewinding and relaxing the good things of each day were like the tools I was missing to be more peaceful with ourselves and in our lives. This has inestimable value, therefore we will never say enough . Thank you for this. 

Benoit Salinier & Lola David

PARIS - FRANCE 16th October 2024

Six years ago in 2018, I was drawn to Sri Lanka. I dont know why, but I felt I was suppost to be here. Then I was very young at 18 but it had a big impact on who I wanted to become as a person. After I returned home 6 years ago I lived my life and life lived me. A lot of things happened to me and I fell ill with my mental health problems. In the darkest of my days, suddenly I receive a message from an Old friend Janaka. 
He asked me how I am doing and we talked about his family. This little and may be insignificant message gave me hope.  It reminded me of a timeI felt truly happy, at peace and useful. I tried to hold on to this feeling. The feeling of being able to make the world a better place, to help people and make a change. It was hard but it gave me back some of my self-worth. For about an year Sri Lanka and Janaka were the things I thought about when I felt down mentally. And slowly I started to have hope also with the help of my fellow therapist and close ones. Its been a really hard battle, and still is. 
But coming here again and feeling the Love that you Janaka put into the world and into me I felt that my heart and soul are healed a lot more. May be your message meant to me, may be it was a just a coincidence, we will never know. What I do know is that I can't thank you enough for it. Thank you for your message for the love, for the dinner talks, for everything Janaka, you are in my heart forever and I consider you as my family from the deepest of my heart. Thank you for everything. I love you, do take care.

Laura Schaap - 25 years

Netherland 04th October 2024

I don't know where to start, I'm lost for words! Its hard to sum up the 6 weeks of my life in a few lines. So I will start with the simplest Thank You. 

Thank you for welcomig me as your daughter, for opening your door to me, but also your heart. 

Thank you for sharing with me so many stories and life lessons that helped me grow and will continue to help me through out my life. Thank you for introducing me to your culture, passing on your Philosophy and allowing me to visit your beautiful country. Thank you for allowing me to live the most beautiful experience of my life. 

Thanks to you, I finally felt at peace and useful. This mission has given meaning to my life and made me experience emotions and feeling that I had never felt before.  

For the first time in my life, I felt pround of myself and what I do. Thank you for giving me the oppertunity to work with you on the orphanage project. I have grown from it. I will never forget the first time we went to visit the place, the long days painting, and the satisfaction of finally being able to welcome the children in a place that is now very familiar to me. Thank you for everything you do, for all the people which special needs but also for us all the volunteers. 

Thanks to you I have been able to meet some incredible people and create memories that I will never forget. I too will have many storiest to tell to my loved ones for years to come and you will be one of them. 

I truly believe you are the most beautiful I have ever met in my entire life. I hope everyone cross your path one day. In any case, I want you to know that you have left your footprint forever in my heart and on my arm! I am ready to catch a new life, and I hope to see you again in it. In the meantime, I will be back to see you here. 

Thanks for everything, Love you so much

Lucie Belin 25 Years

CLEMONT - FERRAND FRANCE 26th September 2024

I never can find the right words to say Goodbye, it is a very particular exercise in style for me. I've been very attentive to your way of life and everything you have tought me about your country, your way of life... your history. I'm impressed by your courage, your kindness, that I may never find again at home. 

You are a force of nature that we need and even if there will never be two like you, I start to believe again humanity. Your beliefs are honourable and as you have pointed out, European people should take an example from the east side of the globe.

Thank you for taking care of me like a father "Mon Papa Sri Lankais". The most tender and touching gesture a person can have towards me is to be patient and caring with me, and that's exactly what you have been with me for two weeks of my stay. Thank you for changing me, thank you for your after dinner stories. I will miss your messages forever. No matter what happens, I will be happy anywhere and you will be everywhere with me, deep in my heart.

Respectfully and with all my love

Manelle Drulle - 18 Years

FRANCE 20th September 2024

I really appreciate everything you did for me and everything you do for people to make their life better, to ease their pain and help them. You are one of the most generous and kind people I've ever met and probably will ever meet. I am really grateful for everything I could experience here, for everything you gave me your time eventhough you had work to do nd for every story you shared with me. I really think I will remember it for life. You encourged me to be  kinder person and eventhough I've spent here just a little time, I really believe it changed me for betterThank YOU!

And also a big thank you for making me feel here at home, safe and welcomed. I was a little bit scared to come all the way here alone, but you're made it all so easy. I feel very lucky that I ended up here with you when I decided to come to Sri Lanka. 

You are a very hardworking person and I really wish you from the bottom of my heart all the best to you and your family. I feel very lucky and grateful I had the chance to come here and meet you and actually pretty sad I have to leave. 

Thank you so much for everything, I am really looking forward seeing you next time.

Love

Nicole Wouldauserova 21 Years

Czech Republic 15th September 2024

As our stay draws to a close, I wantedv to say a Big thank you for everything you have done for us. From day one, you welcomed us with such kindness, always available and attentive to our needs. Thanks to you, this experience has been not only pleasant but also deeply enriching. 

Partticipating in our renovation project has been a truly gratifying adventure. Seeing our work everyday after day and imagining the children of the school enjoying this space we renovated really touhed us. It is an incredible feeling to know that we have been able to contribute to something useful and lasting.

Your presence and support throughout this adventure made it all possible. I leave with unforgettable memories and a loads of gratitude. Thanks again and again and I hope to see you soon.

Nathan Pierre

FRANCE 01st August 2024

I want to thank you from the botttom of my heart for welcoming me into your home for the past three months. Your Hospitality and generousity made my stay in Sri Lanka impeccable. Your friendship and kindness made this trip a unique experience and I can't thank you enough for everything you did for me. I will cherish this memories and hope to see you again in the future. 

Luc Guerlet
France
01st August 2024

Dear Janaka, there is a lot of amazing souls & stories going through your house, your life... 
A lot of hard work that you have done and a lot of waiting to be done. I saw just a little piece of it and I am proud of everyone I met here. 
But there is one person who you should be proud of the most and it is YOU. Don't forget that everthing you do is as amazing as piecefull quite day you can spend with yourself. If you ever will look at the painting from me and remember us... anf you will feel that it's the right time... do me a favor. Turn off your phone for one day. The world will wait for you . We can wait. Go for a walk to see a sunset and grab a good food or drink with you. Breath in and Breath Out. Remember of the love you are receiving just be. 
You thought us how to start a meditation. Now you can try my meditation. I wish you all the very best in the world. YOU ARE SPECIAL. 

Katerina Koutna
CZECH REPUBLIC 
26th July 2024

I just want to thank you for everthing you have done for me, other volunteers and your country. I expected that it would be an amazing experience, but I wouldn't even think that I would connect with our patients so much. It showed me how lucky I am that I could live in my country in Czech republic and that I should appreciate more all the things we have. Because when saw how grateful al the patients were for so little that we offered them, I realize that the most precious thing you can give people here is your time and honest intention to help them.

I didn't realize how much I would connect with these people and how much joy it will bring me when their conditions gets better. Even though it sometimes was a little thing. I am gonna miss it here and hope we will see each other again. 

Lucie Cernikova
CZECH REPUBLIC
26th July 2024

Dear Janaka, The others have written so much but I don't know what else to say than Thank YOU so much for what you gave me and what you give everry volunteer that comes to your place for volunteering. 

This experience is and I will forever stay in my mind as one of the best moments in my life. i and everone else will never thank you enough. You are one of the best person I will ever meet! 

Jona Delmotte
FRANCE

Where to begin with? I can't easily imagine puttig into words how i feel about the [ast month. I would probably start by thank you for everyhting, your kindness, your warmth, and your way of making everyone. Not only feel welcomed here but also at peace. Coming back here I couldn't help myself to think that nothing could match my experience from last year, but let me tell you that I was wrong. Going back allowed me to get to know yout country and its people evenmore and again to have my own marks questioned. This country and more specially the people I met will forever follow me and the lessons I've learned throughout these past two years will always appear as a guideline whenever I feel lost or overwhelmed. 

I truly hope that we will meet again, here or in France because i sincerely would like to spend more time talking to you and listening to all your amazing stories which are always filled with wisedom and inspiring lessons. 

As I told you before, I will keep this a special place in my heart for you and the experience you have allowed me to live. Thank you for everything, I wish you all the very best. 

Ines Pasquire
FRANCE

Dear Sri Lanka, Thank you for accepting me into your home, for allowing me to discover your beautiful culture and the landscape... Galle, Mirissa, Adam's peak, Sigiriya, Ella and so many other wonderful places. I hope oneday I will return with my mum to show her this show of diversity and this population as welcoming, see you soon may be. 
Dear Projects, It was an unforgettable experience that will stay in my heart forever! The Orphanage, Sambodhi Home, Turtles, hospital and especially the girls home was a real life lesson. The girls and their smiles will miss me a lot. 
I am so grateful to have meet so many warm people, built beautiful and strong friendships, and to have worked together, hand in hand. 
Dear Family, thank you for the welcoming and Dear Koeli thank you for all your good energy and for the Hanna, the dance and Karaoke show Hahaha,,,. You are my best DRAMA QUEEN EVER! Miss You,,,, 
And Finally Dear Janaka, Thank you SO MUCH!! because without youn none of this would have been possible. Thank you to be everytime here to answer of many questions and needs. For share your home with us and to help all of the projects. 
I am as happy to have been able to live this adventure at only 19 years. Sri Lanka will be always in my heart. I'm little be sad to to leave earlier because of the Covit 19, two and half months gone really fast!

Lylou Limenicier
16th March 2020
FRANCE

Thanks for giving us the oppetunity to be part of the volunteering program you run. We had the chance to work on different projects (Orphanage, Muslim School, nursing school & hotel staff teaching English) and are very glad of the time we have spent on each experience. We will purticularly keep in mind kid's willingness to learn, their motivation despite difficult life background and their beautiful smiles.
It was a pleasure to spend time at your house too with the ther volunteers, yourself, and your family as well as the lovely care taker Douglas'. We are off today for another 3 months travel but will definitely keep these three weeks as key memories of our trip. 

Sophie & Andrea - 14th September 2019 
Netherland 

This went really quick... I wanna thank you for everything in the last three weeks. When I came in your house, it felt directly as home. I really nejoyed it that I had my own room and bathroom I haven't had that for last 5 months. When everthing is more quite, I will come back soon to finish all the projects and travel to this beautiful country. 

ISIS  - 18th March 2020
FINLAND

We are so sad that we have to leave so soon. We wanted to do so much more here. Thank you for respecting our choice and thank you for having us. We got the chance to get to know Sri Lanka and without your help, Koeli her Hanna, Douglas his guardian, Ashkar and his tuk tuk and your family for lunch and help when Douglas wasn't here, this wouldn't have been possible! 

Anouk & Vivian - 16th March 2020
NETHELANDS

Thank you all for your kindness, help & hospitality. It was my first time in Sri Lanka and I liked it very much. It was a great pleasure to work with the people of Sombodhi home. They are always so greatful & happy with the little things. I learned a lot from them. I hope I did bring a little joy in their lives.

Annemarie - 28th Febraury 2020
NETHELANDS

Thank you so much for providing us with the oppertunity to spend time with the wonderful residents of Sambodho home. Memories of our times with them, their warmth, & friendship will always remain with us. 
We also thoroughly enjoyed meeting Mr.Sujeewa at the cooperative nurses training school & helping him teach English to his wonderful students. 
We think you are doing an absolutely incredible job in supporting so many different organizations. Without your efforts and those of the volunteers that you work so hard to attract to the projects, so many people would not be in the better position that they are in today. Keep up the goor work, but try to take a rest every now and then! 
Karen & Grant - 01st February 2020
UNITED KINGDOM 

Thank you Janaka & family for making me feel so wlecome in your home, you gone above and beyond. Janaka it amazed me how much work you taken on and how you care so much about each project, trying to help as much as you can. 
Volunteering at the orphanage is definitely an experience, I will never forget. Thank you for all your support while I've been there. I feel I made a small difference to the children was with and their teachers. 
A special thank you for my pink loving friend Koeli for my amazing entertainment on my last night. You are a very good dancer!. 
Clara - 24th January 2020

Thank you Janaka very much for all. It was an amazing experience. Thanks for your welcome. The Physio Rehabilitation center project was really interesting and so valuable for our future work as physiotherapists. 
We discovered a country and a culture are so different than France. Sri Lanka is a good country with beautiful landscape and all the Sri Lankan people are so nice with us. We will always remember of this experience all our life.
Pauline, Soad, Camille & Estelle - 20th October 2019
FRANCE

Janaka, thank you so much for the past two weeks working with these volunteer projects, for your incredible kindness, and al the experience I've gained in Sri Lanka. 
Before i came here, I wasn't sure what to expect, I was travelling alone and didn't know everything would work out once I got here, the warmth the entire household provided is more than I could ever asked for, thank you. 
The experience I've had at the girls home, turtles project and the nursing school are things I will always carry with me. We will stay in touch and hopefully I will see all of you guys again soon. 
Tuva Skoglund - 07th October 2019
SWEDEN

Two weeks may be too short for volunteer work but things I learnt here more than two weeks. It is really good to help others and learn from others. Thank you for providing us with such an incerdible opportunity. 
AMY - 26th January 2029
CHINA

As you know happiness starts when we are able to give to others without expectations or awards or else. I'm grateful to have had this opportunity through all the projects you are taking care. The stay was great thanks to you, your family and all the other volunteers I met. Janaka you are a wonderful person with a great heart, our world, needs many many people like you.

Sri Lanka has a special place in my heart since 1991, and will always do. I love this country and its people and I am so happy to feel peace now here. Smile was on my face from morning to night and I received so many great smiles back, filling me with an incredible energy. Thank you for everything I could experience.

Milly - 31st August 2019

France / Switzerland  

Thanks for giving us the oppetunity to be part of the volunteering program you run. We had the chance to work on different projects (Orphanage, Muslim School, nursing school & hotel staff teaching English) and are very glad of the time we have spent on each experience. We will purticularly keep in mind kid's willingness to learn, their motivation despite difficult life background and their beautiful smiles.

It was a pleasure to spend time at your house too with the ther volunteers, yourself, and your family as well as the lovely care taker Douglas'. We are off today for another 3 months travel but will definitely keep these three weeks as key memories of our trip. 

Sophie & Andrea - 14th September 2019 

Holland