IDP students win Habitat Day awards

Ganeshalingam Anithya and Parimekala Abhilash receiving their awards at the ceremony held at the Weerapuram relief village.

Two students displaced by the war and now living in relief villages have won the first places in the junior and senior Tamil Essay Competition organised islandwide by the National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) in view of the World Habitat Day 2009 declared by the United Nations Organisation.

Student Ganeshalingam Anithya from Mullaitivu who now lives and studies at a relief village in Thandikulam, has won first place in the islandwide World Habitat Day Junior Tamil Essay Competition, while Parimekala Abhilash, who has lived in Mankulam and is now living at the Tharapuram IDP village in Vavuniya has won first place in the senior section of this competition.

These two students along with 50 other students who were winners of the art and essay competitions are engaged in their studies in relief villages in Vavuniya. The presentation of cash prizes, awards and certificates took place at a special ceremony at Weerapuram relief village in Vavuniya, organised under the instructions of Minister of Housing and Common Amenities, Ferial Ashraff.General Manager NHDA, Luckvijaya Sagara Palansuriya and Additional District Secretary Vavuniya, S. Thirugnanasambanthan were the chief guests at the ceremony.

The Officer-in-Charge of the Weerapuram relief village, Captain Sarath Perera and Representative of UNHCR, Eileen Pastora too participated.