A Humbling Experience In Dunupothagama
“Grama Prabodhaya”, in case the name sounds unfamiliar, is a remarkable community service project organized by the Rotaract Club of the University of Moratuwa. Remarkable, I say because for the last 6 years this project has spanned across 3 different rural villages in Sri Lanka with the hopes of sustainably developing the village communities in those areas. The latest of its memorable journey started last year at Dunupothagama, a rural village in the North Central province of Sri Lanka.
Just a couple of days after being collared as the incoming president of this prestigious club, it was my privilege to partake in our very first visit to the village of Dunupothagama to assess the conditions of the project. Although this was my third visit to the village, it felt all the more different this time. I could no longer go there and enjoy the views of the beauty that is associated with the village. Instead, I was leading the pack this time. I was also a little doubtful whether the villagers would welcome us with open arms and open hearts like they did before.
We went into the Dunupothagama Vidyalaya with a heart full of mixed feelings. Needless to say, we were all a little scared. Not of the people but the mammoth tasks at hand. A bunch of ninja-like (thanks to the masks), strangers entering a rural village school that is almost 200 km away from Colombo must have been an unusual sight. However, we received no less welcome than the ones given to our community service teams before lockdown.
“Grama Prabodhaya” gained a lot of momentum as it progressed and credit goes where it’s due. Perhaps the loudest affirmations of the efforts that went into this project throughout the years were when the villagers at Dunupothagama said,
‘Meh Moratuwe mahaththuru tika neh ape iskole hadapu!”
(The gentlemen from (The University of) Moratuwa, who built our school.)
Of course, it was not the same people who built the school but it showed us that over the years we were able to build a rapport of being helpful. Again, credit goes where it’s due. As a part of the Rotaract Mora, it was touching to hear this and somehow seemed more blissfully satisfying over all the standing ovations in the world.
The village school accommodates close to 800 students in the area. As with any parent, these people’s lives revolved around their children. Wanting the best for one’s children doesn’t lessen with every kilometer away from the capital and these people proved no different. The willingness of the villagers to sacrifice their time and efforts to the development of the school was not surprising to see.
The conversations we had with the people at Dunupothagama showed us how differently they experienced “life”. Imagine having your school Advanced Level classes under a small tent. Just a tent. No walls, no blackboards, no fans, no lights. I reckon feelings of sadness and some amount of impulsive guilt was natural but it is crucial to redefine the shortcomings as room for improvement. This motivated our entire team to do even better service in the coming year.
We were constantly trying to address the root of the problem. The building that our very own Rotaractors built for the school, standing out magnificently among the rest is a strong testament to that. It was by far the biggest building in the school that would be the roof to 80 young scholars. It has been a monumental task that has taken our best efforts. But the truth is, THERE IS MORE TO BE DONE.
The grim realities struck us as we learned that many students lack awareness about some of the most basic human rights and entitlements. The villagers have to pay 3–5 rupees to get a liter of hard water and a complimentary dose of Chronic Kidney Disease along with it; either that or they get no water at all. Everyday things we take for granted are amongst the biggest problems that these people face. It’s only 200 km from Colombo yet it feels as if we are living worlds apart.
We need to do more, and we will try our very best. That’s a statement said in confidence when you are part of a club that is filled with a hardworking and passionate set of young leaders. Right now, we are focusing on building the school a computer lab and more importantly, trying to install a water filter that would give access to drinking water for about 2500 villagers in the area. This, by no means, is a task that can be done by us alone. We need YOU now more than ever and we would love to get any sort of help that comes our way.
Reach out to us at Rotaract Mora (or drop me a message, Samila Imbulana, at my Facebook or Instagram)
It is a great injustice. The stories you hear at Dunupothagama are heart-wrenching. I don’t consider it useful to point fingers at those who are responsible for the woeful plight of these villagers. What we can do is recognize the opportunity Rotaract has given us to mobilize young and capable individuals to bring about change and try our level best to push towards improvement. Help these communities so that they can see the world that we live in.
We are the young blood in Sri Lanka! It’s our turn to work harder and smarter to turn things around for our MOTHERLAND!
08/07/2020
SAMILA IMBULANA
President — Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa
