 On a right turn at the Godayawaya junction passing the Ambalantota town 1 ½ km away is the Godawaya Blind Elders Home. It is on a hillock close to the scenic Walawe River outlet which forms a lagoon. The 37 inmates are all blind and their average age is 64. The Hide@Kalametiya has with the support of others provided the home with facilities such as a 3 wheeler (sponsored by The Light House Hotel, Galle of the Jetwing Group) to transport the sick to doctors and hospitals and provision of meals and a visit by one of Sri Lanka’s foremost musicians, Pandith Amaradeva.
The inmates attend to themselves with little help from others and several of them are talented in craft design, music and singing. The home has won the award for the Best Elderly Home in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka for several years now. It is recommended as a must visit place for guests to the RUK area.
The home can be contacted on the telephone at: 0472223625 |
 Gotaimbaragama is a village associated with a legendary giant in Sri Lanka’s ancient history. It is about 10 km from The Hide@Kalametiya in most remote area. A right turn at the Hungama Junction on the Hambantota-Colombo road leading to Angunukolapallessa town (4 km) , a left turn on to the Ranna road (3 ½ km) and a right turn at the Gotaimbaragama road junction (2 ½ km) takes you to the Temple. Recommend a visit on a Sunday when the Sunday school is in session. With assistance organized by a volunteer Anita Thompson through a Rotary Club in Scotland, UK and contributions from The Hide@Kalametiya, the temple and Sunday school was provided a bell tower, books for the library, musical instruments, desks and benches and school uniforms. Currently a vocational training centre building is being constructed with support from the UK Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Chapter, Independent Travel Journalists of the UK and the Land Care Initiative of Australia. The catalysts for organizing the programme were the family of Emma Bennet the first oversees volunteers with the RUK Community-based tourism project in the pre tsunami times. The Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka carries out the facilitation work of the vocational training centre. A recent visit by Pandith Amaradeva to the school facilitated by The Hide@Kalametiya was a highlight for the children of the school.
Special tours by tut-tut (3 wheeler) can be arranged for The Hide@Kalametiya guests to visit this most scenic area and the temple.
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