|
Most Venerable Aggmahapanditha Madihe Pannasiha Maha Nayaka Thera
Patron of Dharmavijaya Foundation
From inception until his demise on 7 September 2003 |
|
Venerable Rajakiya Pandita Hakmana Sumanasiri Maha Thera
Patron of Dharmavijaya Foundation
From 14 August 2003 |
Fore word ( 5) |
Introduction (6) |
SECTION 1 The Beginnings of the Dharmavijaya Foundation (11) |
SECTION 2 Structure of the DVF (14) |
SECTION 3 Programmes and Projects (17) |
Programme 1 : Tsunami project
1.1 Prioritized reconstruction
- Temples
- Dhamma Schools
- Houses
- Other assistance
- The Helabima Scholarship Scheme
1.2 Conclusion
1.3 The Red Lotus Movement
Programme 2 : Promoting Moral Development (20)
2.1 Projects and activities
2.2 Apadana Sobhini Panna – Knowledge illumines Character
2.3 Satsati Pratipatti Pooja
2.4 National level plan for commemoration of the
2600th Sambuddhatva Jayanthi
2.5 Linking to the village
Programme 3 – Education (22)
3.1 Scholarships
3.2 Assistant for Tertiary Education
3.3 Assistance to disaster struck children
3.4 Bhikkhu Education
3.5 Reading Centres
3.6 Early children training and development
Programme 4 – Health and Wellbeing (26)
4.1 Alcohol and tobacco use
4.2 Eye Care
4.3 Better nutrition and eradication of malnutrition
4.4 The promotion of vegetarianism and healthy living
4.5 First Aid Training
Programme 5 – Human Resource Enhancement (30)
Programme 6 – Communication (31)
6.1 Communication with the general public
6.2 Newsletter
6.3 Lectures and Workshops
6.4 Dhamma Sermons and Discussions
6.5 Cultural Event
6.6 Computerization and electronic communication
SECTION 4 Conclusion - The Next Decade (33) |
The Dharmavijaya Foundation is entering the fourth decade after its incorporation by an Act of Parliament in 1979. During the thirty years of existence as an incorporated body we at the Foundation have endeavoured to work according to our mission: to promote the total development of man, both spiritually and physically, with the application of Buddhist principles to development in accordance with the Five Precepts and thereby establish a Dharmavijaya Samajaya. We always had as our vision the guiding principle as set down by our Founder Patron, the Most Venerable Aggamahapandita Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thera, viz., developing the country along with the moral development of man.
The report carries more prominently statements on the activities undertaken by the DVF in its third decade of being a recognized non-governmental organization working completely altruistically to improve the lives of everyone in the country ranging from children and lay people to the Sangha. Activities that have been continuous from the second decade and even first decade are dealt with concisely. Those projects that were introduced as new undertakings and activities that were necessitated by circumstances are dealt with in more detail.
The sections in the report are distinguished one from the other by the nature of the activity that is reported on. Most prominent during the third decade, for which an entire section is devoted, is our contribution to the restoration of the economic life and well-being of those affected by the killer waves of the December 2004 tsunami. The sections that follow deal with promotion of moral development, education, health, human resource enhancement and communication and end with our plans for the next decade.
It must be stated here that in the last concluding chapter, we have noted down projects and programmes as envisaged at the conclusion of the third decade. It goes without saying that new projects falling within the objectives of the DVF may present themselves as needing to be addressed, calling for money to be spent and activities to be undertaken. The DVF is flexible and responds to needs of society and circumstances – often crises – whether nature induced or man made. Thus our inability to be comprehensive about future plans. We will of course continue with our major projects and undertake new ones as and when the need arises and the Board of Trustees, conferring with the Patron, decides to step in with finances and human resources.
We are justifiably pleased that we have met with success in many of our projects. Looking around us we see the greater proliferation of corruption; wanton killing; dishonest means of livelihood; immorality. As populations grow; as foreign influences creep in; as the cost of living spirals ever upward; as war and later its aftermath cloud society; people tend to stray from a virtuous life and correct living either on their own initiative or pushed to corrupt practices beyond their control. We take these as challenges and we are conscious that moral development of our people is a Herculean task, no doubt about that. The DVF moves into society, works among Buddhists and others who come within its area of activity and impact, and tries to achieve its aim of influencing and helping people to live their lives practicing the Five Precepts. The latter includes refraining from all forms of corruption and immorality and encouraging living according to the behavioural tenets (morality) laid down by the Buddha. We do, not only NOT take away life of any being, but also we protect and nurture life and extend the four sublime virtues (brahmaviharas) to all living beings. The positive is what is stressed by the Teaching of the Buddha and followed by us.
The measurement of success and its extent is possible in certain circumstances. Childhood development by the Dharmavijaya Samajas is measurable by the number of little children who attend the Ladaru Sevena nurseries. In contrast the number of male devotees of a temple who have given up alcoholic drink is not so easily countable. However, there definitely is a resurgence of piety as noted by attendance in temples of people observing sil. Thus the DVF does take credit, even modestly, for the influence of the spread of wholesome practices and principles bringing a change for the better in society, however miniscule in proportion to the upsurge of corruption and lawlessness it may seem to be.
The years 2003 to date have been my third presidency of the DVF, and I feel very privileged and honoured to state this fact. I acknowledge with deep sincerity the trust placed in me by the Board of Trustees and others connected with the Dharmavijaya Foundation. I have endeavoured to always give of my best to the Foundation, following closely the principles laid down by our First Patron and working closely with our present Patron and the Board of Trustees. Unlike in many other organisations the President is only primus inter pares – ‘the first among equals’. There are no special privileges and the entire Board works as a team, each giving his best according to his/her circumstances.
The DVF has gained in recognition both locally and overseas; has met with enhanced acknowledgement as an efficiently working NGO; and progressively gained in influence. Hence the DVF through its Board members is represented in many organisations of national importance such as the 2600th Sri Sambuddhatva commemoration; Advisory Committees of Ministries; and is invited to participate in many meetings on an ad hoc basis. The DVF is trusted as a transparent organization which disburses its funds, those placed in trust and donations obtained by philanthropic well wishers, judiciously with careful consideration and planning.
For this and the very continuance of the DVF as an organization in the forefront of helping those less privileged to help themselves, and as a positive influence in the regeneration of Buddhist society and resurgence of moral living, I place on record my appreciation and grateful thanks to the many who have worked to achieve these aims.
The current Patron, the Venerable Sastrapati Pandita Hakmana Sumanasiri Maha Thera is thanked for his guiding hand, which is always present for the DVF to lean on He has inherited one of the noblest qualities of the late Mahanayaka Thera, that of being a good listener. His advice is always sought and is respected in making consensual decisions at the weekly meetings of the Board of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees is thanked sincerely for their abundant support for the cause and for their attendance at meetings every Thursday where matters are discussed, debated and decided upon. Collectively and individually, they have contributed much to the success of the DVF.
The Venerable bhikkhus, who are Presidents of the DVS Regional Centres and the Dharmavijaya Samajayas, 440 in number, deserve our unstinted thanks and praise. They are the persons who carry out the programmes and projects. While the DVF headquarters in Colombo supported by the paid staff at the DVF office is the trunk of the firmly rooted tree of the Foundation (DVF), the district level centres and village level Samajayas are the spreading branches that afford the shelter of the vision and mission of the Foundation.
Finally, the Board of Trustees sincerely thank Nanda P Wanasundera for initial writing of the script of this report. We worked well cooperatively to get the text of this document ready. All others who were involved in the production and publication of the report and the donors, well-wishers and all others who supported the DVF even by a kind word are also remembered and thanked.
May these efforts help in making this beautiful country of ours, with an unparalleled history and culture, become a beacon light for the rest of the world, and thereby contribute towards the progress of humanity.
Deshabandhu Olcott Gunasekera
President/DVF
Colombo 7
November 2010
|
This publication marks the 30th year of service to the nation by the Dharmavijaya Foundation (DVF) as a development non-governmental organization. It provides a concise picture of the broad spectrum of work done by the DVF with special emphasis on its third decade: 1999 – 2009. A fact that emerges forcefully is that the Foundation has been functioning with enhanced commitment and efficiency counting greater success within its third slot of ten years of working as one of the foremost, if not THE foremost Buddhist organization in Sri Lanka.
The aim of the Foundation has been furthered by the activities it has undertaken in various fields to benefit different segments of Sri Lankan society. As the Most Venerable Aggamahapandita Madihe Pannseeha Mahanayaka Thera in his wisdom decreed – ‘Let us develop the country along with the moral development of Man’. The DVF has kept that saying as a compass pointer to all the projects undertaken by it. The creation of a Dharmavijaya Samajaya in this country of ours is the final goal of the Foundation. It had to be pursued against a backdrop of deteriorating standards of behaviour with corruption and irreligiousness rampant and to please the senses whatever the cost to individual morality and the general wellbeing of society. But the DVF has progressed in spite of a prevalent mood of the laxity of moral integrity and bending with every wind that blows to lower standards of behaviour of individuals, social groups and Sri Lankan society in general. Against these huge odds the DVF has moved forward and as it begins its fourth decade of existence, it is reinforced by the successes it has achieved in making itself known as a social force to be reckoned with, and as an organization working from grassroots level upward.
The chapters that follow enumerate in fair detail all the projects undertaken by the DVF; mostly being continuing projects, a few innovative with work in fresh directions and with new objectives seeking different effectiveness and results. Just one or two areas of activity have been discontinued due to the perception of the Trustees of the DVF that success has been met in these ventures or that better use can be made of the resources of the DVF in alternate projects. For example one activity that was discontinued within the last ten years is the Book Bank Project for medical students.
The reader can judge how effective the Foundation has been in its diverse areas of activity. The DVF itself has its own evaluation methods and assessment of success or otherwise, of its programmes. Unanimously it is agreed that the Foundation gained greater recognition as a development organization in the forefront of social reform in the Island based on Buddhist principles. The DVF, within the last ten years also proved beyond doubt its capacity and capability to rise to a crisis and help out effectively, benefiting many. Another area of success is that there is a definite furtherance of the building up of a Dharmavijaya Samajaya with correct values based on principles of Buddhist morality.
Recognition given to the Dharmavijaya Foundation
The DVF has been gaining in its acceptance as an effective Buddhist NGO; in its influence right across Sri Lanka; and most importantly as an acknowledged organization with strong and effective persons on its Board of Trustees.
Deshabandhu Olcott Gunasekera has been appointed to the steering committee of the celebrations in connection with the 2600th anniversary of the attainment of Enlightenment by the Buddha. This signal honour is adducible to both the respect and trust that the President of the country, the Maha Sangha and the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Moral Development have in the ability and integrity of Deshabandhu Olcott Gunasekera. As the incumbent Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the DVF, the honour paid to Mr Gunasekera reflects on the Foundation he heads.
The theme of the celebration is very pertinent to the DVF cause. It is, “Let us commemorate the 2600th Anniversary of the Buddha’s Enlightenment by reorganising and revitalizing our moral life”. This, in fact, is what the DVF has been working for during the last three decades under the leadership of the late Most Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thera. The DVF is happy that in building up a new Sri Lanka after the defeat of a terrorist group that traumatised the entire nation for nearly 30 years, H.E Mahinda Rajapaksa, the President of Sri Lanka, has publicly announced that the only way of consolidating its victory is to establish a Righteous Society based on morality.
The DVF is also represented in the Buddhasasana Karya Sadhaka Mandalaya and in many other advisory committees of government where the voice of the DVF is heard. We are happy to record that Deshabandhu Olcott Gunasekera was also appointed a member of the Buddha Sasana Commission of 2002. He was directly involved in formulating necessary legislation, both nationally and internationally, to curb the consumption of alcohol and tobacco products that has reached pandemic proportions both in Sri Lanka and the entire world.
Influence in creating a Dharma Samajaya
The DVF’s efforts in encouraging, even inducing people to lead lives based on the principles of wholesome living as preached by the Buddha to his lay followers, has paid dividends.
Our campaign for moral development of the individual and thus society in general was many pronged, branching into various activities. One was advertising; another the fostering of closer relations between temple and the rural and city dweller; the third of targeting the child and showing him/her the right path to follow in his/her educational and behaviour development. Hence our emphasis on Buddhist education and our active encouragement and assistance to run Dhamma schools well. We placed emphasis on the preaching of bana by erudite monks not only in villages and towns but in the DVF headquarters too.
All these have paid dividends. It is noted that many who came within the orbit of the DVF live by the five precepts, especially moving to vegetarianism and foreswearing the imbibing of alcoholic drinks. It is not possible to quote statistics to prove these two positives but feedback that comes in from the temples the DVF works closely with, and our Dharmavijaya Samajayas scattered across the Island, points to a definite improvement in the moral behaviour of many. For better assessment a self appraisal form to monitor progress made by the Dharmavijaya Societies has been developed.
Assistance in crisis situations
In this area the DVF is able to substantiate its successes with concrete facts and figures. The DVF has come to the aid of people from different parts of Sri Lanka who were crisis-affected. The DVF was for long involved itself in humanitarian work in the war affected areas, especially in the threatened villages.
Drought and its reverse condition – floods, affected many areas of the Island and, as is invariable, it was the poorest of the poor who suffered most. The DVF rushed to the aid of those who had no means of livelihood due to the impossibility of engaging in agriculture and animal husbandry due to lack of rain for months. We also, more urgently and immediately rushed aid to those who lost home and possessions to floods, landslides and cyclonic winds.
However our greatest achievement, in which we take justifiable pride, is that we went with no delay to the aid of those devastated by the tsunami of 26 December 2004. Details can be read in Section 3 of this publication titled: Programmes and Projects (p17)
Suffice it to say that the DVF was one of the first NGOs present and active in the devastated areas of the coastal belt of Sri Lanka due to the rushing inland of the sea caused by a massive earthquake in the sea off the tip of Indonesia.
No sooner the news broke of the 40 feet high waves that dashed inland for a mile in certain places, Trustees of the DVF gathered at the headquarters in Sarana Road, Colombo 7. Immediate selection of goods which included food items, clothes, bed linen and medicines were made from those stored. Donations came pouring in within a couple of hours of the disaster being known on the Sunday morning. Thus on the next day – 27 December - lorry loads of goods were dispatched, first to Ampara and then to the worst affected areas on the south western coast. Container loads of consumables were also received from abroad.
An emergency meeting of Trustees was convened immediately and a plan of action drawn up. For the next five days relief goods were dispatched, accompanied by Trustees and other officials of the Foundation.
The plan of action recommended the divergence of aid to material goods including medical supplies; counselling; and the reconstruction of damaged temples first of all, and homes next. Details are given in Section Three as mentioned earlier. With the help of volunteers scaling down from architects and renowned builders to artisans and masons, the building project of the DVF took off within weeks of the disaster. Temples and homes were rebuilt; the method adopted being encouraged self help. The temple dayakas, under the leadership of the monks, using material and expertise supplied by the DVF, reconstructed their own premises. Schools were helped; libraries refurbished.
Even more significantly victims, who had suffered loss of family members, all wealth and possessions, were assisted emotionally through one-to-one counselling, meetings and group therapy to come to terms with their losses.
A severe long term blow dealt by the tsunami to those in devastated areas was the taking away of means of livelihood: market vendors their stalls and capital to invest in their business; cultivators their implements, manure and seed; home industry workers and artisans their wherewithal in both implements and money terms. Very many were helped by the DVF.
Tsunami relief programmes continued well into the middle of the decade. The last official opening was the library building in memory of the late Venerable Mahanayaka Thera at Madihe East in the Matara district on 17 July 2008, the Esala full moon day.
A few of the outstanding achievements of the DVF are highlighted. When this publication is read further, particulars of the projects mentioned and other projects will be made clearer in greater detail.
In conclusion, may it be stated that it is the opinion of the Board of Trustees that the third decade in which the DVF has been functioning, namely the ten years from 1999 to 2009, have seen the Dharmavijaya Foundation moving from success to success; gaining recognition from the government and the people of Sri Lanka and becoming more active and committed to ushering in a Dharmavijaya Samajaya in this Buddhist land of ours.
|
SECTION 1 - The Beginnings of the Dharmavijaya Foundation |
Chandragupta founded the Mauryan empire, but his grandson Asoka adorned it. He is one of the greatest names of all ages. He was the first ruler of a great empire to preach the way of gentleness in preference to the way of force, to insist that the moral law was the key to public action.
“Kalinga was conquered when his Sacred and Gracious Majesty Emperor Asoka had been consecrated eight years. 150,000 persons were thence carried away captive, 100,000 were slain and many times that number died. Thus arose his Sacred Majesty’s remorse for having conquered the Kalingas because the conquest of a country previously unconquered involves the slaughter, death and carrying away captives of the people.”
From this moment Asoka spent the rest of his life promoting the law of duty or piety throughout his great empire. His inspiration was the teaching of the Buddha who had passed away already for some two centuries and whose doctrine was widespread. Asoka chose the novel form of publicity of inscribing his edicts on stone. The virtues which are proclaimed are broadly those of the Buddhist way of life. The individual is to cultivate simplicity, gentleness and compassion; these feelings are to extend to all living beings with the corollary of kindness to animals, and vegetarianism in diet.
(From Percival Spear’s India: a modern history. The University of Michigan Press: Ann Arbor, 1972)
The word ‘dharmavijaya’ comes from the edicts of Asoka; and this, along with Sri Lanka’s claim in the past as a Dharmadvipa or Righteous Island and Peradiga Dhanyaghara or the Granary of the East, were the inspirations for the founding of the Dharmavijaya Foundation (DVF) in 1977 by the Most Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thera. The motto of the Dharmavijaya Foundation was taken again from the Asokan edicts. It is Samavayo Eva Sadhu – Concord indeed is commendable. The need for the inauguration of such an organization was prompted by theperceived degeneration of societal and individual values and the need for a common platform for societal change in Sri Lanka based on Buddhist principles and more specifically on the five precepts and its developmental aspects.
The Venerable Mahanayaka Thera and the lay people who joined him in this endeavour were convinced that there was an urgent need for rethinking and refashioning the process of development in the country. There had to be moral intervention to place Sri Lankan society back on the path of spirituality with the concepts of ethical and civic responsibility, harmony, simplicity and contentment being restored to the positions they held when society was less consumer oriented and far less self-centred.
The Dharmavijaya Foundation was incorporated by an Act of Parliament in 1979 - Act No 62. It is a non-governmental development organization, which aims to make the country a better place to live in for all its races and religions. The means of achieving this target is to change society to reach higher standards of behaviour. This change is to be wrought by the more principled behaviour of each individual through observance of the five precepts (panca sila). The guiding axiom of the DVF is that if the individual is moral, just and contented, so will society be. In the words of the Most Venerable Mahanayaka Thera it is, ‘Miniha nohada rata hadanna baha; minihath hadaganimin rata hada ganimu’. “It is not possible to have sustainable development in a country without the moral development of man; hence, let us develop our country along with the moral development of our people.”
DVF was inaugurated with no funds in hand. Its ‘headquarters’ was a garage with a room above, at No. 50, Green Path, Colombo 7. Two ingenious methods of fund raising were adopted: renting out the room to foreign scholars and selling ‘imaginary’ bricks for a stable foundation of a building at Rs 1000/= per brick.
Greater space was a dire necessity and thus the project to construct a spacious building as the headquarters of DVF. Several years were spent in selecting a suitable site. When the block of land on Sarana Road was decided upon, the Government Agent of the Western Province, Mr W E M W Ekanayake lent a helping hand in acquiring it. Mr Olcott Gunasekera, then President of DVF, ceremonially received the land on 20 September1988. Through the good offices of DVF Trustee Nanda Amarasinghe, Architect Nihal Amarasinghe planned and designed the building, free of charge. Dr B M A Balasooriya, DVF Trustee and structural engineer, supervised its building through STEMS Consultant Ltd. The main contributors to the estimated cost of over five million were the Sri Lanka Canada Development Fund and the President’s Fund. The DVF took occupation of its new premises at 380/7, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7, on 28 May 1992/2537.
Patrons
The Most Venerable Aggamahapandita Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thera who had been DVF’s Founding Patron passed away in September 2003. Age had been taking its toll on him, but right up to the end – till he was 89 - he attended Board Meetings and was a participant in all activities. Furthermore, he was cognizant of all matters. Even when confined to his room, he was always available to DVF members with perceptive insights to problems and advice of the most sagacious kind. His death certainly left a void. However, the DVF had been so strongly founded and was buttressed by truly dedicated persons, including senior members of the Maha Sangha, that no fissures or cracks, even minor creases were seen once the Head of the organization was no more. Venerable Sastrapati Pandita Tripitakacharya Hakmana Sumanasiri Maha Thera stepped in as Patron immediately afterwards.
Projects and activities
Some of the major projects undertaken within the life span of the DVF of three decades are detailed later in this report. Suffice it to mention that all projects target a righteous society and are implemented either by the Foundation directly or through the Dharmavijaya Samajayas or Societies (DVSs) situated across the country. The ideas for projects emanate at both levels and their progress is monitored through close communication between centre and peripheries; between Trustees and outstation office bearers.
The thrust of all projects is economic, moral, physical and spiritual development of the individual and society, through education, training and awareness building and actual assistance in the way of advice, and grants in cash and kind. The less privileged are concentrated on with special emphasis on vulnerable groups, mainly children. On many occasions the DVF was first on the scene when natural disasters struck. Motivation of communities to self reliance, self employment, moral regeneration and protection of the environment underpin many of DVF projects. Improvement of the quality of life of society in general is a prime goal of the DVF, and thus its targeting the elimination of drug taking and the consumption of alcohol and tobacco, knowing full well that they devastate family life and tear and mutilate the social fabric of communities.
The spheres of activity can broadly
be categorized under the following
headings:
� Promoting moral development
� Economic development and
social welfare
� Education
� Health and wellbeing
� Human resource enhancement
� Communication
In conjunction with these
programmes runs a series of
seminars, conferences and training
sessions |
Keeping abreast of ever progressing information and communication technology, DVF is now computerized and very much in ‘cyber space.’ The administrative office keeps all records computerized; communication and correspondence with organizations and individuals both local and international is more often than not electronic. The email address and website address of DVF are
dharmavijaya.lk@gmail.com
and
www.dharmavijaya.com
|
SECTION 2 - Structure of the DVF |
Vision and Mission
The vision of the Dharmavijaya Foundation is a Sri Lankan society of correct values; moral and ethical integrity; a society imbued with the universal Buddhist values of loving kindness (metta) compassion (karuna), joy at other’s well-being (mudita) and equanimity (upekkha) that makes for justice, freedom and fairness.
The Mission of the Dharmavijaya Foundation is to help in achieving its vision by encouraging and enabling a Dharmavijaya Samajaya or a Righteous Society having respect for life, for others possessions, for moral integrity, for truthfulness and for heedfulness.
The Aim of the Dharmavijaya Foundation is the resurgence of a righteous society and the re-emergence of correct values through re-linking the places of worship with the surrounding village or city and making them beacons of light for a new society. More specifically, it aims at making the Buddhist population trying to model their lives according to the teachings of the Buddha.
Governance
A Board of Trustees, not exceeding thirty persons of both sexes, governs DVF. They offer their services voluntarily and are of proven ability, education and experience. Their recognition by society as persons of integrity following the Buddhist way of life ensures their dedication and ability to further the objectives of the Foundation. The Board meets weekly on Thursday evenings, when discussions cover financial and administrative matters; evaluation of on-going projects, future projects, and all other matters pertaining to the Foundation. Consensual decision making is the norm. (Annexe 1 List of Trustees)
A group of Associate Members assist in the several projects undertaken by the DVF. The Dharmavijaya Samajayas or societies (DVSs), located in temples, spread themselves throughout the country forming a strong network. They are expected to affiliate closely with the other organizations at the local level and work out a composite programme for the moral and economic advancement of the people of the area.
Finances
The monetary resources of the DVF are from donations generously given by both local and foreign individuals and associations. Money is placed in trusts, endowments and contributory funds. In considering the acceptance of offered assistance from foreign sources, the aims and objectives of those associations and individuals in their work and philanthropy are considered very carefully, to ensure compatibility with principles of the DVF. (Annexe 2: Trusts Funds)
A Dharmavijaya Samajaya
A Dharmavijaya Samajaya is a well-disciplined and happy community. Each member of such a society is always vigilant and leads a life that is non-harmful to one self and to society. To set up and sustain
such a community where each individual consciously contributes to the welfare of the entire community, the principles set down below need to be followed - then would emerge, a Dharmavijaya Samajaya of right-thinking individuals.
� Service to the community; and in extension to the entire country
� Practicing one’s religion; observing the ethical principles underlining the Five Precepts
� Restraint in thought, word and deed
� Observing frugality instead of opulence; saving instead of extravagance; conservation against wasteful consumerism
� Avoidance of wrong livelihood; living within one’s means; protecting and conserving the environment
� Observance of noble practices and acting accordingly
� Preservation and promotion of peace and concord irrespective of race and religion
� Dedication of one’s efforts to nation building
|
Dharmavijaya Societies or Dharmavijaya Samajayas (DVSs) came into being almost simultaneously with the setting up of the Dharmavijaya Foundation in Colombo. The first DVS was constituted in 1978 at the Mettarama Vihara in Bambalapitiya. Subsequently others were inaugurated so that by 1987 there were a hundred such DVSs in different parts of the Island. The number now stands at 440, of which more than half are actively functional.
The need for them was obvious. No organization is able to carry out its programmes to a high standard and achieve success if all activities are centralized in the parent organisation. The DVF, acting as the central node, usually plans, initiates, supervises and finances projects with the participation of the DVSs. Best results, however, are obtained if peripheral temple-based DVSs are dynamic and work in close conjunction with the DVF. It has to be made clear at this juncture that the DVSs are not mere ‘implementers’ of centrally planned projects. Not at all! They have the freedom, and are encouraged, to carry out programmes on their own initiative. They know best the needs of their villages and villagers, hence they enjoy full autonomy, but when disbursements of funds are made they are answerable in all matters to the Board of Trustees of the DVF. The DVF Board remains a promoter, catalyst, monitor, and of course advisor, financial supporter and provider of any other legitimate necessity. Trustees travel to the DVSs and hold meetings and monitor the work carried out.
Invariably, from the inception of the concept of these peripheral ‘sub-foundations’, the DVSs were centred in the village or township temple. This natural choice of centre was mainly two fold: spiritual resurgence and living according to the tenets of the Buddha, at least observing the Five Precepts, which was best initiated in and by the temple and its incumbent monks. Moral resurgence was targeted according to sober, traditional cultural traits.
The practicality of this concept is enhanced by tradition. The success of our villages in ancient times was based on the triangular concept of vihara, weva and gama. The concept continues to this day, in spite of villages too turning ‘modern’. Where this inter-connection is strong, with invariably introduced subtle changes and innovations, villages are prosperous and villagers lead quality life. Admittedly villages are no utopias, but dangers and disorganization due to the breaking-up of the symbiotic connection and usurping of traditional hierarchies is minimized when the temple and its monks, the source of water for household use and irrigation, and the inhabitants of villages recognize and respect the triad.
In each DVS, whether in a rural village or a part of a city, the monk of the selected temple is the President of that Samajaya. He is the active link between the DVF headquarters, its Trustees and planners and the villagers.
As the network of DVSs expanded, the need was felt for centralization within decentralization. Hence the setting up of twenty Dharmavijaya Kendriya Madhyastanas (DVS Regional Centres) to better coordinate the development process These second level centres have not only strengthened the structure of the Dharmavijaya ‘family’ but are also, needless to say, invaluable in coordination and facilitation of work undertaken.
It is with commendation and congratulation that the Sri Bodhiraja Dharmavijaya Samajaya in Embilipitiya and the Sri Subodharama Dharmavijaya Samajaya in Peradeniya are mentioned here. In fact both are now incorporated by Acts of Parliament and functions excellently.
The work carried out by the DVSs, needless to say, closely parallels the work of the DVF. Some of them prepare plans integral to each village and group. In broad outline the work centres round moulding good, temperate, religious minded villagers and resultantly, the improvement of the quality of life of them all. Women and children, who unfortunately bear unequally the burdens of poverty and the abuse of drugs and alcohol mainly by men, are specially targeted for rehabilitation and rescue. Women are trained in self-help, income generating programmes; and children’s continuation of schooling until the mandatory age of 14 years, is thereby facilitated
SECTION 3 Programmes and Projects (17)
|
Programmes and projects
Programme 1
Tsunami project |
The tsunami, only second in magnitude of destruction to the protracted civil war that has just ended, was the most devastating natural disaster to strike Sri Lanka. Three massive waves, triggered by an earthquake of magnitude in the Indonesian Sea came sweeping westwards across the seas and lashed themselves against the eastern coast of our Island. Gathering force, it moved to the west and devastated the coast and much inland, from Chilaw southwards to the Yala Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Dharmavijaya Foundation (DVF) was one of the first NGOs to go to the devastated areas and help. Soon after the news broke on that Sunday morning during the Christmas festive season, several trustees of the DVF, without being summoned, came together at Sarana Road and went forthwith to the stores and sorted out clothes from the Clothes Bank and bought dry rations to be sent to the devastated areas. Planning then ensued. The first move was to render instant aid to people left with literally nothing on their backs. Food, clothing, medicines and human assistance was rushed to the homeless. Lorry loads of material goods were delivered to Ampara on 27th December, the day after the disaster. The conveyance of such help continued for five days. The help of DVF did not end there. Counselling ran parallel to the distribution of material goods, where DVF personnel spoke with those seen to be reeling under the impact of the tragedy. The most traumatized were given sessions of counselling by trained persons who volunteered their services.
The tsunami project was then formalized and divided into different areas as per geographical location, severity of damage and perceived needs of the people. The major undertakings were: reconstruction or rebuilding of damaged temples (prioritized because they invariably were the hub of rural life); reconstruction of damaged houses or construction of new houses; rehabilitation of destitute persons; assistance in restarting income earning livelihood enterprises or in setting up new ventures; donation of furniture, equipment, bicycles and other necessities.
Thus within the third decade in the thirty years of existence of the DVF, tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation was a major undertaking of the Foundation. Results of the project enabled justifiable pride and satisfaction.
Given below are details of the projects undertaken and steered to completion. Much preliminary negotiation with Provincial Council and Central Government officials was needed. Red tape had to be circumvented.Most of the schemes were undertaken and carried out under the supervision of the President monks of the DVSs in the areas where DVF projects were undertaken. Aid, both material and monetary, poured in very generously from organizations and individuals, both local and foreign.
The Table below gives the names of those who sent donations and the amounts. (to be inserted)
Prioritized reconstruction
Temples
oBodhirajaramaya in China Bay, Trincomalee; the damage to the buildings were extensive and these were restored at a cost of Rs 78,000. The generous donation of Rs 100,000 made by Mr. Andrew Silva, a pioneer member and trustee of the DVF, was utilized for this project.
o Mangalaramaya in Batticaloa– At the request of the incumbent monk the roof, floor and the image house were repaired at a cost of Rs 75,000. The rehabilitation of its vegetable garden and nursery was also helped by DVF since often the temple inmates have to cook the day’s two danas.
o Sri Dharmavansikaramaya in Madihe East, Matara was assisted by constructing a two storied building for its library at a cost of over Rupees Two million. It was a major undertaking and was the grand finale of DVF’s tsunami building project. Very appropriately it was named after the founder-patron, Most Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thera whose ancestral home was close by. The library was ceremonially declared open on 17 July 2008.
Dhamma Schools
The DVF has a special connection to Dhamma Schools because it is considered the foundation for the moral development programme. Hence rebuilding and refurbishing the Dhamma schools, most often located within the temple premises, was prioritized. After calling for applications twenty seven Dhamma schools for assistance to varying degrees were selected. The entire project cost Rs. 1.7 million. Some had only minor repairs to be done, others needed renovation and reconstruction. Mentioned below are two from the second category.
o The building and the furniture of the Dhamma School of the Bodhirajaramaya, Trincomalee was inundated and completely destroyed. It was reconstructed and equipped with necessary furniture. The damaged furniture in its Dhamma School was replaced at a cost of Rs 78,059.
o The Dhamma School at the Vajiragiriya temple in Tangalle was partly damaged. The DVF was able to assist the newly constructed library with eight steel library cupboards at a cost of Rs 78000/- and books worth Rs 15,000/-.
Houses
The building of new houses or rebuilding of partly damaged houses was undertaken in two ways: ‘owner driven’ and with outside help and supervision. In the first category the beneficiaries of aid build their houses themselves according to their needs and preferences. This method was found to be more efficient and effective. A further plus point is that such building leaves no room for complaint from occupants/owners. The second method is where houses are built for those rendered shelterless with the Urban Development Authority (UDA) assisting in drawing up building plans and preparing Bills of Quantities, while the Reconstruction and Development Authority (RADA) supervises the construction.
The house building/reconstruction project of the Foundation is briefly described below.
East Coast
o In Trincomalee 25 houses were built for which the government gave land in Samanpura, China Bay. The buildings were according to the specifications of the Urban Development Authority and supervised by the Reconstruction and Development Authority. Unlike in the ‘owner driven’ scheme, these houses were built on contract basis. The funder was the Toronto Maha Vihara and the houses cost approximately Rs11,000,000.
West coast
o Ahangama, lying between Galle and Matara, suffered great damage. With Rs 3,630,000 drawn from the money sent by the Toronto Maha Vihara, 15 houses were built in the village of Goviyapana. This was ‘owner driven’ since the land built on was owned by the beneficiaries.
o In Tangalla, in the deep South, 14 new houses were constructed and 45 repaired
o In Matara, the undertaking of the DVF was to help build 28 houses. Problems as regards site allocated by the Matara Divisional Secretariat arose. The beneficiaries of the donated land objected to the site being too far from their original homes, this being consequent to working according to the government regulation of a buffer zone of 100 meters between beach and built houses. However, the problem was sorted out by the buffer zone being halved to fifty meters and finally it was possible to construct the houses in the village of Madihe East, the birthplace of our founder patron. Hence it was of special significance to the DVF
o Galle had the DVF build 20 new houses and repairing and rehabilitating 35 more. The chief incumbent of Sri Subadraramaya Tenkallagoda, oversaw the project to early completion. He had proven qualities of good management, having sheltered 1500 persons in his temple for many days following the disaster. The money for this project was donated by the Halton Peel Buddhist Society in Mississauga, Canada, and amounted to approximately Rs. nine million.
Balapititiya and Hikkaduwa benefited from funds sent by the Sri Lanka Medical Association, North America (SLMANA), and the expertise of the University of Moratuwa Civil Engineering Faculty, both channelled by DVF to build 7 houses in the former place and one in the latter. A water tank was also gifted to the Jinaratana Vidyalaya, Peraliya. The project cost was about 4 million rupees.
Other assistance
Goods to persons in refugee camps
36 refugees in the Bodhirukkaramaya camp and 52 in the Talarukkaramaya camp, in the Moratuwa area were helped with goods and services from money received from the Buddhist Society of Victoria, Australia and the Vietnam Buddhist Association, USA, amounting to approximately Rs 700,000. Goods were not only clothing and dry rations but also tools of trade that the refugees had lost such as carts, three wheeler vehicles etc. Vendors of fruits and vegetables and owners of tea boutiques were helped to restart their businesses. Fabric cutters, sewing and Juki machines, carpentry kits and many more items were gifted to the refugees, so that even before resettling them in homes of their own they could get back to work for their living.
o 19 persons who took refuge in the Soysapura camp in Moratuwa were helped to re-establish themselves and return to their former livelihoods. Money amounting to Rs 52,000 was drawn from DVF funds.
Bike aid and first aid boxes
Bicycles are the most frequently used mode of travel both in rural and urban Sri Lanka. A man without a bike is similar to one being without his limbs. In the aftermath of the tsunami one major tragedy among so many was a bicycle owner losing his vehicle. Thus the distribution of the most welcome gift of 292 bicycles from Andrew Balfour of Melbourne, Australia was undertaken by the DVF after selection of suitable persons. These bikes were distributed in Kalutara, Hikkaduwa, Matara, Tangalle, Galle and Panadura.
The imperative need of first aid kits was realized as people gathered in safe places after being tossed and dashed by the vicious tsunami waves. Thus using the Rs 170,000 sent by Dr Raja Salgado, resident in Sydney, Australia well stocked first aid boxes, 200 in number, were distributed among temples in Ampara, Polonnaruwa and Trincomalee where Dharmavijaya Samajas work
The Helabima Scholarship Scheme
The Helabima Organsition in Dubai, UAE, donated almost Rs. 3 million. This money was used to offer scholarships to children rendered utterly destitute in Galle, Hambantota, Tangalle and Hikkaduwa tsunami affected areas. The project pays Rs 1000 a month to the selected beneficiary until the age of 18. If they study for the A level examination and show promise of higher education, the period of the scholarship is extended. Originally there were 52 recipients of scholarships and the scheme is entirely managed by the DVF
Conclusion
The work done after the trail of destruction left by the tsunami has been stated above in fair detail. It is not possible to mention every donating organization or donor and every bit of help that was given by the Foundation. The tsunami rehabilitation project was a major undertaking of the Dharmavijaya Foundation in the ten years under review - the third decade of the Foundation.
The DVF worked with metta and karuna and of course unstinting viriya to help fellow Sri Lankans who had suffered the fury and devastation wrought by the tsunami. We are proud that we managed to help so many in various ways. We are thankful to donors; to those who assisted with help, advice and supervision, especially the monks in the various district temples who helped to supervise on-going work and acted as surrogates to the officials of Dharmavijaya. The total outlay was over Rs. 52 million.
The Red Lotus Movement
The devastation left by the tsunami of 2004 reinforced the need for a specialized organization, parallel to the Red Cross and Red Crescent, based on Buddhist principles for disaster management. At the International Buddhist Conference held at the BMICH in March 2005 the idea of setting up a humanitarian service organisation encompassing the Buddhist world was mooted. The red lotus was selected as the symbol of the organization, the lotus being rich in its connotation of the Buddha and rising pure and brilliant above the mud of its place of growing. The Red Lotus Movement of Sri Lanka was inaugurated in May 2006 with the pioneering efforts of Dr. Hema Goonatilake and Deshabandu Olcott Gunasekera who are the Honorary Secretary and President respectively. The headquarters of the Red Lotus Organization is located in the DVF building and all institutional support is given for its growth. It was another step taken in the direction pointed at by the late Mahanayaka Thera – the need for organised humanitarian services.
Programme 2
Promoting Moral Development |
In the four fold development strategy underlined by the Dharmavijaya Foundation, promoting moral development is a key element in helping to create a Righteous Society: a society that lives according to Buddhist principles. As an extension, the Buddhist youth of the country – the next generation - are concentrated on, so that the Dharmavijaya Samajaya is sustained, and morality is further developed.
Projects and activities
Under this programme the main areas of activity continued to be the same as in previous years. However, in the decade under consideration (1999 – 2009), certain activities were enhanced while new undertakings were shouldered.
Within the period under review the main concerns of the Dharmavijaya Foundation in the sphere of morality and moral development were:
o Promoting moral education among children;
o Human resource development based on Buddhist principles;
o Economic development and social welfare; and
o Participatory preparation for the 2600th Anniversary of the Buddha’s Enlightenment that falls on the full-moon day of Wesak, 2011. |
Apadana Sobhini Panna-Knowledge illumines Character
The promotion of moral education was continued with great commitment within the last ten years too. The title selected for this programme conducted among senior school children who also attend Dhamma schools is Apadana Sobhini Panna – Knowledge illumines Character. The aim of the programme is to give due recognition to those who are talented and proficient, and have a strong inclination to study and live the Dhamma. All Dhamma schools in the Island experience a drop in attendance in the higher grades. Hence a definite decrease has been found in the number of children who excel in both school work and Dhamma education after Grade 8 level (age around 14). To counteract this negative trend a scheme was introduced to motivate school going children to continue with their Dhamma education by presenting prizes to the best performers at the GCE (O) level examination with passes at the Dhamma School final examination of an year. Both these examinations are conducted by the Department of Examinations and the selections are made on the computerised results by the Department according to an agreed scheme.
From each District the first 200 who had obtained the highest marks at the GCE (O) level examination are computer listed and from among them the first three with passes at the Dhamma Schools final examination are awarded monetary prizes and certificates of achievement in the name of the Most Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thera. Those students who have come first in a district at the GCE (O) level examination and have passed the Dhamma School final examination, are entitled to scholarships for their university education. It was noted that in 2005, when the project was inaugurated, there were no eligible candidates from five districts according to the criteria set out above. This was the case in 2006 too. In 2007 a reduction in the non-candidate districts was noted with only Colombo, Gampaha and Trincomalee districts not claiming any prizes. The consistently best performing districts were found to be Anuradhapura, Badulla, Galle, Hambantota, Kurunegala, Matale, Matara, Polonnaruwa, Puttalam, Polonnnaruwa and Ratnapura
An award ceremony is organised annually at the DVF headquarters in Colombo in the month of June to coincide with the birth anniversary of the Most Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thera. This event is combined with the annual get-together of all scholarship holders under the Education Programme of the DVF. In order to assist them in moulding their lives three selected books, namely, Sansun Manasa, Sila Bhavana, and Bauddha Gedera were given as prize books.
Satsati Pratipatti Pooja
The DVF moved on to further develop the Satsati Pratipatti Pooja programme. As the title implies, the DVF wishes that people would, as far as possible, emulate the Buddha’s life in its pristine dedication to self-purification and living according to the Pancha Sila. Thus, just as the Buddha devoted the first seven weeks after his Enlightenment to reflection and deeper thought on the Truth he had realized, we encourage the dedication of the eight weeks from Vesak Poya to Esala Poya to moral revitalization and service to the community in practical performance of loving kindness (metta), compassion (karuna), altruistic joy (mudita) and equanimity (upekkha). The programme is carried through the DVSs in each village, hamlet and city and people are encouraged to give a mite more of their time to religious observances.
National level plan for commemoration of the 2600th Sambuddhatva Jayanti
It is with a sense of justifiable pride and deep commitment that we state the fact that the DVF is very actively involved with the nation’s plan to commemorate in 2011 the 2600th year of the Buddha’s Enlightenment. The 20 point Plan of Action that has been submitted to the Government by the four Most Venerable Mahanayaka Theras of the country is to be jointly implemented by the Maha Sangha, the Government, and the general public. A Presidential Steering Committee of 27 persons, including 18 members of the Maha Sangha, has been appointed. Deshabandhu Olcott Gunasekera, the President of DVF, who is a member of the Presidential Steering Committee, has been present at each of the preparatory meetings and needless to say, his input has been invaluable. The Buddhasasana Karya Sadhaka Mandalaya consisting of bhikkhus of high standing in and around Colombo and Presidents of ten Buddhist organisations are the planning body. Mr. Gunasekera is a member of this Committee too.
The twenty point Plan of Action is admittedly ambitious and is comprehensive. The plan aims at a Buddhist reawakening in the country, the resurgence of the true spirit of what the Buddha taught and advised people to practice for their own good and that of society, and to protect the Sinhala Buddhist cultural identity, which is Sri Lanka’s contribution to the World Heritage.
The major targeted areas of action and expected results are given below:
o Moral regeneration of society;
o Creation of an environment conducive to abide by the principles underlining the Five Precepts;
o Bhikkhu education;
o Closer knit of Dhamma education in ordinary schools and Dhamma schools and revision of the curriculums to achieve knowledge and practice of Buddha Dhamma;
o Expedition of implementation of the recommendations of the Presidential Buddha Sasana Commission (2002). |
The fully participatory involvement of the DVF in this very important event in the Buddhist calendar; in being a partner in the identifying of objectives to be achieved and drawing up plans for the celebration of Sri Sambuddhatva Jayanti, is gratifying since it proves conclusively that the DVF is an organization at the national level, recognized as such after thirty years of its existence. Three decades is a comparatively short span of time in the life of an organization, thus our joy and pride that we are now recognized as an important and active entity in the Buddhist sphere of the country and by extension, of the Buddhist world.
Linking Temple to the village
For better assessment of all programmes of a temple for total development as envisaged in the DVF platform, a self appraisal form was developed after two meetings held at Matara and Peradeniya with Presidents of DVSs. With further refinement by the Presidential Steering Committee it has been sent to all temples in the country by the 2600 Sri Sambuddhatva Jayanti Secretariat. The sections concentrated on are the daily activities of a temple on behalf of the community, Dhamma education especially the available facilities and performance of the Dhamma School, economic well-being through righteous forms of livelihood, impact on environment, healthy lifestyles sans drinking and smoking, and reduction of violence, crime etc within the godurugama or temple limits.
The aim of the Education Programme is to help in the education of underprivileged and / or talented children who come within the reach of the DVF so that they are empowered academically, linguistically, morally and spiritually.
The fact that Sri Lankan society is an educated society boasting a male literacy rate of 92 percent and 90 percent for women is an accepted fact. Education is held sacrosanct and governments since the 1950s have maintained free education from Grade 1 to university undergraduate and first medical degree levels. Additionally text books and school uniforms are distributed free, at least to school children in disadvantaged areas. However, not everyone of Sri Lanka’s population is educated even to basic level. Of those holding educational certificates, many, sad to say, are ‘uneducated’ in the broader sense of the word.
There is much to be achieved in the sphere of awareness creation on moral uprightness. Also on the learning of languages; the three languages used in the land must be known to all. All should be able, at least, to get by in both Sinhala and Tamil. Competency in the English language is of paramount importance, specially now, and in the future when bridges are being built among the ethnic groups and more doors of opportunity open for foreign travel and study abroad. Hence the DVF gives much importance to education in the total development of society.
The following measures are taken at present to achieve its educational goals.
o Granting of scholarships
o Assistance to disaster stricken children
o Bhikkhu education.
o Reading centres
o Early childhood development |
3.1 Scholarships
Selection of scholarship recipients is through a carefully monitored process. The initial step is for applicants to fill in a form sent to them by DVF. These are processed and all deserving cases are further checked by reference to the Viharadhipati or chief monk of the temple each applicant goes to, and the respective principal of the school or the Faculty Head of the University.
3.1.1 Tsunami affected children
The help given to the orphaned and tragically disadvantaged children consequent to the disaster caused by the December 2004 tsunami was mentioned earlier. Assistance given, in the way of scholarships, was the result of a joint effort of Dharmavijaya Foundation and the Helabima Foundation of the Middle East, after much careful consultation between representatives of the two organizations.
Scholarships worth Rs. 1000 per month were granted to 53 selected children who lost both or either of their parents. They become ineligible either when they reach the age of 18 or when they drop out of school. The DVF regularly monitors the children’s progress. An additional bonus offered by the Helabima Foundation and acted upon by the DVF was arranging educational field trips for scholarship holders.
3.1.2 Assistance for general education
Since the inception of the DVF, financial assistance has been given to 47 children to continue their schooling. They were selected on the recommendation of the chief monk of the temple they went to, and the principals of the schools they attended; also their ability and commitment to studies. The Board of Trustees make the final decision taking into account situational factors. Children who were in dire straits and/or had lost a parent were usually given preference.
Monthly assistance ranging from Rs 200 to 500 is transferred quarterly to the students’ savings accounts from funds set up solely for the purpose of education and helping disaster affected children.
3.2 Assistance for Tertiary Education
During the last ten year period a total of 79 undergraduate students, from almost all faculties have been enrolled in our program. They receive Rs 1000 to 1500 per month, depending on circumstances. The break up is given below:
| Medical |
57 |
| Indigenous medicine |
03 |
| Management studies |
05 |
| Social sciences |
01 |
| Engineering |
07 |
| Architecture |
01 |
| Aesthetic studies |
01 |
| Arts |
01 |
| Law |
01 |
Profiles of two candidates in our assistance programme will present a valid indication of the benefits they receive from the DVF.
Ms. K D Nishanthi
Both Nishanti’s parents were lost to the tsunami, leaving this first year undergraduate student of the Civil Engineering Faculty, University of Moratuwa, In sole charge of four younger siblings. An once-for-all payment of Rs 15,000 was made to Nishanti. She made good use of the money and Is now employed in a reputed construction company
Ms. Nalini Lalendra Alegoda
The tsunami claimed Nalini’s mother.Her father had died earlier. Thus from December 2004 her younger brother aged 8 and she were left orphaned. A lump sum of Rs 12,000 was given to Nalini in February 2005. She continued reading for her degree in architecture at the University of Moratuwa and is now employed.
3.3 Assistance to disaster struck children
Our main thrust within the decade under review was tsunami destituted children. But our work in this area of assistance was by no means confined to the aftermath of the tsunami. Each time we hear or see media news – print and electronic – we intervene in the area affected with assistance that ranges from immediate relief measures such as food and clothing to long term assistance like building houses or assisting in the continuation of the education of affected children or even seeing an injured person through medical help and convalescence.
Mention is here made of just two disasters that had us helping survivors: one being a natural disaster and the other man made.
In May 2003 floods raged through Batuwangala in the Galle district. Villagers lost all their belongings. In addition to help given to tide over the immediate effects of the waters, supplementary reading material was gifted to all children of the area with the help of Satara Publications, Maharagama. At the request of the Principal of the Batuwangala Maha Vidyalaya special assistance was given for the repair of all the musical instruments belonging to the school orchestra and a new gas cooker was purchased to restart the Home Science section.
3.4 Bhikkhu education
This scheme, particularly projected as essential by the Ven. Tirukunamale Ananda Anunayaka Thera and our Patron, Ven. Hakmana Sumanasiri Thera, has an island-wide reach and aims at assisting samanera monks to successfully undertake higher studies.
The scheme assists such selected young men in robes by giving each a monthly stipend of Rs 300 plus an annual payment of Rs 4000. The money is from donations made by DVF members or from the general public. Down payments or periodic payments – quarterly or monthly – are made by donors to the DVF account at the Sampath Bank, Borella. A process of ‘adoption’ can also be negotiated where the donor is given details of the sponsored monk’s progress.
Eleven Pirivenas in remote and difficult areas are assisted by the DVF on a regular basis. Learning of the Tamil language is also encouraged by providing funds to engage the services of a tutor to teach the language.
Under this scheme even nuns are assisted. One example, among very many of successful completion of higher education through this scheme, is that of nun Talavitiye Aruna. Because of the financial help and moral support of the DVF and her donor, she successfully completed her BA degree from the Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka
3.5 Reading Centres
Dharmavijaya Samajas are assisted to set up Reading Centres or small libraries. Books worth Rs 3500.00 are gifted to each such Centre. A maximum of 10 DVSs are assisted each year. The main achievement of the Reading Centres project under the decade in consideration – the third ten years of the DVF- was the Most Ven. Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Commemorative Library set up in the village of Madihe in Matara. It is to be developed as a resource centre that will serve a wider clientele. A complete set of 52 volumes of the Tipitaka was also gifted.
3.6 Early childhood training and development
In keeping with the concept advocated by the Most Ven Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayake Thera of the home being the first learning shelter of a child – Ladaru Guru Sevana – the DVF does not name its infant schools ‘pre-school nurseries’; neither does it advocate a school atmosphere with its attendant rules and strict discipline. Rather does the DVF create a home atmosphere in the places where pre-schoolers of ages 2 to 5 are given their first taste of education, where teaching is carried out very informally. The Venerable Monk said that the home is the best learning place for a child and that the best teachers in early childhood are the infant’s parents in a home atmosphere that is conducive to a child’s informal education and development.
This is the ideal situation but in the majority of homes serenity and amity do not prevail. Rather does poverty intrude on the stability of the home and in many discord is ever present due to the excessive imbibing of alcohol or drug taking by the father. Further aggravating the situation is the necessity for a second income to enable bare existence, thus necessitating the mother seeking employment. The worst scenario is where the mother migrates overseas for employment leaving her children exposed to negativities with serious consequences.
The Dharmavijaya Foundation steps in with help in this situation too. The Dharmavijaya Samajayas set up infant schools – ladaru sevana - and while caring for the little children during the hours they are with the DVS persons, they attempt simulation of the atmosphere of a good home where the little children acknowledge each other as siblings (akka, nangi, aiya, malli) and also have mamas and nandas to care for them.
Teaching per se is minimal. The three Rs are introduced to the little children but indirectly where concepts are mostly recognized and taken in by children through their experiential learning. Field trips, games, competitions all lead to informal learning. Emphasis is placed on creativity, aesthetic appreciation, self discovery and developing mathematical and language skills. The children’s nutrition and health needs are also seen to.
The Peradeniya DVS undertakes the training of those in charge of ladaru sevanas. The training, running through five days, introduces the objectives of the programme; the creation of nurseries on the lines advocated by the Venerable Mahanayaka Thera and the DVF; the methods and syllabuses to be used; basic knowledge on child psychology; the importance of creating a good near-home environment so the child settles in to the new place comfortably.
Most of the 440 DVSs distributed in all the districts of the country barring Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Batticaloa, run these homes-away-from-home where the early childhood development of little children in the village and neighbouring villages is carried out by the specially trained persons of the Samajaya. The little schools are supervised by the monk of the temple which acts as the centre of the Samajaya.
Programme 4
Health and Wellbeing |
The many programmes and projects undertaken by the Dharmavijaya Foundation since its inception in health care were continued, some on a lower key, some more aggressively.
The goal of the healthcare programme is to contribute to the creation and sustenance of a healthy Sri Lankan population which is physically fit and mentally and emotionally healthy. The DVF starts with the people who it is primarily concerned with: namely the vulnerable groups like children, youth and pregnant mothers. The proven belief is that if an individual or a group are influenced and helped, a ripple effect occurs and others too are influenced and thus benefit.
Within the first decade of the 21st century, the country had to contend with severe conditions that proved detrimental to the health and wellbeing of its people. The civil war in the north and east of the country escalated after a fragile, brokered peace with the LTTE in 2002. Hostilities resumed anew barely two years later with horrendous consequences to those in the war zones and death and injury to those engaged in battle. As fallout, harm came to the general public. War expenses ate into the country’s income, thus causing a spiral rise in the cost of living. The inability of the majority to meet food bills increased malnutrition, among children more especially.
Though globalization has turned the world into the so called global village, very fortunately the economic crisis and near economic depression in the First World did not cause Sri Lanka to sink with a ballast of economic woes. We did feel a downturn; we were somewhat awash with the waves of the economic slump reaching us, but mercifully we did manage to stay afloat. Our garment industry suffered a major setback; our exports were adversely affected; tourism - our third most lucrative, exchange earning industry - slumped; a considerable number of workers, particularly in the garment manufacturing sector lost their employment, but due to our small size and the fact Sri Lanka is still predominantly agricultural, the fallout of the economic downturn was not so severe. In spite of the global recession and the very heavy military expenditure, our Island managed to keep itself above water and our growth rate satisfactory.
However, the major setbacks mentioned did have repercussions on Sri Lankan society. Many found it near impossible to manage on earned incomes. Thus corruption became severer with crooked people making the so called ‘fast buck’ illegally. The heaviest toll of incomes not matching expenditure; of earning little and having to pay much for the bare necessities of life, was on the nutrition of people. Thus the health of the many, mostly children and senior citizens, was adversely affected. The DVF projects under the health sector had to contend with greater severity; had to do more in certain areas.
Detailed below are the main concerns, the activities undertaken, and the successes achieved within the last ten years.
The areas the DVF concentrated on in the third decade of its work (1999-2009) in the promotion of the concept of Samma Ajeewa - a healthy life style - are as follows:
o Reduction of the use of tobacco and alcohol; prevention of their abusive use; the final aim being their elimination
o Eye care and prevention of impairment to eyesight
o Better nutrition and the prevention of malnutrition
o Vegetarianism and its promotion
o First aid
o Assist in founding the Red Lotus Buddhist Humanitarian organization |
4.1 Alcohol and tobacco use
Unfortunately due to misguided policies influenced by the tobacco and alcohol industries on several occasions the excise taxes were lowered by consecutive governments. The situation became so bad that even our Patron, the Most Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thera who was feeble and in the eighties had to silently protest on the open roads with others near the Parliament. Along with gullible myths purposefully spread by the twin industries there was a greater prevalence of tobacco and alcohol use. One such myth is that imbibing of alcohol and the smoking of tobacco products ease tension and a path to overcoming stress. The truth however is that these two evils lead often to more stress, tension, social and economic problems and cause major upheaval in family life, which with a ripple effect causes unrest in society as a whole.
Thus, recognizing the gravity of the situation, the DVF tackled this problem more aggressively; with greater commitment on a four - pronged strategy: networking, awareness creation, lobbying and advocacy among politicians and prevention work. The reason for action was twofold: consideration of ethics and health.
Awareness creation
People were made aware of the dangers of excessive smoking and intake of alcohol through publications and meetings/seminars.
� The President of the DVF participated in the negotiation process of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which was the first public health international convention to be signed by the UN member parties. 178 countries of the 192 member states of the WHO have ratified the treaty and this corresponds to more than 85% of the world’s population. He is still an active member in different organisations, national, regional and international.
� Several publications – booklets, pamphlets, flyers, stickers - were printed by the DVF and distributed through the Dharmavijaya Samajayas and temples.
� Publications emanating from international organizations were translated and distributed through DVSs and other networking organizations.
Prevention was undertaken mainly through the DVSs and temples with intervention in families and village society when deemed necessary. One very effective new step taken in the reduction of alcohol dependence and the rehabilitation of those abusing alcohol was the formation of family clubs.
Family Clubs
In the area of alcohol intake and abuse, Deshabandu Olcott Gunasekera, a member of the Rehabilitation Core Group of the IOGT International, has almost single-handedly done much. He attended an International Course on Sensibilization on the social, ecological approach to alcohol related and mixed problems, held in Lignano, in May 2005. Mr H M Senaratne was sent by the Sri Lanka Temperance Movement to a similar course in 2006. As an offshoot of the sensibilization programmes, the creation of Family Clubs was envisaged. As a first move in this direction, a National Family Club Training Centre was set up in Yakalla, Ibbagamuwa in December 2007. The Sri Lanka National Association of Family Clubs was legally constituted on 2 May, 2008, with Deshabandu Olcott Gunasekera as President and Mr H M Seneratne as National Organizer. Monthly meetings of Servant Teachers for developing solidarity and for updating knowledge have become a regular feature
The aim of the Family Clubs is the eventual weaning away of those addicted to alcohol with community support. Addiction is no more considered a medical problem alone. It is more a behavioural problem where the entire family has an important role to play in the rehabilitation process. This is achieved through families with alcohol related problems getting together with a trained servant teacher, and collectively reinforcing each other to solve their alcohol related problems. In this process the once addicted is helped to regain his/her self-worth within the family and making him realise the value of sobriety in the community and his family.
Invariably, all work is linked to the ethics and principles of Buddhism: the observance of the Five Precepts. If samma ajeewa is the tenet guiding life, then an individual lives a good life, free of addiction and abuse; his family too leads a trouble and strife free life. Eventually the entire community is benefited with no alcohol, tobacco and drug abuse. This will spread itself to the entire population.
Although the DVF is not directly involved it gives all institutional support for the success of this Project. Thus the aim of the DVF is achieved to benefit people’s lives through realization of the adverse effects of addiction and the bonus to their health and the family’s health once these detrimental habits are kicked. Morality, good life and good health are the successes
4.2 Eye Care
The Eye Care programme of the DVF is conducted through the DVSs, Temples and Dhamma Schools in all parts of Sri Lanka and form a part of the national programme for the Prevention of Avoidable causes of Blindness in Sri Lanka. Its aim is to provide the following services to the community:
• Find eye care needs of the community
• Plan and implement programmes to provide these needs
• Educate the community on Preventive eye care.
• Develop sustainable community eye care projects |
Over the past decade the DVF eye care activities have been geared to detect and treat eye defects in village communities. Many of these projects were aimed at children who suffer from uncorrected refractive errors (needing spectacles) and other eye ailments - squints and lazy eye, malnutrition and dietary deficiencies and traumatic eye injuries. In adults the major causes treated were Cataract, Diabetes and Glaucoma.
At the inception, these projects were carried out under the supervision of Dr Mrs Sirima Goonesinghe, Consultant Eye Specialist, who is now a Life Trustee of the DVF. Currently the Project is in charge of Dr Nalin Goonesinghe, Consultant Eye Specialist and his team.
A Unique Eye care programme has been formulated and has been carried out successfully in most parts of the island. The programme is carried out in five stages:
Stage 1 – Training:
Volunteers, Teachers and senior students are trained in visual acuity Testing and Primary eye care. ‘A Vision testing Kit “is provided free to the participants
Stage 2 – Screening:
The trained personnel screen the entire community or school to detect people with visual impairment.
Stage 3 – Examination & Treatment:
Persons whose visual impairment is detected at the screening undergo a complete eye examination (dilated examination) by the Eye Specialist and his team and appropriate treatment given including spectacle prescription
Stage 4 – Provision of spectacles:
Spectacles are provided with no cost to the patients. Patients suffering from visual impairment due to cataracts are assisted in the removal of the cataracts and the implanting of lenses and others needing tertiary eye care are referred.
Stage 5 – Evaluation:
4-6 months after the IV stage an evaluation on the treatment given is carried out at the community level.
Theses programmes are carried out in collaboration with local and international Service organizations which provide funding and also by utilizing funds of the DVF, augmented very often by personal donations. The organizations that collaborated were Nandadasa Kodagoda Trust, Colombo Down Town Rotary Club, Rotary International and A Helping Hand (AHH), USA and “Pilisarana” Organization Australia. Over the last decade such programmes were carried out successfully in the following locations:
2003-4 Dehiowita: 4000 school children screened in 14 rural schools, 93 examined, 40 pairs of spectacles were provided.
2006 Kebithgollewa: 10000 school children screened in 40 rural schools, 250 examined, 175 spectacles were provided.
2006 Galle, Ahangama: 1200 school children screened in 2 schools, 55 examined, 28 pairs of spectacles were provided.
2007 Kekirawa: 20,000 children screened in 25 rural schools, 625 examined and 175 pairs of spectacles were provided.
2008 (1) Ratnapura district: 1900 students screened, 62 examined and 55 pairs of spectacles were provided. (2) Hambantota: 28000 students screened in 40 rural schools 800 examined, 423 pair of spectacles were provided.
2009 Wakari, Batticaloa: 5000 students screened in 19 schools, 400 examined, 150 pairs of spectacles were provided.
DVF has been receiving many requests from patients who are unable to afford treatment. A Health Needs Bank was formed to provide health care needs to these people. DVF has provided intra ocular lenses, spectacles and donated towards the cost of surgeries and medication. Mr. Nanda Amarasinghe, Trustee has created a special fund for this purpose. All requests should be made through the DVSs or Temples in order to provide this service.
A resident training programme for Members of the DVS is conducted annually at DVF headquarters. Training is given on Primary Eye care for the participants during this programme. Visual acuity testing charts and an equipment set is provided to the participants. The important part to this type of training is that the trained screeners are able to screen all members of their communities to detect visual impairment.
In the coming decade, the Eye Care projects will be aimed at identifying specific eye care needs of local communities and provide these needs.
4.3 Better nutrition and eradication of malnutrition
There are four golden rules advocated by the World Health Organisation for a healthy life.
• Avoid Tobacco products in any form
• Avoid alcohol and other psychotropic substances
• Avoid fatty foods, mainly meat, and take plenty of fruits and vegetables
• Physical Exercise in one’s daily routine |
In the modern consumer oriented society, fast foods have become a fad and from the health point of view it is a time bomb that has become a cause of many a dreaded disease, especially cancer and cardio-vascular. Children are not healthy but becoming obese. We are losing our cherished food habits and with both the father and the mother entering the regulated workforce our society is drifting towards an unhealthy lifestyle.
The book inspired by the Most Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thera and authored by Ayurvedic doctors Mr. and Mrs Kumaranayaka under the able guidance of the Consultant Ayurvedic Doctor W.I Fernando, Gedara Vaidyavaraya: Gedara beheth athpota (Family Doctor: Medicinal Handbook for the Home) was published in its 5th edition and distributed widely.
Kola kenda (herbal conji) is vigorously promoted as one bowl of kola kenda gives much nourishment which includes vegetable protein, vitamins and minerals from the leaves used, and oil from the coconut milk incorporated. The DVF gives assistance for the preparation and distribution of this nutritious conji with rice and various kinds of herbs and leaves, to its DVSs and Dhamma Schools in temples; the assistance being money and utensils for the preparation of the Kenda. A person visiting the DVF head office in a morning can order a cup of kola kenda and start the day right.
4.4 The promotion of vegetarianism and healthy living
Wherever and whenever possible, vegetarianism is advocated to the general public. The detrimental effects to human health of meat eating is stressed; so also its humanitarian aspect and the need to observe the First Precept. Meals prepared and offered on sale at the DVF head office is pure vegetarian.
A new impetus given to the promotion of sustaining oneself on vegetarian meals was the programme instituted in May 2009. The evening of the last Friday of the month is reserved for a bana preaching at the DVF head office. Meditation and communal reciting of the Karaniya Metta Sutta are a part of the programme. The trustees are allowed to bring guests. The monk’s sermon is followed by all present moving to the ground floor where a vegetarian meal is served. Members of the Board of Trustees host the dinner in turn.
4.5 First Aid Training
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), while engaged in the most cruel and dastardly acts of terrorism, were wont to attack innocent villagers, at night mostly, leaving a trail of foul murder. Once village vigilantes were armed, the attacks were repulsed but not before people, mostly women and children were grievously harmed. The situation was further aggravated because such attacked villagers had no means of transporting the injured to hospital. They had to await the arrival of army personnel, which could be 24 hours later.
One major form of assistance given to such areas, those attacked and those vulnerable to attack, was training the youth in first aid. Batches were brought to Colombo and given a two week session of training in practical first aid and also with counselling so their trauma if attacked would be less and they could also help others with what they had been taught.
Very many more methods of helping disaster-affected people were undertaken by the DVF throughout the period under review.
Programme 5
Human Resource Enhancement |
It goes without saying that the success to be achieved by the DVF in its numerous fields of concern and active participation depend on the commitment of the DVF worker. This body of vitally important persons range from those who serve on the Board of Trustees through office managers to those manning the DVS Regional Centres and the Dharmavijaya Samajayas or Societies in Districts all over the Island.
Performance of high quality is essential and expected of those who give their service free, or for remuneration, to the DVF cause. Quality is inborn of course, but it has to be channelled along desired lines and also enhanced constantly. Hence the training programmes conducted by the DVF for those working voluntarily at the DVS level. From time to time the DVF organises one-day orientation programme for the Presidents of the newly registered DVSs to give them a clear idea of the vision and mission of the DVF.
5.1 The need is recognized to first and foremost enhance and encourage the capabilities and leadership qualities of the Presidents of the DVSs – the head monk of the temples that act as DVS centres, or their nominated monks. In-service enhancement programmes are held for these monks in the form of meetings - district and region wise. Meetings on an island-wide scale will soon be introduced.
5.2 The DVF has commenced a one week training programme for two persons from each of the new DVSs registered during a year. Participants are usually the newly elected office bearers of the DVSs. The training programme includes awareness creation on issues relevant to them as volunteer workers of the DVS and also personality development on the lines advocated by our late Patron. Hence, the week selected for the training invariably includes a full moon poya day, which the participants spend at the Maharagama Sri Vajiranana Dharmayatanaya observing the eight precepts. They also visit the Dhamma School at the Siri Vajiranana Dharmayatanaya to acquaint themselves with best practices in running a Dhamma school during weekends to develop children’s personality and observance of Buddhism in daily life.
In addition, participants are given basic knowledge on office management; filing, accounting and book keeping. The running of a small library too is included since the DVSs maintain libraries and reading rooms.
5.3 Supplementing the annual training programme detailed above, DVS office bearers are also invited to participate in any other programme organized by the DVF such as first aid training, alcohol and tobacco control awareness programmes and refresher training on diverse but relevant subjects. Meetings with visiting Trustees are within the plan of reinforcing the hands of those who run the DVSs.
5.4 The DVF is well into computerisation its office procedure. Computers have been given to 189 DVSs. Thus electronic networking will soon be a reality in the DVF and its active partners: the regional DVS centres and the village level DVSs. This necessitates computer expertise. Training programmes both decentralized and centrally at the DVF office will be regularized during the fourth decade so that the distributed computers will be fully utilized.
Programme 6
Communication |
The Board of Trustees, being fully cognizant of the fact that the world is rapidly advancing in information technology and communication technology (IT & CT) has attempted in the past ten years to bring the DVF in line with modern trends in communication.
6.1 Communication with the general public
Maintaining constant contact with the general public, whether in Colombo through the head office of DVF or with village populations through the DVSs, is considered to be of great significance. Thus programmes are organized to maintain such contact on a regular basis.
6.2 Newsletter
From the inception of the DVF, a newsletter in Sinhala was printed and distributed. When Mrs Badra Gunatileke joined the Board of Trustees, she took over the planning and writing of the Newsletter and getting it printed. Named Dharmavijaya Puwath, the newsletter was out every three months. The DVF continues with this publication but its frequency has changed somewhat. It now appears thrice a year. The Dharmavijaya Samajayas and all Buddhist temples connected to the DVF are kept updated through the newsletter, in addition to being given due notice of DVF plans and forthcoming activities. It is also an awareness creating publication targeting the general public
The DVF newsletter in English was restarted in October 2009, under the able editorship of Mrs Somi Sekerama the wife of a former DVF Trustee. It will appear as an E-newsletter to keep well-wishers, donors and sponsors living abroad informed of DVF matters pertinent to the month and of future projects and needs. The plan is to issue such an E-newsletter monthly or at least two-monthly. It will also be up-loaded on to the DVF web site.
6.3 Lectures and Workshops
Another method of communication adopted is awareness creation through lectures, discussions, meetings and workshops. These are held when considered appropriate in Colombo, the venue usually being the DVF auditorium. The latest such public lecture which was also a Third Decade Commemoration event was on the topic “Cancer Prevention and Lifestyle”, by Dr Prasad Abeysinghe, Consultant Oncologist, Maharagama Cancer Institute. The address was preceded by a video presentation on the Global Cancer Summit held in Dublin and attended by the President of the DVF.
6.4 Dhamma Sermons and Discussions
The last Friday of a month is significant to the DVF. As mentioned earlier in the Report the Trustees of the DVF take turns to organize a monthly sermon and discussion on a pre-selected Sutta (discourse) of the Buddha. It is a day of socializing in a benign but meaningful manner, where the Trustees gather with their spouses, relatives and friends to spend time together.
6.5 Cultural Event
Another unique connection with the public was the staging of Dham Nalu Rasa, a religious cum cultural dance symposium at the Kularatne Hall, Ananda College, Maradana, on 1st November 2009. The very well known and acknowledged dance exponent Ravibandu Vidyapathi and his troupe performed dancing, drumming and singing all with underlying Buddhist themes. For example, one item was a ballet depicting the dream of Queen Mahamaya. The item Himi Sanda Jinaratana is themed on the Dhammapada verse ‘Ratiya jayati soko’ meaning, ‘From attachment springs grief’. A sub-committee chaired by Mrs. Karuna Silva, a Vice President of the DVF organised the event as part of the 30th anniversary celebrations. The audience was treated to a very worthwhile two hours of cultural exposure based on Buddhist cultural themes. The event ended with the celestial panca turya vada to herald the upcoming important date in the Buddhist calendar – the 2600 year commemoration of the Buddha’s Enlightenment.
6.6 Computerization and electronic communication
The office at the DVF headquarters is computerized and minutes of meetings, financial statements and accounts et al are all computerized. Contact with the DVF office is possible via e-mail, the address being <dharmavijaya.lk@gmail.com>
Hundred and eighty nine computers were installed in DVSs; and these temple based organisations are slowly but steadily moving into working with computers. A few of the DVSs are in e-mail contact with the DVF head office. To increase computer literacy and to enhance already available ability, training programmes have been held in Colombo and in centrally placed DVSs which office bearers of other DVSs attend. In those centres where computers are available and in use and where the office bearers have expertise, the youth of the area have been given familiarization training in the use of computers. The newly installed computers were a gift from donors in Australia.
The DVF has its website and is accessible via Internet. Log on to www.dharmavijaya.com
The webpage is updated regularly.
Conclusion
The Next Decade
Arabhatha nikkhamatha -
yunjatha Buddha sasane
Dhunatha maccuno senam -
nalagaramva kunjaro
Samyutta Nikaya
Begin, endure and exert in the Buddha Sasana Destroy the armies of Mara, like an elephant a house of reeds.
In this publication we have documented the activities of the Dharmavijaya Foundation (DVF) in its varied spheres of interest and concern, with special emphasis on the projects undertaken and success met within the last decade: 1999-2009.
We now look forward to the next decade, the fourth in the life of the Dharmavijaya Foundation.
A firm and justified belief is that the DVF will move from strength to strength in its fourth decade. The DVF is firmly rooted with supporting roots going deep down and branches spreading across the length and breadth of the Island. Its influence is felt and it has gained recognition both within and outside Sri Lanka as a service giving, non-profit making, and transparent organization working for the good of humanity. Its main aim of turning Sri Lankan society to a Dharmavijaya or Righteous Samajaya is swamped by all the corruption and evil that has taken hold of Sri Lankan society at present. But even though in small measure, the DVF can count innumerable instances of success in guiding people to lead good lives.
Finances of the Foundation are firm and based on Trusts created and donations for specific purposes. This fact points to the confidence philanthropists and less extravagant donors have in the DVF. This is particularly true of Sri Lankan expatriates living overseas in various countries.
As a matter of policy the DVF eschews institutionalised foreign funding or foreign based project funding because the DVF believes that the mission of an organisation could get diluted and its priorities high jacked by subjecting itself to donors’ conditions.
Much of the assistance received by the DVF is from overseas residents of Lankan birth. Donors contribute to emergency funds like that set up to ease the tsunami devastation, and also to the financial holdings of the Foundation, plus in kind such as computers. When finances run low to achieve DVF objectives, the financial resources of the DVF are increased by events to raise funds. Ravibandu Vidyapathi’s musical revue - Dham Nalu Rasa - held in Colombo on 01st November 2009 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the DVF was one such occasion. .
The projects and activities outlined in the previous chapters of this report will be continued, unless a project is deemed not viable or the concern that called for action is no more; the situation which needed assistance being now stabilized. New areas needing assistance will surface. One such is improving the living conditions of those people who were living in the once threatened villages and had to bear the brunt of the atrocities of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
New undertakings in the
next decade |
2600th Sambuddhatva Jayanti
The DVF will be engaged and fully occupied in assisting, in whatever way possible, the implementation of the 20 point Action Plan presented by the four Prelates of the four Nikayas to the Government and the Buddhist population of this country for the commemoration of the 2600th year of the Buddha’s Enlightenment. Its importance is fully recognised by the members of the Board of Trustees in achieving its own objective of a fully developed society or making Sri Lanka both a Dharmadvipa and a Dhanyaghara mentioned in the early conceptual notes of the late Most Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thera.
In this respect, meaningful workshops relevant to the 20 point Action Plan are planned by the DVF. Some of the subjects decided upon are ‘Tourism and our Heritage’, ‘Temple and the Village’ and ‘Media and Social Responsibility’.The objective is to develop common standpoints from the Buddhist perspective. Workshop participation will be a mix of erudite monks, laymen and professionals having a concern ‘to bring about a moral regeneration of the Sri Lankan Buddhist society and to protect the Buddhist cultural identity of our country’.
Conference of Presidents of Dharmavijaya Societies
The conference of Presidents of DVSs that is being planned for January 2010 is a major event in the calendar of the DVF. The single purpose of this Conference is to get the DVSs fully engaged in achieving the objectives of the Sri Sambuddhatva Jayanti activities.
Although the conference is a part of the celebrations to mark the thirty years of service of the DVF, as it will fall within the first year of the fourth decade, it can justifiably be slotted in as an activity of the new decade. It promises to be a significant event since all presidents of the Dharmavijaya Samajayas will meet. The DVSs are community based, grass roots level organizations, which could play a vital role in realizing the main theme of the Sri Sambuddhatva Jayanti observances, namely, revitalizing and reorganizing the moral life of Buddhists, and in extension the entire society of Sri Lanka. Presidents of the Samajayas are the incumbent viharadhipatis (head monks) of the temples and function as the central pivot in all activities of the Samajayas. Infrequently, the presidency is held not by the head monk but by a nominee of his.
The meeting will also bestow the benefit of closely linking the network of DVSs. This link will be revitalized by the meeting and subsequent gatherings of Presidents of the DVSs at district levels.
Networking
The DVF realizes that the task of establishing a righteous society is gigantic and needs the support and participation of all right minded people. Hence, the DVF will be giving priority to networking with organisations and informal groups working on similar objectives. This will be both as an organisation and as individual trustees in their own capacity. In order to promote such networking the facilities at the DVF headquarters are made available free of charge for meetings of such networks.
Some of the organisations with which the DVF and its Trustees have been active are the Buddha Sasana Karya Sadhaka Mandalaya, Sri Lanka National Federation on Smoking and Health, Sri Lanka National Federation of NGOs against Drug Abuse (FONGOADA), Water Decade Service, Joint Committee of Buddhist Organisations (JCBO), Dhammacarini Organisation, Bodu Sahana Aramudala, Sri Lanka National Association of Family Clubs (concentrating on rehabilitations of persons with alcohol related problems), Red Lotus Organisation (engaged in disaster management).
The DVF will also help or lead informal networks to function on national issues. One such informal network was on the issue of increased kidney failure deaths in the NCP. Relevant government departments, non-governmental organisations and individual professionals met on several occasions under the leadership of the DVF to make a combined effort to find solutions. An awareness leaflet was produced with the involvement of everyone. Eco-friendly solutions such as the planting of kumbuk and mee trees along water channels, near water sources etc. and popularising of rainwater harvesting emerged and are pursued with relevant government authorities. Experimentation is carried out by a Sri Lankan expatriate living in the US of developing a domestic water filter that is affordable and could filter off water pollutants such as cadmium, traces of lead etc that contaminates drinking water due to the use of agro-chemicals and weedicides.
Ladaru Sevana and early childhood development
The DVF is conscious of the fact that the number of children who could attend pre-schools is very limited. Parents are the first teachers (pubbachariya) and it was the view of our first patron that we should endeavour to make every home a pre-school. In this regard the DVF commends the initiative that had been taken by the Children’s Secretariat of the former Ministry of Transport, Environment and Women’s Affairs that published in 1996 a series of booklets with the collaboration of UNICEF for early childhood development centred round home based activities. It shows how the day to day activities or happenings in a home such as getting up, cooking, taking food, home visit of a relation or a neighbour, gardening, relaxing with parents, worship or vandana and going to sleep could be converted into learning experiences in early childhood development. It was a good and commendable programme but seems to have died a natural death as often happens in government programmes. The DVF will be taking the initiative to broad base this programme through its Ladaru sevana activity.
Concluding Remarks
In concluding this chapter of the report, a French proverb is quoted: Nothing succeeds like success. Stated alternatively, it could be said that success breeds success. Both point to the fact that since the DVF has been successful overall in its activities and undertakings in its first three decades, success is assured in the fourth too, and the future.
In the Old Testament of the Bible is stated a profound truth: The race running is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. An immediate question surfaces in the mind. Then who succeeds? The answer is given in a speech by Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881), a Prime Minister of Britain. He propounded that: The secret of success is constancy to purpose.
This feature, constancy to purpose, is writ large in the ethos of the Foundation. It was a trait of the first Patron and founder of the Dharmavijaya Foundation: the Most Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayake Thera. And the DVF shows constancy to the Buddha Dhamma, to the Venerable Mahanayaka Thera’s advice, to Buddhist ethical principles and to the aim of service to mankind. Vigilance to be on course in order to fulfil the vision and mission of the DVF, hence, is of paramount importance as it enters its fourth decade of service.
01. Sri Bodhirajaramaya Temple, China Bay, Trincomalee district devastated by the tsunami of 2004
02. Furniture supplied to Dhamma School at Sri Bodhirajaramaya with donations from Toronto Mahavihara Society, Canada. The Viharadhipati, Ven. Dehiowita Piyatissa Thera is also in the picture
03. New houses under construction for tsunami victims - Samanpura Housing Project funded by the Toronto Mahavihara Society, Canada
04. Unveiling of plaque by Mr. J.P.Kannangara, Vice President of DVF on completion of the Samanpura housing project
05. A new house under construction in the Goviyapana housing project, Ahangama with donations from the Toronto Mahavihara Society, Canada
06. Ven. Aggamahapandita Madihe Pannasiha library building constructed at Sri Dakshinaramaya, Madihe East with balances of all funds received for tsunami rehabilitation work. The dayaka sabhava of the temple and DVF Trutees are standing in front of the building
01. Tsunami damaged house before reconstruction, Tenkallagoda, Galle district.
02. Same house after reconstruction with the tsunami affected family – funds for Tenkallagoda housing project was from Halton - Peel Buddhist Society, Canada
03. High Commissioner of Australia and President of SPUR (Victoria) Mr. Dasarath Jayasuriya at tea after the function of handing over of keys of the newly constructed houses at Madihe East Housing Project04. A view of a house of a tsunami affected family in Madihe East. Funds for the housing project was provided by the Melbourne Disaster Relief Fund (Australia), Tsunami project of the Queensland Buddhist Vihara (Australia) and the Samadhi Buddhist Trust, Christchurch (New Zealand).
04. A view of a house of a tsunami affected family in Madihe East. Funds for the housing project was provided by the Melbourne Disaster Relief Fund (Australia), Tsunami project of the Queensland Buddhist Vihara (Australia) and the Samadhi Buddhist Trust, Christchurch (New Zealand).
05. A storied building that could withstand a tsunami - Tangalla Tsunami Rehab Project funded by the United Sri Lanka Association, New Zealand
06. Livelihood assistance to a tsunami affected family - Tangalla Tsunami Rehab project, which included housing & livelihood assistance
01. Seenigoda housing project, Balapitiya, Galle district funded by the Sri Lanka Medical Association of North America
02. Distribution of bikes received under the Bike-aid Project, Melbourne03. Blood donation programme conducted annually at the Maharagama Dharmayatanaya in memory of the Most Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thera
04. Gifting of a First Aid box with medicine to a temple affected by the tsunami. Funds were from Dr. Raja Salgado in Sydney, Australia05. Donation of two refrigerators to the Army Hospital in Colombo to store essential medicine to inmates of the Hospital
05. Donation of two refrigerators to the Army Hospital in Colombo to store essential medicine to inmates of the Hospital
06. A group of novice monks (samanera) receiving assistance under the Samanera Bhikkhu Education programme
01. Children orphaned/destituted by the tsunami assisted by a scholarship programme funded by the Helabima Organisation, United Arab Emirates
02. Teachers of Laduru Sevana (pre-schools) undergoing a training
03. Ven. Dr. Welimityave Kusaladhamma Nayaka Thera addressing presidents of Dharmavijaya societies - a meeting convened at the Siri Vajiranana Dharmayatanaya, Maharagama to discuss a common programme to commemorate the 2600 Sambuddhatva Jayanti
04. Inauguration of Dham Nalu Rasa extravaganza to raise funds for the Dharmavijaya Foundation
05. A first-Aid training programme jointly sponsored by the Red Lotus Buddhist Humanitarian Organization and the Dharmavijaya Foundation
06. Assistance provided to the Bhikkhu Hospice at Sri Bodhirukkharamaya at Wellawa, Polgahawela
06. Assistance provided to the Bhikkhu Hospice at Sri Bodhirukkharamaya at Wellawa, Polgahawela
01. Recipients of the Ven. Aggamahapandita Madihe Pannasiha Dedication Certificates given annually to three students with best results in a district at the GCE (O) level examination having passes at the Dhamma School Final Examination
02. A Trustee Board meeting in progress
03. Distribution among DVSs of computers received from Australia
04. DVF Service Centre with a new look
05. The beginnings of the DVF - in a room above a garage at 50 Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo
06. Present headquarters of the DVF
Board of trustees: Past and Present Annex 01
| |
Date of Appointment |
Date of Retirement |
| Mr.Olcott Gunasekera |
20.12.1977 |
- |
| Mr.Noel Wijenayake |
20.12.1977 |
- |
| * Mr.L.S.I.Wickramasinghe |
20.12.1977
|
11.10.1990 |
Mr.Dharmadasa Wijemanna
|
15.12.1977 |
11.04.1985 |
* Dr.H.C.H.Soysa
|
15.12.1977 |
06.1993 |
Mr.Mahendra Senanayake
|
15.12.1977 |
12.01.1983 |
Mr.K.T.De.Silva
|
15.12.1977 |
25.11.1993 |
Mr.N.T.Wijithananda
|
15.12.1977 |
03.12.1987 |
Mr.D.C.jayanetthi
|
20.12.1977 |
12.01.1983 |
Mr.Karunajeewa Jayasekera
|
21.12.1977 |
11.04.1985 |
| Mr.Karunaratne Wijeweera |
28.12.1977 |
03.07.1986 |
Mr.A.B.Dissanayake
|
30.11.1978 |
11.04.1985 |
* Mr.M.B.J.Silva
|
03.01.1978 |
- |
* Mr.William Tannakoon
|
02.01.1978 |
12.1984 |
* Mr.W.P.Chandraratne
|
16.06.1978 |
03-09-1982 |
Mr.Lokubanda Herath
|
15.06.1978 |
20.01.1983 |
Mr.Y.W.Gunawardane
|
22.06.1978 |
01.11.2009 |
*Mr.D.J.Nanayakkara
|
20.11.1978 |
08.09.1983 |
Mr.M.Andrew Silva
|
04.01.1979 |
- |
Dr.Ranjith Cabraal
|
06.12.1979 |
29.12.1988 |
Mr.O.A.Gunawardane
|
10.04.1979 |
01.12.1983 |
Mr.A.B.Dissanayake
|
30.11.1978 |
11.04.1983 |
Mr.Nissanka Wijewardane
|
17.01.1980 |
- |
Mr.Anura Gunasekera
|
05.06.1980 |
29.12.1988 |
A.Sarath De Silva
|
25.06.1981 |
23.04.1992 |
Mr.Nanda Amarasinghe
|
31.12.1981 |
- |
| Mr.A.M.Parakrama Amarasuriya |
05.08.1982 |
16.07.1989 |
* Mr.W.S.Chandraratne
|
24.02.1983 |
09.05.1985 |
Mr.Sunil Govinnage
|
26.01.1984 |
26.09.1985 |
Mr.B.H.de Soyza
|
26.01.1984 |
07.09.1988 |
Mr.Vijitha Gamini de Alwis
|
21.03.1984 |
01.04.1985 |
Mrs.Eileen Siriwardane
|
26.07.1984 |
08.01.1987 |
* Mrs.Sujatha Jayawardane
|
26.07.1984 |
08.01.1987 |
Mr.Ranjith Soyza
|
09.08.1984 |
- |
Mr.I.P.Gunawardane
|
30.08.1984 |
- |
Mr.M.R.Peiris
|
30.08.1984 |
09.05.1985 |
Mr.N.U.Jayawardane
|
30.08.1984 |
03.12.1987 |
* Mr.Ranjith Munasinghe
|
01.01.1985 |
26.04.1987 |
* Dr.B.M.A.Balasuriya
|
09.01.1985 |
08.10.1992 |
Mr.B.M.Amarasekera
|
13.12.1985 |
06.04.1989 |
Mrs.S.D.Iyer
|
03.01.1985 |
- |
Dr.(Mrs) S.Gunasinghe
|
11.04.1985 |
- |
Mrs.L.S.Devaraja
|
25.07.1985 |
14.04.1988 |
Mr.D.N.Hettiarachchi
|
12.09.1985 |
03.12.1987 |
* Mr.Gamini Perera
|
12.12.1985 |
05.05.2010 |
* Mr.H.S.Wellage
|
12.06.1986 |
22.12.2007 |
Mr.P.L.N.Liyanage
|
03.07.1986 |
- |
* Mr.H.M.Gunasekera
|
08.01.1987 |
06.08.1987 |
Mr.Piyaseela de Silva
|
15.01.1987 |
15.06.1988 |
Mrs.Ruvini de Silva Wickramasinghe
|
06.08.1987 |
07.04.1988 |
Mr.A.S.Weerasinghe
|
10.12.1987 |
09.11.1985 |
Mr.Konara Wanigasekera
|
10.12.1987 |
09.11.1995 |
Mr.G.P.Hattotuwa
|
24.03.1988 |
28.07.1994 |
Mr.Senaka Samarasinghe
|
15.04.1988 |
- |
Mr.Sumedha Amarasinghe
|
28.04.1988 |
- |
Mrs.M.N.Edusuriya
|
27.10.1988 |
26.01.1989 |
Mrs.H.S.Jayasinghe
|
09.03.1989 |
26.05.1989 |
Mr.Gunaratne Abeysekera
|
06.04.1989 |
12.1992 |
Mrs.Karuna de Silva
|
29.06.1989 |
- |
Mr.D.M.P.Dissanayake
|
03.08.1989 |
20.12.1990 |
| Mrs.Yasa Siriwardane |
03.05.1990 |
11.10.1990 |
Mr.T.K.Dasanayake
|
03.05.1990 |
25.04.1991 |
Mr.V.R.K.de Silva
|
25.10.1990 |
25.06.1992 |
Mr.K.Dheerasekera
|
25.10.1990 |
30.05.1992 |
Mr.Namaska Senanayake
|
07.03.1991 |
23.04.1992 |
Mr.Dinil Premaratne
|
07.03.1991 |
- |
Mrs.Badhra Gunatilake
|
28.03.1991 |
- |
Mr.A.Sarath de Silva
|
21.05.1992 |
- |
Dr (Mrs) N.Seneviratne
|
23.07.1992 |
07.07.1994 |
Mr.Sarath Piyadasa
|
17.09.1992 |
12.01.1995 |
Mr.Rohantha Abeysooriya
|
04.03.1993 |
1985 |
Dr.H.W.Premaratne
|
18.03.1993 |
08.09.1994 |
Mrs.D.Piyasena
|
03.03.1994 |
- |
Mrs.Nirupamal de Fonseka
|
03.03.1984 |
- |
Mr.Siri Kodikara
|
03.03.1984 |
02.12.1994 |
Mr.Isuru Thilakawardane
|
19.01.1995 |
10.07.2003 |
Mr.H.S.Amarasekera
|
16.02.1995 |
10.08.1997 |
Mr.Ranjith Soyza
|
16.02.1995 |
- |
Mr.N.T.Vijithananda
|
17.03.1995 |
- |
Mr.Kanthi Weeraratne
|
01.01.1997 |
10.07.2008 |
Mrs.Mallika Wanigasundara
|
06.03.1997 |
04.04.2008 |
Mrs.Susila Gunawardana
|
11.11.1998 |
10.07.2003 |
Mrs.Suvimalee Karunaratne
|
12.10.1998 |
2003 |
Mr.Sunil Sarath Perera
|
10.12.1998 |
- |
Mr.Shanthi Soyza
|
19.08.1999 |
19.08.1999 |
Mr.Jaliya Nammuni
|
24.02.2000 |
- |
Dr.J.G.Jayathilaka
|
02.11.2000 |
09.09.2004 |
Dr.S.D.Liyanage
|
25.01.2001 |
- |
Mrs.Kanthi Perera
|
10.07.2003 |
- |
Mr.J.P.Kannangara
|
10.07.2003 |
- |
Mr.N.B.G.Nanayakkara
|
10.07.2003 |
- |
Mr.M.B.C.Silva
|
10.07.2003 |
- |
Mr.Douglas Gunawardane
|
13.05.2004 |
- |
Dr.Nalin Goonasinghe
|
01.11.2007 |
- |
Mr.Mettananda Karunagoda
|
10.03.2005 |
- |
Mr.Sarath Dharmawardane
|
13.07.2006 |
- |
Ms.Devika Colombage
|
17.05.2007 |
- |
| Mrs.Savanthi Bakmeewewa |
24.01.2008
|
- |
Mr.Cyril Gunapala
|
08.05.2008 |
- |
Mr.H.B.Premaratne
|
15.12.2009 |
- |
Mr.G.G.Dayaratne
|
12.08.2010 |
- |
| Mrs.Asoki Gunawardane |
12.08.2010 |
- |
Trust Funds
| |
Opening Date |
Opening Capital |
Capital as
at 01.04.09
Annex 02 |
| W.P.Chandraratne Fund |
11.03.82 |
30,000.00 |
58,027.46 |
| Volkmann Fund |
25.01.85 |
88,000.00 |
753,491.94 |
| Batiya Dias Dheerasekera Fund |
16.03.85 |
100,000.00 |
152,249.90 |
| Sir Ernest Fernando Fund |
29.11.85 |
1,000,000.00 |
1,397,171.72 |
| Washington Vihara Fund |
15.09.86 |
60,000.00 |
102,517.41 |
| Dr.S.A.Kulathilaka Fund |
04.11.87 |
10,000.00 |
15,896.80 |
| Ranjith Moonesinghe Memorial Fund |
05.05.87 |
52,994.00 |
71,425.74 |
| Dr.H.K.T.Fernando Fund |
13.05.87 |
15,000.00 |
20,511.93 |
| Dr.H.S.D.Soyza Fund |
19.07.87 |
43,300.00 |
245,739.21 |
| Orphaned/Destitute Children’s Education Fund |
23.07.87 |
400,000.00 |
1,943,403.56 |
| C.E.A.Perera Fund |
12.11.87 |
200,000.00 |
388,561.01 |
| Bhikkhu Education Fund |
30.06.88 |
150,000.00 |
410,675.56 |
| Seela Gunasekera Fund |
26.10.89 |
50,000.00 |
105,039.36 |
| Eddie Lye Memorial Fund |
16.11.90 |
38,210.00 |
48,086.30 |
| Mrs.Swineetha E Silva Fund |
13.12.90 |
25,000.00 |
217,001.24 |
| Nanda Amarasinghe Fund |
15.01.91 |
100,000.00 |
311,448.70 |
| Ven.Pannananda Thera Fund |
19.02.91 |
5,300.00 |
6,090.65 |
| Samma Ajeewa Fund |
20.03.91 |
61,411.79 |
108,521.50 |
| Dr.David & Mrs.Shiromi Ansell Fund |
04.06.91 |
50,000.00 |
63,291.75 |
| Dr.H.C.H.Soyza & P.L.A.Soyza Fund |
05.06.91 |
50,000.00 |
73,670.34 |
| Beatrice Winifrida Gunasekera Fund |
09.04.91 |
21,387.61 |
30,423.72 |
| Disabled Service Personnel Fund |
05.08.92 |
300,000.00 |
502,772.72 |
| U.S.L.A.-New Zealand Fund |
29.10.92 |
100,000.00 |
207,247.10 |
| Badhra Gunatilake Fund |
30.10.92 |
25,000.00 |
42,260.81 |
| Manamperi & Hattotuwa Fund |
30.12.92 |
35,000.00 |
56,178.05 |
| Dharmavijaya Community Development Fund |
22.01.93 |
260,000.00 |
316,204.53 |
| H.C.H.Soyza Memorial Fund |
18.06.93 |
6,500.00 |
19,227.50 |
| Kusumalatha Silva Fund |
18.08.93 |
10,000.00 |
12,179.66 |
| Simon Salgado & Mrs.Murial Salgado Fund |
16.12.93 |
25,000.00 |
30,094.38 |
| H.B.Weerasinghe Fund |
01.06.95 |
50,000.00 |
60,774.35 |
| Ebert & Pearl Dias Trust Fund |
05.01.95 |
100,000.00 |
119,126.92 |
| Late E.R.de Seram Memorial Fund |
07.02.86 |
25,000 |
47,539.04 |
| Edwin Amarasinghe Fund |
03.07.97 |
40,000.00 |
102,986.88 |
| Garvin & Matilda Hewavisenthi Fund |
19.03.97 |
50,000.00 |
74,243.60 |
| Animal Compassion Fund |
15.05.97 |
100,000.00 |
116,334.69 |
| Mr.H.S.Amarasekera Memorial Fund |
20.09.97 |
18,500.00 |
26,009.35 |
| Mrs.Rita de Seram Fund |
11.10.97 |
100,000.00 |
113,606.64 |
| Laklooms Fund |
01.01.98 |
2,000,000.00 |
2,268,282.01 |
| Mr.& Mrs.D.F.Samaratunge Fund |
26.01.99 |
100,000.00 |
112,987.25 |
| Dr.B.M.A.Balasooriya Memorial Fund |
29.03.99 |
60,000.00 |
104,039.58 |
| K.D.de S.Jayasekera Memorial Fund |
21.09.00 |
171,900.00 |
194,462.87 |
| Leela Kariyawasam Silmatha Fund |
08.04.02 |
50,000.00 |
79,771.52 |
| Nandapala & Nanda Liyanage Fund |
29.0.02 |
200,000.00 |
213,301.13 |
| Dr.Gamini & Rukmal Ediriweera Fund |
14.01.03 |
10,000.00 |
12,280.92 |
| A.D.Silva Fund |
14.08.04 |
150,000.00 |
156,827.06 |
| Padma Hewavisenthi Fund |
19.05.06 |
100,000.00 |
102,717.70 |
| Kalyanawathi Amarasinghe Fund |
21.08.06 |
100,000.00 |
102,717.70 |
| P.B.Rajapakse Fund |
14.06.07 |
150,000.00 |
152,250.00 |
| Arvin & Tilda Fernando Fund |
10.05.07 |
500,000.00 |
513,588.50 |
| JB,Kanthi & Manik Weeraratne Fund |
16.01.08 |
300,000.00 |
400,750.00 |
| Douglas & Tekla Gunawardane Fund |
13.03.08 |
200,000.00 |
203,000.00 |
| Sugathadasa Samarasinghe & Nerissa Subadra |
- |
- |
- |
| Samarasinghe Fund |
07.01.08 |
200,000.00 |
203,000.00 |
| D.H.Pandith Gunawardane Fund |
08.12.09 |
200,000.00 |
205,750.00 |
| Gaya Kumaranatunge Fund |
09.08.09 |
100,000.00 |
100,000.00 |
| Mallika Wanigasundara Fund |
19.02.10 |
300,000.00 |
300,000.00 |
| Description |
Amount (Rs) |
| Buddhist Vihara Temple of QLD (AUD 30000) |
2,231,874.00 |
| Halton Peel Buddhist Society (CAD50000) |
8,158,248.50 |
| Helabima Organization – United Arabi Emirates |
2,957,371.00 |
| Philip Leather and Gerad Hubers |
150,000.00 |
| Premarathna Namal Prasad |
262,760.40 |
| Salgado Raja |
169,098.05 |
| Samadhi Buddhist Trust of New Zealand |
2,296,797.23 |
| Sasana Sevaka Society |
500,000.00 |
| Silva Andrew |
100,000.00 |
| Sinhala Association of Queensland (A$ 2500) |
188,775.00 |
| Sinhala Cultural Society (AUD 5000) |
360,950.00 |
| Sri Lanka Disaster Relief – Melbourne (AUD 50000) |
8,397,750.00 |
| Sri Lanka Medical Association of North America (USD15000) |
4,508,977.50 |
| Sri Lanka Tsunami Appeal (Perth Australia) |
749,700.00 |
| The Buddhist Society Of Victoria (AUD 4000) |
307,558.00 |
| Toronto Mahavihara Society (CAD 50000) |
14,163,053.50 |
| United Sri Lanka Association (NZ $ 10000) |
6,583,557.13 |
| Vietnamese Buddhist Assoc (US $ 4530) |
444,948.00 |
| Washington Buddhist Vihara (US $ (500) |
493,900.00 |
| Miscellaneous donations less than Rs.100,000/- |
1,797,796.93 |
| |
------------------
54,823,115.24
===========
|
The Board of Trustees of the Dharmavijaya Foundation
(Left to right – seated)
Mr. I.P.Gunawardane, Deshamanya Nissanka Wijewardane (Life member), Hony.Vice President Karuna de Silva, Dr.(Mrs) S.Gunasinghe (Life member), Mr.Nanda Amarasinghe, Mr.M.Andrew Silva (Life member), Patron Rajakiya Pandita Sasrapathi Hakmana Sumanasiri Thera, Hony.President Deshabandu Olcott Gunasekera, Mr.Gamini Perera, Mr.Y.W.Gunawardane, Mr.P.L.N.Liyanage (Life member), Hony.Vice President Mr.J.P.Kannangara, Mrs.S.D.Iyer (Life member)
(Left to right – standing)
Mrs.Badhra Gunatilake, Mr.H.B.Premaratne, Mrs.Kanthi Perera, Ms.Davika Surangani Colombage, Mr.Sumana D Liyanage, Hony.Chief Secretary Mr.Dinil Premaratne, Mr.N.T.Vijithananda (Life member), Mr.Senaka Samarasinghe, Major Gen. Jaliya Nammuni, co-Secretary Mr.Sarath Dharmawardane, Mr.Cyril Gunapala, Mr.Mettananda Karunagoda, Mr.Douglas Gunawardane (Internal Auditor), Hony.Trueasurer Mr.N.B.G.Nanayakkara, Dr.Nalin Gunasinghe, Mr.Sumedha Amarasinghe
|
