Sri Lanka

The Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association

Girl Guiding/Girl Scouting introduced: 1917
Number of Girl Guides/Girl Scouts: 37057 (01/01/2006)
Status: Full Member
Guiding Introduced on: 01/01/1917
Admits boys: No

WAGGGS Region:

Asia Pacific

Contact us

Chief Commissioner
10 Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha
COLOMBO 7

Telephone: 00 94112695720
Fax: 00 94112695720
Email: raneefernando@yahoo.com

Click here to view additional information on this organisation

Promise:

The languages of Sinhala, Tamil and English are used. The girls are free to use whichever language they wish.

Girl Guide Promise

I promise to do my best:
To do my duty to my religion and Country,
To help other people at all times, and
To live by the Guide Law.

Little Friend Promise

I promise to do my best:
To do my duty to my religion and Country,
To do a good turn everyday
And to keep the Little Friend Law.

Law:

Girl Guide Law

1 A Guide is honest, reliable and can be trusted

2 A Guide is loyal.

3 A Guide is considerate and helpful at all times.

4 A Guide is a sister to every other Guide.

5 A Guide is friendly and courteous.

6 A Guide is compassionate to all living things.

7 A Guide respects authority.

8 A Guide is courageous and faces all situations with understanding.

9 A Guide is uses resources wisely.

10 A Guide respects herself and seeks to understand all human beings.

Little Friend Law

A Little Friend is truthful, brave and cheerful
She helps others at all times, especially those at home.

Motto:

Girl Guide Motto - Be Prepared

Little Friend Motto - Lend a Hand

Age groups:

Senior Guides 16-23

Guides 10-17

Little Friends 7-11

Development of the movement:

Guiding in Sri Lanka began in 1917 when the first Girl Guide company was opened in the historic hill town of Kandy. The Movement has since spread to all areas of the country, to strengthening ties between girls and young women from the country’s diverse ethnic, cultural and religious groups. The Association celebrated its 85^th anniversary with a programme organised by the 1^st Kandy Guide Company, the home of Guiding in the country.

Programme:

Interaction between individuals of different ethnic groups is encouraged at all levels. In order to create better understanding, the programmes involve learning Sinhala and Tamil, (the country’s official languages) as well as English. Programmes based on the needs of Today’s Girl have been introduced, such as computer literacy, health and good grooming.

Many companies and packs exist in institutions for girls and young women wit special needs. A programme to integrate then into main stream Guiding is being worked out.

The international aspect of Girl Guiding is very much in the forefront of the activities. Guides and Senior Guides have frequently represented the Association at many overseas events, in all WAGGGS Regions.

Relationship to society:

The Association is recognised as a front line Non Governmental Organization involved in many community based projects. Young women trained by the Association continue to run Pre-schools and Day Care Centres in many parts of the country.

The opening of a company in the country’s premier prison for women is a step of great significant in the women’s rehabilitation. This programme is an indication of the role the Association plays in all aspects of community development.

Programmes have been introduced where girls of all age groups are bringing sunshine into the lives of the elderly who live in home and institutions.

Health and nutrition, water and sanitation projects and Building World Citizenship Programmes are being continued.

Communication and Co-operation

Events and activities organized by the Association are given coverage by the media, both print and electronic.

The Association’s members work closely with other non-governmental organizations such as Federation of Non Governmental Organizations Against Drug Abuse. Programmes associated with HIV/AIDS and the elderly for example, are worked out with connected NGOs. The empowerment of women is an area where the Association is deeply involved along with other NGOs under the umbrella of the Sri Lanka Women’s Conference.

Work with UNICEF and other UN agencies continue. The Association along with the Sri Lanka Scout Association helped launch the UN International Year of the Volunteer on World Thinking Day 2000 with a Walk and a Pavement Public Meeting on a busy road in Colombo, gaining much publicity.

Training:

Training programmes have been revised to shorten the actual period of training. Training for adult leaders is carried out progressively. As a result of this, the Association’s expectation of spreading Guiding to the remote areas of the country have been realized. The National Training Centre at Kadawata continues to be used for Island level trainings while the Vocational Training Centre at Mawaneela continues to serve the community.

Outdoor and Environmental Activities

Camping at all levels continues as one of the most popular aspects of the programme. All age groups are encouraged to include activities directed towards conservation of natural resources in their programme.