Time for a good deed: Ranga's story from our Sri lanka journey

In the end of October I discovered a small piece of Sri lanka with Jost. It's has been on our travel list for a while and it exceeded all our expectations. I expected that it will be quite turisty and that locals will be very money oriented. It was nothing like that. We were often the only visitors, since we arrived in the highlight of the low season. We had only 1 day of rainy weather, we met some incredibly friendly locals and we had the best food, yoga class, massage and surf ever. We also finally had the time to really talk to each other, reflect on life, set some goals and make some decisions for the future.

 Sri lanka, we're coming back ...

Our first stop was Unawatuna, a small village near Galle in the south of Sri lanka. In Unawatuna, we really had fun. We met all these amazing international people, that were mostly the same age. So we talked about life, made fun of stuff, shared travel stories, organized shared picnics, drank beer and dreamt about plans for the future. Everyone was very openminded and likeminded, so I felt like home, like I could stay there forever and become a part of this community.

Happy international mix: USA, Chile, GB, Netherlands & us

In Unawatuna hostel, they also had very friendly staff. One of the staff members was Ranga. He is a rikshaw driver and a tourist guide. He took us to a jungle beach the first day and picked up us again in few hours. He also took us to Galle and we went shopping and he helped us with money chaning etc. We really liked him, he was fun, friendly and organized.

Jošt, Ranga & Urša & yummy coconut

 Insight in Ranga's lifestyle

Ranga is a simple person, wanting to make the most out of his life to be able to create a better life for his children. He used to work in a clothing factory, where he became a manager. Even with that position he still earned 200 eur a month, which was disappointing for him. That is more above average salary in Sri lanka, but as you can imagine, it's still nothing. He can live an okay life with this money in Sri lanka – he can educate his kids, buy sth nice for his wife, take care of his family. He can't travel outside of Sri lanka since it's too expensive for him. I felt that for him it's enough that he likes his job and that his kids are healthy. The next day we hired Ranga for a whole day trip. We liked him since he was super friendly and talkative and he really knew the good places. He took us to turtle farm, herbal farm, Kogalla lake, fruit market, tea plantation and it was a really nice and comfortable trip – much more comfortable than renting a motorbike due to possible rain sour newhowers and numerous road accidents and crazy bus drivers. On the way back to Unawatuna we stopped at his family house at a very random place in a village in the middle of the rice fields with only few houses there, chickens, dogs and palm trees. It was the best part of the day, since we actually got to see the house of his family and meet them.

 warm welcome to their family

They were the simpliest, happiest and most generous people ever. You could see that they don't have much – furniture in the house was simple and a big rice field next to the house showed that they are farmers.

 Guests, welcome @ Thiththagalla, Ahangama 

We met five people – two older men, that were super skinny. I asked why is that and Ranga said that it's normal if you work on the field your whole life. True, they are very skinny but also very muscular, they seemed strong. Then there was an older women, that was hiding behind everyone most of the time, she seemed quite shy, she is Ranga's wife mother. Then there was a younger women, Ranga's wife sister, that was pregnant and her 8-year old child. He was very shy but also super excited that we were there. They treated us like a king and a queen – they cut some fresh coconuts and brought us some bananas straight from the tree. We were talking only with Ranga and he was translating – nobody else spoke any english. 

 They treated us like friends

When we were leaving, Ranga told us that his wife's mother is very sick, that she has cancer and that it's very stresfull for him and his family. When we arrived back to Unawatuna, we paid everything and gave him some small money for his family and his wife's mother.

Our comfortable life continued and we headed further down south – Ranga took us to Weligama, cute fishing and surfing village. On the way we also stopped to take some pictures, see the sunset and we got some food in the bakery. 

 Ranga's rikshaw

In Weligama, we decided to stay in a nicer place right next to the beach. We decided that we deserve it and anyway it was still very cheap for western standards – 40 eur a night for 2 people with breakfast. It just seems expensive, since we spent a night before in a place for 10 eur a night and it was just fine.
Then I was thinking – why the hell did we give only 20 eur to Ranga to help his family but we don't have a problem to spend more on our accomodation, have a nice dinner, buy nice souvenirs ... ? Of course we are egoistic people and it's our money. We worked hard for it. But Ranga also works hard, often 12 hours a day. He doesn't have much – he has a house and his kids go to school. He drinks a beer with his friends. Just like we do. But he doesn't travel the world or have any of the western luxuries.

 School in Sri lanka (not quite the European classroom, right?)

Two weeks ago, Ranga contacted me on Facebook. He told me that situation with his wife's mother got worse and that she needs a big operation soon. I immediatly felt like – seriously, you are asking me for money now? Why, Ranga, why? But then I was thinking. I would do the same. I mean he saw that I bought a dress for 50 eur. That is ¼ of his monthly salary. I saw the look on his face when I bought the dress. I felt a bit ashamed and I explained to him that 50 eur is normal price for a nice dress in Europe or even a cheap price for a designer dress I got for for special occasions.

 My srilankan dress that cost 1/4 of an average srilankan salary

Operation needed: cancer on uterus

So I decided to get more information about his wife's mother operation. She has a cancer on her uterus, so they will probably have to take out her whole uterus. For slovenians, it's called: endometrijski rak telesa maternice.  Ranga said that the operation will cost $1700 and that it has to happen quickly.

How much money is $1700 for someone from Sri lanka?

If we imagine that an average salary in Sri lanka is $150 that makes around 10 salaries for the operation. It's like is Slovenia with an average salary of 1000 eur you'd have to pay 10.000 eur for the operation. For the higher class, it wouldn't be the problem at all. For the middle class, it would depend, but most of the people would gather money on their own or with the help of friends and family. Our lower class would have a problem paying 10.000 eur and they would probably need help. In reality, they wouldn't need help, since our health care system takes care of someone with cancer. In Sri lanka unfortunately they are not there yet. And we can't blame them – we conquered them for centires, Portugese, Dutch, Britains took their amazing natural resources, while locals stayed on farms.

It's time to do sth nice: let's help Ranga's wife's mother, D. Malani

 

So, you see where I'm going. We are helping Ranga's wife's mother. Why? Just because we can. Ranga can gather $500 from his savings, family and friends. Imagine it as a lower class slovenian family gathering 3000 eur. He is still missing $1200. Me and Jošt will pitch in with 100 eur each. So we still need only 1000 eur.

 

Ranga's wife mother, D. Malani

Is 1000 eur a lot to save a life? Maybe. I don't think so.

Is giving 10, 20, 50, 100 eur a lot?

Depends on your income. 10 eur is few coffees or one evening in Ljubljana center, drinking hot wine. 20 eur is a lunch for 2 people. 50 eur is a nice Christmas gift for your family – 4 tickets for the theatre show. 100 eur is a new winter coat.

Can you give up any of this?

I believe we all can, if we want to. I know that it's different for you and that you're not as motivated as I am to help Ranga; you don't know Ranga, you probalby didn't visit Sri lanka and maybe you've never been to a »third world« country.

If you've been anywhere in Asia you are aware of the luxury life we live in Europe. We have everything – in materialistic sense – houses, cars, we travel, we experience 1000 different things, we eat out, we attend mediation courses, eat fancy food, invest in our personal development.

Srilankan people have everything – connection with their family and friends. Love of their homeland. Much better work life balance. Respect for nature and natural resources. And comparing to the rest of southeast Asia, they are just as hardworking as we are. They try hard. But they don't have an environment, social rights, social system, health system, that would support them.

I don't know exactly what will happen to Ranga's wife mother, if she doesn't get the operation. But we don't need to come there. I believe that we can help her get this operation. 

So, who is Ranga's wife's mother, D. Malani from Thiththagalla, Ahangama? 

She is 52, she lives in Thiththagalla, Ahangama, South Sri lanka and as you can see on the picture, she looks much older that 52 years old due to her illness. She has two sons and a daugther and 3 grand children with the 4th one of the way. Her husband is sick as well, he has astma and he can't work anymore. They live only from the support of their children.

 Ranga's daughters, D. Malani granddaughters

You'd like to help? Great!

 We will collect donations until 25th of December. When we collect 1000 eur, I will send money to Ranga's bank account and his mother will have the operation. I will update you about everything that will be going on with Ranga's wife's mother and you can expect pictures of her after the operation. In case we collect less than 1000 eur I will talk to Ranga if less money helps or not and together with you I will decide what to do with the money in this case. If you donate 10 eur, we need 100 people.  If you donate 20 eur, we need 50 people. If you donate 40 eur, we need 25 people. If you donate 1000 eur, we are done. :)

Also, if you visit Sri lanka, Ranga can arrange you a visit to his house, you can meet his mother and maybe even stay in Unawatuna hostel. I can also send you a copy of her medical report - I didn't want to add it to the blog, since it's a preety personal thing, but I can share it with you, if you need it to double check.

Good deeds, good karma. Merry Christmas and please share this blog, thank you!

Ursa, Jost & Ranga