• UK’s Rosie May Foundation and Sri Lankan author Nadishka Aloysius soon to launch picture book

 The Rosie May Foundation, a UK charity, has collaborated with Sri Lankan author Nadishka Aloysius to create a children’s picture book called Rosie the Little Pink Tuk Tuk. The book showcases the lives and work of Think Pink female tuk tuk drivers in Sri Lanka and promotes empathy and empowerment. The international launch of the book will take place on 12 February in Colombo.

Children who attend will also have the opportunity to take photographs with a real pink tuk tuk, purchase autographed copies of the book, and engage in fun activities, storytime, and fellowship. The event includes the opportunity to speak to the author, illustrator Dilmi Amarasinghe, and the founders of the charity.

The Daily Morning Brunch had a chat with Aloysius regarding the book, her thoughts on it, and more. Here’s what she had to say.

 Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the creation of this picture book?

I published a picture book in 2019 called Roo The Little Red Tuk Tuk in which the main character is a male vehicle. After some time, I thought it would be a good idea to have a tuk tuk book about a female character. And then I saw a news item about the Rosie May pink tuk tuks that actually operate in Galle, and I took a chance contacting them. The rest, as they say, is history!

 How does the book encourage empathy and empowerment in children?

The book is a collection of short incidents based on real-life events and experiences of the Rosie May drivers. I sat down and interviewed their founder and country rep to get the stories I needed. Their main objective is to help people help themselves and that repeats throughout all the stories. Empathy can be seen in the interactions Rosie the pink tuk tuk and her driver Kamala have with everyone they meet, and as for empowerment – well, Kamala and Rosie are game to try anything and the very fact that these are female drivers who can even fix their own vehicles when needed is empowering!

 Can you tell us about the collaboration between Sri Lanka and the Rosie May Foundation UK?

I first met Rosie May Founder Mary Storrie and member Ramani at the end of 2019. We were supposed to launch the book in 2020. But then Covid-19 happened. We ended up rewriting some of the stories so that the current experiences of the drivers, like delivering emergency rations during the pandemic, can also be included. I’m so glad my dream of writing about a pink tuk tuk came true in such spectacular fashion!

 Can you share your thoughts on the significance of creative non-fiction in children’s literature?

It’s very important. Our children read a lot of fiction and watch cartoons, etc. but their knowledge of the world around them, real-life facts, can be limited. Creative non-fiction allows writers to connect with children in a special way since there can be talking animals or vehicles but the stories are based on fact and not purely created out of the writer’s mind. It’s a fun way to learn about your world.

 Can you give us an example of a page or story in the book that highlights empathy and empowerment?

Delivering emergency rations during the pandemic. It allowed the members of the foundation to step out and help the community rather than be victims themselves.



 How do you hope this book will impact the children who read it?

For one, I hope they learn more about what the Rosie May Foundation is doing. I hope people follow the websites and social media links in the book to find out more. I also hope it prompts kids to realise that women can do many things like not only drive a tuk tuk but also fix a stalled vehicle on their own! The slogan “You are never too small to make a difference” runs throughout both my tuk tuk books, and I hope it inspires kids to do whatever they can to help others and to be kind, in whatever small way they can.

What message do you hope to convey through this book?

That we are all capable of doing much more than we think we can. And we are more privileged than we realise and we should reach out to help others.

 Can you share any challenges you faced while creating this book?

For me, the biggest challenge was coordinating everything, because I was not only writing this but I had to also guide the illustrator and get quotations (multiple times) from the printer, which was a real headache because prices kept increasing rapidly last year. Having to email both Dilmi and Mary up and down was time-consuming – thank goodness for WhatsApp calls and Zoom since I was able to talk to Mary many times to sort out urgent issues. I spent quite some time matching colours at the printers to ensure Rosie was the correct shade of pink! We are also preparing Sinhala and Tamil translations, so my work isn’t over yet!

 How has the response been so far to the book?

Very few have seen the book. People I have described it to think it’s a good idea to focus on female drivers. I read it to my son who was impressed with how much the tuk tuks and their drivers have achieved and by the fact that it’s based on something real. The immediate feedback from the foundation was that the book looks gorgeous! It certainly is very colourful.

 Can you tell us about any future projects or collaborations you have in the works?

I have a few picture book scripts that I may publish and I hope I can work with Dilmi again. 

Creating Rosie the pink tuk tuk

Sharing a few words with The Daily Morning Brunch, Dilmi Amarasinghe, the illustrator of Rosie the Little Pink Tuk Tuk, spoke about the challenges she faced illustrating this book. “The biggest challenge for me was to create a unique and attractive vehicle character that could convey emotions and expressions. Rosie has a fun, adventurous, and cheerful personality – and through the illustrations, I had to show her curiosity, helpfulness, and friendliness towards children.” Rosie, while simple and charismatic in the book, certainly took a long time to be designed as the character!