For two decades the Diyanilla Technical Institute has been of immense service to under-privileged youth

Lanka's pick for Expo 2000

By Hiranthi Fernando

For school drop-outs and those who have never attended school, the Diyanilla Tech- nical Institute offers opportunities for vocational training, to enable them to earn a living.

Located amidst a tea plantation in the cool climes of Halgranoya, the Institute caters for youth of all ethnic and religious communities in the neighbouring villages and plantations.

The project focuses on the integration of communities and has the proud distinction of being selected to represent Sri Lanka at the Expo 2000, to be held in Hannover from June 1 to October 31, as one of the 'Projects from all over the world'.

"The reason we have been selected for Expo 2000 is due to the efforts we are making in creating mutual understanding and respect between communities," said the Project Director, Rangit C. Gunasekera.

"Here, we teach Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim children from estates, villages and the towns all together.We teach Sinhala to the Tamil children and Tamil to the Sinhala children. All are taught English as well."

The Diyanilla Technical Institute is run by a non governmental organization, 'Help for the Children', affiliated to its counterpart in Germany called 'Weltkindehilfe'.

Speaking of its early days, Ms. Gunasekera said the project was initiated in 1979 by Walter Keller and Frank Heidemann from Germany, and funded by 350 members of Weltkindehilfe, who each donated 25 marks per month.

Initially, the project took in 14 year old school going children, who came in to the Institute after normal school hours. They were taught agriculture, batik work, dress making and carpentry. Since 1982, youth from 16 - 25 years were enrolled. They were selected from non-school goers, fourth and fifth grade drop outs and failures at the G.C.E. (O.L) examination.

"This is a group that needs training," Mr. Gunasekera said. Today, the Institute trains around 120 such youths in a number of courses. In addition to the four subjects originally taught, more subjects such as motor mechanics, electrician's course, Singer advanced dress making, Juki machine operating, driving, welding, masonry and Ferro Cement tile manufacture have been introduced. The most recent addition is a computer course. Mr. Gunasekera explained that courses change according to the current demand.

"In addition, we give the students a basic training in health and home science," he said.

Pradeepa Nilmini, an eighteen-year-old from Galkadapathana in Udapussellawa, travels daily to Diyanilla. Having failed her Ordinary Level Examination, she now follows a course in basic dress making.

She is also following a Home Science course and hopes to go on to the Advanced dress-making course. Thillegan, whose father runs a little grocery store in Ragala is 23 years old and mentally handicapped. He attended a school for 'special' children in Batticaloa, which closed down due to the war. Back at home, he had nothing to do except help to clean the shop. Given a chance to join the mainstream of normal boys and girls of his age at DTI, Thillegan has shown vast improvement. Today, he travels alone by bus to and from DTI. Having spent one year learning his work, he now works in the Block Stone Manufacture Unit of the Institute, earning a wage for his work.

"Most of our trainees continue working with us and earn some money," Mr. Gunasekera said. "The good students are employed on a salary until they find a job.

He further explained that all construction and maintenance of buildings in the premises is handled by the students themselves. They constructed the living quarters for the Director and his wife as well as a neat hostel block for the girls entirely on their own. They are now completing a sales centre and a tea room.

K.A.D. Gunawardene, the Instructor at the Carpentry Unit was himself trained at the Diyanilla Institute. Gunawardene who came from a family of eight in Werellagama in Walapane, worked as a team worker for six years after his training.

With his experience, he is now employed as a permanent teacher. Married and father of one child, 31-year-old . Gunawardene travels daily from his home. The carpentry students undertake orders for wooden items from the neighbourhood.

Mr. Gunawardene said the boys are sent out with teachers to construct roofs or for other jobs in the villages and estates nearby. They also undertake outside building contracts together with the students. The cement roofing tiles and block stones made at the Institute are used in these building contracts.

The students have completed 25 houses at Liddesdate Estate. They also did the roofing for 39 houses at Kamburupitiya for the Gam Udawa. Four girls made the tiles while four boys constructed the roofs.

According to Mr. Gunasekera, the students are paid a monthly allowance of Rs.600 and the cost of their season bus tickets, while training.

A bank account is also opened for the students with the Peoples Bank. Resident facilities are provided for the girls and lady staff members who require it. Students who are resident are given board and lodging free of charge instead of an allowance.

A sum of Rs.3 1/2 to 4 million is required each year to run the Institute. They have been able to raise the funds due to the generosity of their donors. "The founders have said that we should generate 32% of the required funds here. We have started a farm on the premises. Together with the other income generating projects we have, we are able to raise about 20% of the funds required," Mr. Gunasekera said.

The farm on the premises also gives an opportunity for the students to learn animal husbandry. Poultry, pigs, milk cows and rabbits are reared at the farm and the produce sold locally and to hotels in Nuwara Eliya. In addition, the cultivation of vegetables using only bio fertilizer is also carried on. A cooperative has been formed together with the small farmers of the area and vegetables produced are delivered twice a week to Colombo on home delivery orders.

A bio-gas project utilizes the cattle and poultry manure from the farm, to produce gas for the batik industry as well for cooking.

A batik cottage industry is handled by two permanent workers and some trainees. Batik items are exported to Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.

DTI is also involved in promoting integration among the parents and the communities in the surrounding area. The students join together in performing shramadana to help the parents when there is a need for assistance. Among its community services is a campaign to arrest the high rate of suicide in this agricultural area, caused by pesticides which are readily available.

The Institute faces certain drawbacks in its location, far away from a town. The lack of adequate facilities to attract good staff is a major drawback.

Yet, throughout the last two decades, DTI has been of immense service to underprivileged children in the surrounding communities by providing them with vocational training and the opportunity of finding employment. The added advantage of being able to use the Expo 2000 logo on their certificates, would no doubt further benefit the students who earn these certificates.

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