COMPUTER LITERACY THE WAY FORWARD

Once again, youth from Seenigama and other neighbouring villages have outshone themselves. The computer studies and photography graduation ceremony was held on Saturday, November 13, 2010 at the computer centre at MCC Centre of Excellence which started promptly at 10.30am. As per tradition, the lighting of the traditional oil lamp took place first by the respective guests of honour who graced this joyous event. One such guest at this event was Mr. Asitha Pinnaduwa who is just twenty eight years of age and is a young man of many achievements. He is by profession a dealer at Vanik Money Brokers Ltd and has also been of voluntary assistance to many such community service projects for the past seven years.

Other honoured guests at the graduation ceremony were Mr. and Mrs. Upali Gunaratna, Dr. Shanthi Kumar Hettiarachchi, Mrs. Malkanthi Hettiarachchi and the respective lecturers namely Raveendra Kapuge, Amila Dilruk, Sudath Wijeratne. Sampath Viraj, Asiri Suranga, Fazana Ibrahim and Lasantha Manaram from FoG and the students also graced the event. After lighting the oil lamp, Sampath Viraj delivered the welcome speech and introduced the valuable lecturers, managers and coordinators to the distinguished guests. Lasantha Manaram of course was the compere and he delivered a fantastic job in doing so as he has had plenty of experience in the past.

After Sampath concluded his speech, the distribution of the certificates took place with Mr. Asitha Pinnaduwa presenting them to the graduates. The certificate distribution was also done by Mr. and Mrs. Upali Gunaratna as well as Dr. Shanthi Kumar Hettiarachchi, Mrs. Malkanthi Hettiarachchi and the valued lecturers.

When it came to Asitha’s speech at the ceremony, it was clearly understood that it was very meaningful and effective despite it being a short speech. He thanked and appreciated FoG’s kind invitation for him to be the chief guest at the graduation ceremony and stated that from the previous night, he was quite unsure of what to say at the ceremony. He said that it was meaningless to talk about Bill Gates or any other well known computer personality just by browsing the Internet. He chose to speak about the person he knows best – himself. Asitha too, had grown up in a village like Seenigama and had successfully passed his Grade 5 scholarship examination thus continuing his further studies at D.S. Senanayake Vidyalaya.

He also mentioned that it is our own strengths and extra ordinary efforts that take us to greater heights in life. He further stated that one should never feel that one is not capable or not worthy by always thinking of what one cannot do and not to ever compare to others and what others own. “One will never be happy by comparing ourselves with others,” said Asitha. This sentence of course went hand in hand with what Kushil always has to say “Think of all the blessings you have and not what you do not have.” Asitha concluded his meaningful speech by explaining that one should never forget the past but not to live in the past and to move forwards with one’s past experiences in mind.

Fazana proceeded to give a small speech afterwards and stressed to the students the importance of having a command of English. She also stated that it is of absolute necessity to extend gratitude to people who have helped one to achieve success and greatness in life. She further stated to the students that they should help people in the future and that would be the only way of extending gratitude to FoG for the lessons they have provided the students with.
The students from all our sectors do collect funds from their own funds and extend their kindness to serve a community service project. The students from this batch collected funds and presented a pack of dry groceries to a poor family.

She then requested Lasantha Manaram to question the views of the student graduates as well. There was a young girl who spoke with a lot of emotion as she had done about six courses at MCC Centre and she had  been able to do her practical sessions at the MCC centre as she did not possess a computer at home. After her, a boy from the photography class gave his views. He said that the photography course had helped him improve his skills in photography which was good as it does help many such youth from the village to pursue self employment via photography skills acquired at the MCC Centre.


Dr. Shanthi Kumar Hettiarachchi then proceeded to give a speech which was short too and rather meaningful. He explained that the certificate receivers have to create their own professionalism. Manaram too, informed the students how expensive it is to pay for these courses that are available free of charge at the MCC Centre of Excellence. Lecturer Raveendra Kapuge too spoke a few words and said that the lecturers always impart with their students the best of their knowledge. He stressed that it was of utmost importance to never to be interested in the salary or money as his first salary at Abacus was Rs. 1,000.

Total students graduated are computer – 488
Photography – 112
These students are from 35 villages from Seenigama and surrounding villages.
The vote of thanks was delivered by Dilip Kumara and FoG also extends their gratitude to their kind sponsors HSBC who have kindly donated funds for the sustainability of the computer sector.

“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.” – Theodore Roosevelt.

~ By Sarah Kellapatha 

2010.11.22