A life of service

Indrani Iriyagolle remembered:

Indrani Iriyagolle who passed away recently at the age of 82 years will be remembered as a pioneer in social and voluntary work; having worked tirelessly to better the lives of women, children and all communities during the period from 1985 until her demise in May 2015. My brother and I were fortunate to learn much about humanitarian values from my mother who set us a fine example of social awareness with determination for change. Memories of my mother include helping her writing up various project proposals from time to time and listening to the tales of various trips and projects she carried out over several years.

A particularly special project was the building of a water tank and a pre-school we helped set up for a village in the Trincolmalee area in memory of our father.

Living abroad, my family and I were not always in Sri Lanka, but we spentmany memorable long holidays with my mother on trips and at home. My mother addressed everyone she met with the same compassion and genuine concern about the welfare of the individual, as well as their families. She was a lady of great intellect, diplomacy and resourcefulness. She was known for her devotion to women's empowerment, welfare and the rights of the individual. Above all, she was primarily a devoted wife, loving mother and grandmother - a great support to her family.

Born in Badulla to a family of two brothers and four sisters, she received her primary education at Nalanda College during the Second World War and conducted her secondary studies at Musaeus College where she was Head Prefect for two years. She graduated from the University of Peradeniya and married Gamini Iriyagolle (the son of author and Education Minister IMRA Iriyagolle); an eminent lawyer, civil servant, author andlater presidential advisor. She undertook her postgraduate studies at the University of Cambridge alongside her husband who completed his Master's degree in Law there at the same time. Upon their return to Sri Lanka, she resumed her career as a teacher, but retired early after my brother and I were born so that she could devote more time to the family.

Some years later, she decided to dedicate her life to social welfare, assisting and empowering the underprivileged. The 'Organization for The Welfare and Advancement of Women' was founded in 1985 together with 10 friends. Over 30 years she skilfully developed the organisation into a Foundation with great vision facilitating the establishment of branches in Mahabage and Hikkaduwa.

Projects

Other projects included: poverty alleviation with World Bank Aid to help Gulf returnees to local employment to keep them from having to seek foreign employment, setting up a network of credit societies to promote savings and investment in small enterprise, arranging donations for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from 1989-1992, workshops and seminars on violence against women, child abuse, family law, sexual harassment and upgrading of existing facilities and establishment of over thirteen day care centres and pre-schools.

The organisation also lobbied for the Women's Rights Bill for over 10 years. Further work carried out by the organisation included community health schemes - a very successful HIV and AIDS awareness project (WHO funded), counselling services, tsunami welfare and rehabilitation projects in Trincomalee, Ampara, Matara and many others.

To bring about positive change and empower the community, she undertook Organisational Development training at a Stanford University Forum and training in Micro-Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Development in India. Also working in capacity building and local governance, she was Sri Lanka's Project Director for WHO, World Bank: Janasaviya Project, SLCDF funded projects and others. She was someone who strove to improve matters in the many areas she worked in.

Pioneer

A pioneer in women's affairs in Sri Lanka, a passionate advocate and active campaigner for women's rights, she was instrumental in passing the National Women's Rights Bill and Children's Charter, bringing women's and children's rights into the Sri Lankan political arena.

The only female invited to participate in the NGO Coordinating Committee, made up of all male civil representatives and the commanders of the Armed Forces, she was never afraid to speak her mind. During those unpredictable times of the war, I recall the day she was late to a meeting and missed a bomb that had been detonated at the venue. This did not however deter her from taking part in those activities.

An avid writer and speaker, she was fully conversant in English and Sinhalese. She spoke eloquently, always a strong voice and a beacon of hope, for those who could not speak for themselves. No topic was beyond her abilities or too demanding or outside her interest. No stranger to media, she expressed her views freely, well-versed on a wide range of topics such as economic development, gender issues, human rights, Sri Lankan law and legislation, social welfare, religion as well as art and culture. She authored several books, articles and papers locally and abroad. Publications include her first book - British Parliamentary Government which is a standard reference text and Women of Sri Lanka - A Historical Perspective', amongst others written for various programmes.Being dynamic and dedicated she held numerous positions of responsibility both nationally and internationally throughout her life. Nationally, she had held positions of responsibility as the Chairperson, National Committee on Women (Ministry of Women's Affairs Sri Lanka), President of Sri Lanka Women's Conference from 2014 to date, Board Member of the Colombo University Council, Director of the NGO Council in Sri Lanka, Council Member of the Royal Asiatic Society Sri Lanka Branch, President of Lak Vanitha as well as Vice President of the Prisoners Welfare Association.

As Board Member of the License Board Scheme under the Ministry of Justice, together with Justice of the Supreme Court Hector Yapa, she provided Micro Enterprise Training for over 2000 long term prisoners before their release. She was also the President of the Foundation for Welfare and Development of Women - the NGO that she had founded 30 years ago for voluntary and social work.

As a family we are extremely appreciative of my mother's work and the encouragement she gave our own careers and ventures. Her loss will be felt in every area she worked in, but her memory and legacy we hope will live on as we keep her in our hearts forever.

-Nayanee Silva (Iriyagolle)

With heartfelt thanks to Himali Wettasinghe

Ananda Bernard Bowatte:

'Our grandfather - had time for us'

Words cannot express the unbearable loss, his ten grandchildren feel, as the days go by since his passing away on March 27, 2015.

The realization that our beloved Aththa is not among us is hard to bear, because he had always been there, close to each one of us. We miss him all the time, our Aththa was like a rock we leaned on in times of joy or sadness. No more do we hear his voice calling out to us. His voice echoed and re-echoed within the walls of our grandparent's house.

His absence is felt when we need to go to him with our everyday problems. He was keen to know how we got on in our studies, extra activities, hobbies and our friends.

Our Aththa always had time to listen to us. The wonder of it all was that he could come down to our level of thinking, understand us, to sort out our problems. We believe he had thoughts of our future too.

He had a very large heart. In it, we were all there, the young and the old. As far back as we can remember, he was always involved in Buddhist activities in a vast number of temples, community, welfare work of all categories such as hospitals, orphanages, prisons and so much more, unknown to most of us.

Even during the time he was ailing we could hear him giving instructions from his bed, extending his generosity to some deserving cause. Throughout this difficult and anxious period of time, our Athamma stood out like a beacon of light. Her steadfast support, her quiet patient endurance, and her calm attitude was the strength we children held on to.

May our Aththa's journey through sansara, be short until he attains the supreme Bliss of Nirvana.

Your Ten Grandchildren