Girl Power makes it happen
View(s):Readers may remember ‘Girl Power’, the fun event organised by several girls school recently. The monies collected from the Girl Power Sports Meet where Old Girls from six leading schools in Colombo – Holy Family Convent, Ladies’ College, Methodist College, Musaeus College, St Paul’s Milagiriya and Visakha Vidyalaya took part were utilised to build two water purification treatment plants at the Leelaratne Wijesinghe Maha Vidyalaya and Wileyaya Madya Maha Vidyalaya in Divulapitiya in the Polonaruwa District.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has become a major health problem in rural Sri Lanka. Most of those living in these poverty-stricken districts are paddy and chena (slash and burn) cultivators. Many of the victims are male farmers and agricultural labourers. Growing numbers of cases, however, are being reported among women and children. Lack of clean drinking water and extensive use of low-quality fertilisers are regarded as major factors in CKD’s spread. The water in the Divulapitiya area when tested had a high level of cadmium which is not suitable for human consumption and by giving the two treatment plants to these schools over 5000 people will benefit by having pure drinking water. Each treatment plant has the capacity to filter 1500L/HR.
The handing over ceremonies were held on Sunday, July 19 and the representatives from the Colombo schools were able to speak with students and their parents who suffer from chronic kidney disease. (CKD). This effort has also helped in building bridges of friendship and understanding between these communities from different areas of our country.
The Girl Power Inter School Old Girls Sports Meet which was held on International Women’s Day saw over 3000 participants and spectators come together not only to battle it out for glory but to participate in the spirit of camaraderie and unity. Thanks to the effort of the old girls, the main sponsors namely Anlene, Hidramani’s, Bank of Ceylon and MAS, a one day effort from all contributed towards providing clean drinking water facilities to over 5000 people.