The Foundation of Goodness’ Rebuilding Lives Psycho-social Support Team, based at the MCC Centre of Excellence in Seenigama, celebrated their fourth anniversary in June by paying tribute to their long-term supporter, teacher and mentor, Dr Padmal De Silva with the opening of a Children’s Library in his memory.

The occasion was graced by Dr Kuhan Sat Kunanayagam, a family friend and colleague of Dr Padmal De Silva’s from the Institute of Psychiatry, London and the UK-SL Trauma Group. He was joined by Dr. Shanthi Kumar and Malkanthi Hettiarachchi , the gracious founders of RLP as special guests.

The chief monk of the Kahawa Temple donated a room in his humble awasaya to contain the library. Kahawa is a small village north of Seenigama, where the Foundation of Goodness provides psycho-social support, sports development and other services for the uplifting of rural children and youth.

The library was opened with a traditional ceremony including lighting of the oil lamp, speeches, poems and dances.

Fazana, sector coordinator for RLP comments that “it is indeed a moving sight to see children of all ages access this library, which contains books on a variety of subjects that facilitate social skill building, cultivate values, interpersonal and inter cultural relations with the aim of building resilience.”

The library was graciously funded by Ms Eliza Pasini, a philanthropist from Odolo, Italy.

Dr Padmal De Silva received his first degree at the University of Peradeniya in Sanskrit and won a scholarship to the UK where he eventually became a lecturer at the Institute of Psychiatry in London. Dr Padmal De Silva contributed his expertise to Sri Lanka through the UK-SL Trauma Group and was instrumental in setting up the MPhil course in Clinical Psychology at the University of Colombo.  He was a committed Buddhist with a keen interest in integrating Buddhist Philosophy and Psychology. Dr Padmal De Silva’s expertise in Clinical Psychology was primarily related to anxiety disorders.

Dr De Silva
Dr Padmal De Silva’s contribution to people, and particularly his contribution to Sri Lanka cannot be described in a few words. When Malkanthi Hettiarachchi and Dr Shanthi Hettiarachchi (founders of the RLP) informed Dr Padmal De Silva about the Rebuilding Lives Project he instantly agreed to resource the team by providing his skill and knowledge, which he did faithfully at least 3-4times each year. He was moved by the RLP team’s compassion and simplicity. He in turn touched the lives of many, and particularly of the young people in the villages of Akurala and Seenigama. He did not fail to stop by the Foundation of Goodness to share his wealth of knowledge and experience with the mental health team made up of survivors of the tsunami.

Dr Padmal has left behind admirable and compassionate memories, academic papers on mental health, and a sense of how human beings can contribute to the upliftment of humanity in the most simplest of ways. He has touched many lives with his presence, whether it is in the remote villages of Sri Lanka or at the highest seats of learning in the UK.

Since the library opened in June, there have been many children and adults using the books to advance themselves and improve their knowledge. In September alone, 190 children and 34 adults have visited the library. In addition 242 books have been donated to further enhance this important village facility.

A Tribute to the Late Dr Padmal De Silva

Kushil, comments that “Dr. Padmal was a great and kind man and the Rebuilding Lives team, have found a fitting way to memorialise his life, for, just as a library is made of many wise words, so a better world can be made by the kind deeds of many good people”

“Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings so that you shall come easily by
what others have laboured hard for.”
- Socrates

2009.09.28