Dharmaraja College is recognised as a leading educational institute with a track record of excellent academic achievements year on and numerous facilities for curricular as well as extra-curricular activities. But there are many destitute and deprived children attending the school, predominantly from the local catchment areas. Whilst being very intelligent and keen, the poverty at home holds them back from reaping the benefits of what is being offered by the school and tend to drop out over the years. These students often arrive at school without necessary stationery, breakfast or packed lunch and tend to rely on teachers bringing in extra meals to help get them through the day.
How can we help
Working with several Sri Lanka based Old Boys’ Union (OBU) members and members of the staff, we have identified this as an area where we can make a big impact on a child’s life. Providing a simple meal plan through the school canteen and a stationery supply plan through the school co-operative shop, governed by identified member(s) of the staff and OBU representative(s). We envisage this effort can provide an opportunity to a child to study and get that breakthrough they all deserve in their academic career. Although done in a small scale, we believe, in the long term this will help break the cycle of poverty and have a ripple effect in the society too.
Our plan
We identified 20 deserving children by the end of 2016 and launched our project in January 2017
with 4 children to provide breakfast and lunch at school and have a sufficient supply of stationery to support in their academic work. Selected students will be supported throughout their academic life unless their circumstances change.
Project governance
We will be coordinating the transfer of funds with the Sri Lankan OBU representative(s) who will provide us with regular updates and annual student progress report. The Sri Lankan OBU representative(s) works with the school principle and the teachers to identify eligible students, coordinate and oversee the funds.
School teachers in addition to identifying the eligible students will coordinate the meals and the payments with the school canteen, stationery requirements. They will provide regular updates and input to the annual progress report too.
Related News
Launching Shaping Lives
"Shaping Lives" bursary program official launch was on 6th January 2017 at Dharmaraja college, Kandy.