School Uniforms

View Enlarged Photo and CaptionI've written (here, for example) about the difficulties of distributing aid and the envy and animosity it can sometimes provoke. But here is an example of a gift that is useful, appreciated, and economical -- and gives satisfaction to both recipient and donor alike.

School uniforms.

Anyone who has spent any time in Sri Lanka knows the importance attached to school uniforms. In the early afternoon, when schools close, streets across the country are crammed with girls in their neatly pressed white dresses and boys in white shirts and blue shorts, with satchels slung across their backs. In a land with many different religions and ethnic groups, school uniforms help bind the country together.

It's not just the parents and the politicians who appreciate the uniforms. "I feel good when I am dressed properly for school," said Chathura Madhushanka, 13, who lost his uniform along with all his other possessions in the tsunami last December. "We look smart, and we all feel the same."

When school resumed several weeks after the tsunami, many students no longer had uniforms or exercise books. Fortunately, both are cheap to replace. A new uniform costs around $1.75 for the fabric and $1.25 for the sewing. That makes it possible to replace 150 lost uniforms for as little as $500. Exercise books can be purchased in bulk for 10 - 15 cents each.

By working through the schools or monasteries, donors avoid the problem of jealousy that is often associated with gifts to individuals. A teacher is in a much better position than a foreign donor to determine who needs a new uniform and who doesn't. In general, I've come to the conclusion that it's usually better if the donor keeps in the background.

I used money collected by Walt Whitman High School students in Bethesda to buy uniforms and textbooks for a Buddhist Sunday school in Weligama. As you can see from the accompanying picture, Sunday school uniforms are a little more elaborate than regular school uniforms, with extra ruffs and pleats. We had the uniforms made by Sunday school teachers and parents, which had the added benefit of permitting them to earn some extra income.

-- Michael Dobbs

By washingtonpost.com |  March 4, 2005; 5:00 AM ET  | Category:  Michael Dobbs
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