St. Bridget’s and Royal UN clubs unite for charity
Handing over donations
In the spirit of service, recognising the need to extend a helping hand to the less fortunate the UN clubs of Royal College and St. Bridget’s Convent banded together to unite for a cause through “Coalition.”
In conversation with Dulashini Sooriyarachchi the president of the St. Bridget’s UN club, it was evident that she wanted to break the norm by expanding the horizon of the club. She said that she wanted to organize a social service or awareness project of some scale before her year came to an end. Devin Balapatabendi who is the president of the Royal College UN club along with his board extended an invitation to the UN club of SBC seeing the need to organize a large scale service project. After already completing a series of projects during the calendar year the Royalists requested the UN club of SBC to join them for Coalition. Seizing the opportunity to effect change the Bridgetiens joined creating a team of 20 from both schools for Coalition 2016.
Coalition was a three phased social service project spanning the months of August through October. The project comprised three phases. A fund raiser, donation of provisions and decoration of the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital child psychatric ward and an eye camp for the students of Meegahagoda Kanishta Vidyalaya in Galle. The inspiration behind the project was to unite three means of service to effect change.
Phase one of the project which was titled Food Republic which was the fund raiser. Food Republic – a food festival where many hotels and restaurants were invited to put up stalls and sell food along with several entertainment spots that run throughout. The event was held in August at Greenpark. The Coalition committee were able to raise more than Rs.65,000 in profits making Food Republic a success.
Phase two of Coalition was the remodeling of the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital child psychatric ward. The Peradeniya Teaching Hospital which is one of the most well equipped state medical institutions was in desperate need of supplies for their new child psychatric ward. Seeing the need for this the coalition team donated several special toys and painted and furnished the ward. Partnering with Dr. Shamindra Dias who instructed the team on the requirements of the hospital, phase two of the project took place recently. The committee travelled to Kandy to take part in the opening ceremony of the ward where they were greeted and praised by the resident doctors.
Phase three of the project is an eye camp. Having completed both phase one and two successfully the coalition team extended their helping hands to the less fortunate children of the Meegahagoda Kanishta Vidyalaya. The school is located a three kilometer walk from the main road. After assembling a team of doctors and opticians the coalition committee will conduct an eye camp for the children of the school where they will be provided with necessary care and glasses if required.
The coalition team will conduct a leadership program partnering with a few old boys of Royal College where they will broaden their perspectives on the opportunities available to them. Seeing the untapped potential and unheard talent that exists within the community the team aims to help the children dream to be more than they are given the opportunity to be. In their own words because they have a “right to get their rights”.
Committee of Coalition ‘16 along with the officials of the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital