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New School from Srilankan
for Kalmunai children |
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About
50 children in Kalmunai crowd into a few ramshackle classrooms
trying their best to continue their education after the tsunami
almost completely wiped away their school. But soon the Islamabad
Maha Vidyalaya in Kalmunai will expand to cater to about 200
children, with the latest in educational facilities, when SriLankan
Airlines takes this little school under its protective wings.
SriLankan Cares, the charitable arm of SriLankan Airlines, the
county’s national carrier, has announced plans to officially
adopt Islamabad Maha Vidyalaya in Kalmunai as its latest social
responsibility project.
The school belonging to the Ampara district, the most affected
area in the country by the tsunami had an enrolment of 56 students
and 7 teachers. Kalmunai district with its population of about
99,000 was severely hit, including Islamabad Maha Vidyalaya
and the other 14 schools in the area. Most people in Kalmunai
still live in either make-shift houses or refugee camps.
After consulting with the Task Force for Rebuilding the Nation
(TAFREN) and the Ministry of Education, SriLankan Airlines signed
a Memorandum Of Understanding to the effect that it has officially
assumed the responsibility of rebuilding and remodelling the
school which it hopes will eventually be a guiding light to
the many residents of its community.
The proposed school buildings and related infrastructure will
enable 200 children in Kalmunai to attend school. The airline
hopes to advocate more teachers to be assigned to the school
and also train teachers in computer studies and English at its
Human Resources Development Centre in Katunayake.
SriLankan Airlines has allocated a sum of Rs 40 million for
the building of the school. The contribution of a day’s
salary by all employees at SriLankan Airlines, which amounted
to nearly Rs 6 million, was utilized to initiate the project.
Other means of sourcing capital have also been developed. The
first of these will be the sale of SriLankan Airlines corporate
anthem “We are SriLankan”, a song originally composed
by Chris Dhason to be the corporate song of the national carrier.
However in the aftermath of the national tragedy, the song has
come to mean much more than its original intention. The airline
recognizing its importance to Sri Lankans all over the world
then released We are SriLankan in CD format, so that anyone
can buy it either as a gesture of support for the charity, or
simply for their listening pleasure.
Additionally the SriLankan corporate website will soon have
a link where those who wish to contribute could do so. The management
plans to develop SriLankan Cares into a responsible and reputed
tool for anyone seeking to make a donation for a worthy cause,
may donate knowing that their money is put into good use.
The project has added significance since the people in Kalmunai
- and subsequently students attending Islamabad Maha Vidyalaya
– will mostly be Muslim or Tamil, highlighting the fact
that the national carrier is mindful of its responsibility to
all people in the country without distinction of religion or
race.
SriLankan Airlines believes the child to be the centre of the
family, the society and the nation. Empowering children through
education is regarded to be the most rewarding for their well
being and future. Mindful of this SriLankan Cares has dedicated
its services for the betterment of the children in the country
through projects such as adopting schools belonging to the Second
Tier in the local educational system, those with an enrolment
of 30 to 200 students.
Meepagama Jayanthi Maha Vidyalaya at Kalawana, Ratnapura was
the first school SriLankan Airlines adopted. For a sum of Rs
6 million, a building consisting of 7 classrooms was built which
also doubles as a hall when the partitions are moved aside.
A new air conditioned computer room with 31 PCs, a sound system
with amplifier and microphones, furniture for the classrooms,
green boards, spectacles for students and shoes were also donated.
On going teacher training programmes and medical camps for the
students are a priority with SriLankan Cares.
SriLankan Cares also donates school books every year to the
less fortunate children of this country. It also continues to
get involved in educating the future generation about waste
recycling, thus getting involved with the Colombo Municipal
Council and its Healthy Schools Project.
Media Relations
Corporate Communications Department
SriLankan Airlines
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October 12th, 2004 |
