Hope still lingers...

A better tomorrow for tsunami affected children :

by Lakmal Welabada

At their visit to see their foster children... Pix - Sudath Malaweera

Shanthini Kongahage, Colleen and Amitha Samarasinghe

Colleen is a Britisher married to Amitha Samarasinghe, a Sri Lankan expatriate in Britain. The happily married couple was heart-broken when they heard of the scarcities of the facilities available for the village children living in the remote corners of the country.

"We went to all the stations where they have installed the computers, and were very happy to see the children using computers donated by us and picking up the new technology," smiles Colleen. "Thanks to Shanthini for letting us help these needy children," joins Amitha.

Shanthini Kongahage, Member of the Central Provincial Council managed to get down foster parents from Canterbury, England for the Shramashakthi Foster Parents Education Scheme for 100 Tsunami victimised children in 2005.

The Samarasinghe couple and their son and daughter became foster parents for five Tsunami children. Along with that the Samarasinghes accepted Shanthini's request to help the children in the Central Province by providing them with computers. So, 20 computers were sailed to Sri Lanka in no time in January, 2006.

Four schools at Hewaheta Electorate (Harispattuwa Pilana Maha Vidyalaya, Uduwela Bauddhaloka Maha Vidyalaya, Athulgama Maha Vidyalaya and Wathuliyedda Sunday Dhamma School), Al-Elma Muslim School, Udunuwara; Meegamawatta Maha Vidyalaya and Pitiyegedara Raja Maha Viharaya Sunday Dhamma School in Pathadumbara are the seven branches where the Information Technology machines are being used.

"We didn't have the problem of seeking teachers to teach the computers as under the new syllabus 'Computer' is one of the subjects for O/Ls and the teachers are trained to teach the subject. And those computers are open for free use so that even the school leavers are coming in to learn. We are hoping to set up a new computer centre at the Sunday School of Katugastota Church," points out Shanthini.

The next programme that the Samarasinghes are involved in is the 'New Lives', project for street children in the Kandy area launched by the late Ms. Paulime Colley, a British national 15 years ago.

"We together raised the funds along with Paulime for this, bought a land and put up the building at Thiththapajjara, Harispattuwa. Twenty eight street children who benefitted out of that are earning their own money and are having a better life. But after Paulime's death the project was neglected," says Amitha.

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