It's been a number of years in the making, but we were delighted to launch a new course, this May: a six-month Wildlife Awareness Course with certification from the Department of Wildlife and Conservation.

The course is designed for trackers working at nearby national parks and other people working in the tourism industry locally. A series of wildlife experts from across Sri Lanka will be coming to the centre to provide the class with deeper knowledge of Sri Lanka's wildlife and biodiversity.

The aim is to not only equip the course participants with greater insights to pass onto tourists but also increase awareness of how valuable Sri Lanka's biodiversity is from an economic and environmental perspective.   

We were delighted to have two volunteers join us for over a month before they continued on their travels across Sri Lanka.

Millie and Margot are friends from the UK taking a year off before going to university. 

They were a great help teaching children conversational English at two schools - one large town school (Mahasenpura) and one rural school (Osuwinna). 

They also helped out at the MCTC as well, located in Mahasenpura School. 

They are pictured here teaching grade four students at Osuwinna School.

Our latest Kids Class - number 15 - finished this spring.

Pictured is the class with volunteers Millie and Margot who have been staying in Tissa to volunteer at local schools and came into the centre for the very final class. 

The course, taught by Nimeshika was held every Saturday from 11am to 2pm with students from three rural schools - Osuwinna, Ranminithenna and Yatalatissa Primary School. 

Nimeshika noted that unlike recent classes where boys stood out, it was girls that stood out in the final exam this time round.