Moratuwa Uni Rotaract Club helps Rangulla villagers realise their dreams
View(s):“Grama Prabodhaya” a sustainable community service initiative to develop rural villages of Sri Lanka as self-sufficient economic units, launched by the Rotaract Club of the University of Moratuwa, was selected as the ‘Single Club International Winner’ for 2016-17 in the Rotaract Outstanding Project Awards, organised by Rotary International.
Lessons in English: University students help out schoolchildren in a spelling game
The Moratuwa University’s Rotaract Club is the oldest university-based Rotaract club in Sri Lanka with 21 years of service to the society. In June 2016, they began this effort to turn the dreams of the villagers of Ranugalla in the Monaragala District, into reality. Ranugalla, though a place of great historic importance to Sri Lanka, lacks many necessary infrastructure facilities. The Rotaract Club ofUniversity of Moratuwa, initiated a series of projects to improve the living standards of the community, initially focusing on improving the educational and health facilities.
An all-day health camp – “Healing Hands” was held for the villagers with the participation of a panel of doctors and a mobile dental unit. The idea behind it was to make quality and reliable health care available and accessible.
The only school in the village “Mo/Ranugalla Kanishta Vidyalaya”, which has about 200 students lacked sufficient class rooms, science laboratory, proper library and good sanitary facilities. The foundation stone to construct a new school building was laid on December 2016. The building consisting of a fully equipped science laboratory and two furnished classrooms has been in use since April this year. With the generous assistance of many well-wishers the Moratuwa undergraduates were able to collect over 2000 books to start a new library in the school which will be open to the entire village community.
‘Intellect 2016’ seminar series was conducted for three months, preparing students for the 2016 G.C.E. O/L examination teaching subjects of Science, Mathematics, Sinhala and English. Students have achieved 100% pass rate in all subjects with the exception of English Language. Thus ‘Inspirer 2017’ a two-day English camp was conducted at the school to help students improve their English language skills.
The undergraduates also held volleyball coaching camps, leadership development camps and art and literature competitions and donated much needed sport equipment to the school.
The undergraduates have a special place in the hearts of these children. They have become their friends and mentors, the big brothers and sisters who persistently encouraged them to reach beyond their boundaries.
A project of this magnitude is not a feat Rotaract Mora could undertake on its own. Millennium Information Technologies, a subsidiary of the London Stock Exchange Group, readily stepped forward to give financial assistance for “Grama Prabodhaya”.