The Rotaract Club of Informatics institute of technology (RCIIT) hosted 32 Rotaractors from the Rotaract Club of the City University of Hong Kong (RCCUH) recently.
The main aim of RCCUHs’ visit was to participate in community service projects here in Sri Lanka. The team from RCIIT headed by the Project Chairperson Sheran Corera, had organised a comprehensive itinerary which included stays in Colombo, Trincomalee (Trinco) and Hanwella. Through these visits the delegation was able to interact with the marginalised in society, namely children orphaned by the war and family issues. Together they managed to complete two community service projects.
The group headed to Trinco in January and spent three days there. The RCIIT team together with officials in Trinco organised a community service project at the District Secretariat. This brought together close to 150 children displaced by the war and the morning was spent playing and talking with them. The Programme ended with the distribution of food and stationary items which the members of RCCUH had brought down.
The Second Community Service Project was carried out at the Hanwella Children’s Village (Hanwella 'lama gramaya') where 83 children of varying ages live in this orphanage. Here too gift packs of stationary items were gifted to the kids and donations were made to the home. The Third Project was carried out at the Naguochi boys home in Pepiliyana.
The last day was spent in Colombo, shopping and visiting the Historic Gangarama Temple, with an evening at the Galle Face green and also several bonding sessions with the RCIIT members where both clubs shared with each other on how Rotaract and life in general were in the two countries.
“This is RCIITs’ first year in operation, and I am very happy and grateful that the RCCUH gave us the opportunity to host them on their maiden visit to the country” said RCIITs President, Taniya Perera
“This was the largest group to visit Sri Lanka in the history of Rotaract. It was rather challenging to organise an International Understanding (IU) project of this nature said Sheran, “however in the end it was all worth it as it gave us not only the opportunity to share each countries cultures and serve the community, but to also make lifelong friends” he said.
The Chairperson of the Project from RCCUH, Fletcher Ng Chun Kit said, “I am extremely indebted to all the members of RCIIT who worked hard to make us feel at home. We will always remember the little kids from Trinco and the orphanages as it was a once in a lifetime experience. Sri Lanka is a beautiful country and we will never forget the wonderful memories we shared and the awesome friends we made.” |
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