Download Horizon Lanka’s newsletter for May 2007.
Archive for May, 2007
Download Horizon Lanka’s Newsletter for May 2007 – Page 2
Download Page 2 of Horizon Lanka’s newsletter for May 2007.
The day we ‘Meshed up’ Mahavilachchiya
- Mr. Lalith Weeratunga discussing problems in the area with the community leaders, villagers, etc. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRNpg7Kdtdo
- Mr. Lalith Weeratunga’s speech (Part One) in Mahavilachchiya. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fYsE-O6wtA
- Mr. Lalith Weeratunga’s speech (Part Two) in Mahavilachchiya. Read the rest of this entry »
Computer skills for 400 Sri Lankan students in Mahavilachchiya
Visit http://www.globalgiving.com/pr/1700/proj1657a.html to donate online
Project Needs and Beneficiaries
In rural Sri Lanka, most families rely on agricultural work, leaving them vulnerable to market fluctuations, natural disasters like the tsunami, and abject poverty. Students of Horizon work to gain marketable skills they can use to increase their college eligibility and capture off-shore employment. They are then able to earn more than was ever possible in their agricultural community, elevating not only their own financial prospects, but also those of the entire village. Read the rest of this entry »
Fionnuala Woods’ Report on Horizon Lanka
Horizon Lanka Academy
Mahavilachchiya, Northern Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: white sandy beaches, exotic fruit, elephants, the Tamil Tigers, the tsunami, a tropical paradise but one that remains an essentially a Third World country with many challenges to face – this was the mixed bag of impressions, events and stereotypes that I had of this intriguing country before my visit in the summer of 2006. Read the rest of this entry »
FUND A TEACHER’S ALLOWANCE AND HELP END DIGITAL DIVIDE
Ranjith Pushpa Kumara ranjith@horizonlanka.org
Horizon Lanka Academy is the academic branch of Horizon Lanka Foundation, a non-profit earning organization dedicated to bridge the Digital Divide. We teach Information and Communication Technology and English as our key subjects. We also emphasize the role of sports in the character development of a child. Similarly, mathematics and Science has become difficult as there is a lack of resources in rural areas in Sri Lanka. Therefore, apart from English and ICT, we offer lessons in science and mathematics to the students in the secondary section. We need seven teachers to run the academy. However we now have only four teachers to run both the Horizon Lanka Academy and Horizon Lanka Pre-school. We also need about five coaching staff members for the sports section. But we have only two of them for only karate and rugby. Read the rest of this entry »
A Lovely Indian girl, Miss. Alisha Bhagat, visited Horizon Lanka, Mahavilachchiya
Radhika Nilupulee Rajapaksha radhika@horizonlanka.org
On 2nd of January, 2007 I went to Anuradhapura Railway Station to collect a girl called Alisha. When I went to the railway station saw a girl in a Punjabi dress. Then we introduced each other and came to Horizon Lanka first. Later, I came to my place with Alisha for lunch and she stayed 4 nights in my house. Read the rest of this entry »
Mahavilachchiya starts an eco-tourism package
As part of three year plan of reaching sustainability of Horizon Lanka Foundation (2007 January – 2010 December) we are happy to introduce a wonderful eco-tourism package to you. So. book your weekend to be spent in Mahavilachchiya.
Package includes,
- A Visit to Tantirimale Ancient Temple
- A Visit to mesh internet enabled houses
- Few dance items by Horizon Lanka students
- A visit inside the village
- Meals with traditional village style with mineral water (no game flesh is served as we love nearby Vilpattu jungle. Freshwater fish can be served.)
- Accommodation in a village hotel.
- A cruise and a bath in Mahavilachchiya reservoir
- A Safari tour through the jungle to Nochchiyagama or Anuradhapura.
Contact
Email: info@mahavilachchiya.net
Telephone: 077-7809533 or 060 225 6696
Address: Mahavilachchiya Model eVillage Project, Horizon Lanka Foundation, 101, Left Bank, Mahavilachchiya, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka
Looking back five years to Horizon Lanka – Sarath Kumara, Sydney, Australia
In April 2002, I stumbled upon a web site with the URL horizon77.org. (now this has been changed to www.horizonlanka.org) This website made a great impression on every one who visited it. Gradually word spread around friends and many came forward to help in numerous ways without any hesitation.
I think that it is time to share their success story with all of you to give a clear picture on where is Horizon is today. Read the rest of this entry »
Mahavilachchiya forms the first rural BPO company in Sri Lanka.
Horizon Lanka Foundation started a new BPO company named OnTime Pvt. Ltd. recently to carry out BPO operations. Right now we are doing business for our first client John Keels Holdings Limited (JKHL.) They trained 2 of our best youth from Horizon Lanka, Isuru Senevirathna and Majith Rakshitha, to do this along with one of staff members, Mr Nirosh Manjula Ranathunga.
Foundation for Advancing Rural Opportunities in Sri Lanka (FAROLanka) was the great force behind this initiative. They got the help from various other organizations to make this happen.
FJ & G de Saram, a leading law firm in Sri Lanka helped us registering BPO as a new company totally free of charge.
We also are discussing with Dialog Telekom Ltd. and Singer Sri Lanka to get some more work for our youth. Around 50 youths are being trained to take up BPO jobs from Mahavilachchiya. Mahavilachchiya has very good infrastructure like a modern computer lab with 512 KBPS internet connection, 50 computers in the village households – 30 of them are connected to Internet through mesh technology – and 7 Wi-Fi zones in the village where you can use your laptops.
The CEO of the OnTime is Mr Nirosh Manjula Ranathunga. Isuru Senevirathna is a director of the new company. Other directors are from FARO. Mr Wanninayaka is set a good example by remaining only as non executive Chairman and guiding the youth to become successful entrepreneurs. He is happy to see young people performing well and achieve a lot for the village and the country.
Radhika Nilupulee Rajapaksha radhika@horizonlanka.org
Visit of the students in Nihiluwa Public School, Beliatta
By Ananda Hendrick ananda@horizonlanka.org Manager, Horizon Lanka Foundation
The team of students, parents and officials of Nihiluwa Maha Vidyalaya arrived at the Horizon Lanka Foundation at about 4.00 pm on 11th of May 2007 and the team consisted with a Provincial Director of Education, Mr. Amal Thushara, a lady teacher, some male and female students. After their arrival, they immediately ran to our computer laboratory and this insinuated great anxiousness of the students about the computer technology. Very imprudently, a programme had been made by us to give those students a maximum advantage during their times in order to their visit becomes fruitful entirely. In view of their moods, it is observed that they were very happy and it was a very good opportunity for them to see the Horizon Lanka Foundation, the first e-village in Sri Lanka. Read the rest of this entry »
A team from Nihiluwa Maha Vidyalaya, Hambanthota visits Mahavilachchiya today
A team headed by Amal Thushara, the eVillage Center Manager of by the afternoon with a group of 20 people comprising, students, officials, parents and a Buddhist monk. They visited few students’ houses as well to see how mesh internet works in the village.
They are to undergo training on ICT and English tomorrow.
Following items will be done tomorrow.
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Short discussion between HL’s students with the visiting students (sharing experiences)
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Accessing internet (tips and shortcuts)
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Short discussion between parents
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Field trip to internet enabled houses (mesh).
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Explanation on the BPO work just started in Mahavilachchiya
The visit of the Nihiluwa Public School is sponsored by Secondary Education Modernization Project (SEMP) of the Ministry of Education following the visit to Mahavilachchiya by Ministry Secretary Mr Ariyaratne Hewage, SEMP Project Director Mr Anura Dissanayaka and other officials in February.
Life after Connectivity in Sri Lanka’s First e-Village
By Alisha Bhagat, University of Carnegie Melon, USA (Read original article at http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/03/14/ft/15.asp
In the small jungle village of Mahavilachchiya, children rush home once school has ended for lunch and a rest. The scene is similar to that in villages across the country. However, the seemingly isolated, rural countryside can be misleading. The children in Mahavilachchiya, soon after arriving home, turn on their computers and check email, do research for their homework assignments, and read local news. Mahavilachchiya, a village 40 km from Anuradhapura, has the privilege of being Sri Lanka’s first e-village and boasts the highest computer density of any other village in the country. On November 4, 2006 Sri Lanka’s first outdoor mesh network was launched in the village bringing internet connectivity to 30 households and two schools. Read the rest of this entry »
My Experiences in IIT, India – Chamila Priyadarshani
Miss Chamila Priyadarshani and Mr Nirosh Manjula Ranathunga visited IIT, South India in March, 2006. ICT Agency of Sri Lanka sponsored the tour under Model eVillage Project. Below is Chamila’s tour report. (Updated: October 19, 2006) See photos at http://www.horizonlanka.org/news/india_tour/index.htm
Chamila Priyadarshani chamila@horizonlanka.org
I got a chance to participate for ICT training in South Indian University of IIT Madras as representatives of Horizon Lanka Foundation with Mr. Nirosh Ranathunga, under the ICTA sponsored Model eVillage project. The tour was sponsored by ICTA of Sri Lanka; Mrs. Shyamani Fernando and Mr. Karunarathna from Kurunegala also participated with us.
It was my first tour abroad. It was wonderful opportunity for me. We began the journey on 4.00 am from Katunayaka International Airport by Air Sahara flight, after we arrived in Chennai Airport early morning. We stayed in Tharamani Guest House. That day we got a break and in the evening, we visited Chennai town. Next day, we attended the training. At University, Professor Junjuala, and Dr. Anjali Negam welcomed us. Read the rest of this entry »
Dialog Telekom Provides Mobile Coverage to Mahavilachchiya
December 25, 2006
Buddhika Prasad Hettiarachchi buddhika@horizonlanka.org Complete Story is Here.
Villagers in Mahavilachchiya are very happy to receive Dialog Telekom’s mobile phone coverage to entire village from the night of December 18, 2006. Dialog is the first and only mobile network provider in Mahavilachchiya. Even bigger towns like Mihintale are yet to get Dialog coverage. Dialog provided coverage to Mahavilachchiya to appreciate what we are doing for community development through Horizon Lanka Foundation. The whole village thanks Dialog for covering the village. Read the rest of this entry »
Welcome to Mahavilachchiya Blog
Connecting rural Sri Lanka is considered a major hurdle in developing the country. We hear the whirling technical jargon like IT, ICT, ICT4D etc. etc. but it’s worth considering how far we have grasped the meaning of all this. If we place Sri Lanka in the real map of the present world, we are lagging far behind. This small battered country cannot be compared to Japan, UK, Germany and Australia. Though the world has opened its doors to ICT for a few decades now, we, as a country, have been hitting the snooze button on our alarm clocks for too long and have at last woken up though a little late. Whilst the Information Revolution had been changing the world, we persisted and believed in exports and traditional farming methods. Addressing the issues involved with making rural Sri Lanka an ICT literate country is complicated because the answers lie far beyond simple ICT education. In order to achieve this goal, as well as education, we have to make ICT a high profile commodity by raising its awareness and benefits to the rural villager.The village of Mahavilachchiya is a promising ground for any kind of ICT initiative because of Horizon Lanka Foundation’s www.horizonlanka.org activities over the last seven years. Horizon Lanka Foundation has been actively working at a grassroots level, laying the groundwork for making this village a Model e-village www.mahavilachchiya.net . They began closing the information gap for this community by introducing the computer and giving basic computer lessons. Over the years, this one computer grew to a few and more and more students took interest in this new technology. By helping local families purchase computers through one of its most successful projects, www.digitalbutterflies.org, more of the community began to familiarize itself with the concept of ICT, especially the children. The content of the computer training provided by Horizon Lanka began to become more expert and the children have been quick to grasp web designing and graphic design and now design and produce all Horizon Lanka Foundation related web sites. The Foundation in 2004 brought an Internet connection and a computer lab to the village. It is believed that internet access for these rural villages will help to reduce isolation, provide education and economic opportunities and ultimately improve the quality of life.
By November 2006, Mahavilachchiya went another step forward by providing free internet access to 28 households where Horizon Lanka students live and 2 public schools where 1000 students study.
In December Dialog Telekom Limited provided Dialog mobile coverage to the whole village at a time some bigger towns are yet to be covered for the reason that Mahavilachchiya is producing outstanding results when it comes to village development.
With all these things in place, how much more is there to do? So far most of the emphasis of Horizon Lanka’s work has been aimed at children. It is time to bring ICT to the community.
Lonely lives ‘meshed up’ in Mahavilachchiya. The Happiest Man in Mahavilachchiya…!
Kumar is a Tamil living in Mahavilachchiya. He was born and bred, and had his primary education in Kalatththewa, Anuradhapura. Later he came to Anuradhapura city where he had his secondary education at St. Joseph’s College, Anuradhapura. He had to give up education as he had to become the breadwinner of his family. He wanted to ensure that his brothers and sisters get a decent education and sacrificing his opportunities for the well-being of the others was the only option he had.
Guided probably by fate Kumar happened to come to Mahavilachchiya to work at a shop, there he met Mangalika, a beautiful Sinhala village girl, and it was love at first sight. They got married shortly afterwards. He settled down at Mahavilachchiya with Mangalika and continued to support his brothers and sisters from there.
Kumar’s elder sister migrated to United Kingdom with her husband after the Black July riots in 1983 and one by one, his whole family left the country after her. Kumar could not follow them because his wife was reluctant to leave the familiar surroundings of the village where she had lived since she was born.
Kumar missed his family, his childhood friends and many other things from his former life. But he could not leave his wife Mangalika, whom he loved dearly. So, for the last 30 odd years Kumar has been living in Mahavilachchiya. Read the rest of this entry »
The future of the meshed up e-village
One of the most talked about topics in ICT4D today is the Mahavilachchiya project. A joint venture by Horizon Lanka and ICTA, it is slated to be the first model e-village in Sri Lanka. The village which doesn’t even have fixed telephone coverage, is connected to the Internet, 24/7, by a wireless mesh technology. The decentralized and relatively inexpensive mesh happens to be the first wireless outdoor network to be implemented in Sri Lanka.
So far Horizon Lanka has helped to furnish over 30 homes with used desktop computers which the villages help themselves to access the Internet. One of the immediate outcomes is that the children have started browsing for information to help them with their studies and have started using VoIP. Read the rest of this entry »
