Sarvodaya Institute of Higher Learning (SIHL)

16/09/2026

A New Chapter for SIHL
One Team Towards Learning Deeply. Leading Purposefully. Transforming Communities.

The Sarvodaya Institute of Higher Learning (SIHL) welcomed a new chapter on 14 September 2026 with a team meeting bringing together its existing and newly recruited staff members. Taking place during an important period of transition and renewal, the gathering provided an opportunity for the emerging SIHL team to connect, reflect on its purpose, and look towards the future with renewed hope and commitment.

The meeting began with a simple yet meaningful introduction activity that invited each team member to share something about themselves through a picture of a natural element that represented them. Beyond names and roles, the activity created space for the team to see the individuality, strengths and perspectives that each person brings to SIHL.
Dr. Vinya Ariyartne, Chairman of SIHL reflected our journey: Past Reflections, Present Purpose and Future Aspirations. Discussions moved towards a shared understanding of SIHL’s purpose and future direction. The conversation encouraged the team to look beyond individual responsibilities and consider how, collectively, SIHL can continue its journey towards becoming a meaningful centre of higher learning and knowledge, while contributing to the wider vision of Sarvodaya.
The meeting also provided space to learn more about SIHL, understand team roles and responsibilities, strengthen awareness of organisational practices and child safeguarding, and build connections through team-building activities.

Most importantly, the day created an opportunity to look ahead. The team discussed how SIHL can move forward towards its aspirations as a university, with a shared understanding that its purpose is realized not only through structures and programmes, but through the people who bring that purpose to life.

With new members, new perspectives and renewed energy, SIHL is entering this transition period with a sense of possibility. The emerging team carries with it new hopes, shared responsibility and a collective commitment to shaping the next chapter of SIHL.
As the journey continues, the strength of SIHL will lie in its ability to grow together as one team, learning from one another, embracing new possibilities and working towards a future where the purpose of SIHL is fully realised.

13/07/2026

සෑම දිය බිඳුවකම වටිනාකම: වැසි ජලය සංරක්ෂණ කිරීමේ පද්ධතිය ඉදිකර අවසන්! 💧

'තිරසාරභාවය යනු හුදු දැක්මක් පමණක් නොව, එය ක්‍රියාවෙන් ඔප්පු කරන ලද කැපවීමකි' යන්නට කදිම උදාහරණයක් ලෙස බණ්ඩාරගම සර්වෝදය උසස් අධ්‍යයනය ආයතන (SIHL) පරිශ්‍රය තුළ සැලසුම් කරන ලද වැසි ජලය සංරක්ෂණය කිරීමේ පද්ධතියේ ඉදිකිරීම් කටයුතු පසුගියදා අවසන් විය. වගකිවයුතු ජල කළමනාකරණය ප්‍රවර්ධනය කරන අතරම, තිරසාර ජීවන රටාවක් සඳහා ප්‍රායෝගික ඉගෙනුම් ආදර්ශයක් ලෙසද ක්‍රියා කරන අපගේ "වැසි ජලය සංරක්ෂණය කිරීමේ පද්ධතිය" (Rainwater Harvesting System) හඳුන්වා දීමට හැකිවීම ආඩම්බරයට කරුණකි.

වැසි ජලය සංරක්ෂණය කිරීම යනු අපතේ යන වැසි ජලය එකතු කර ගබඩා කර ගැනීමේ ක්‍රියාවලියයි. දේශගුණික විපර්යාස, ශීඝ්‍ර නාගරීකරණය සහ දිනෙන් දින ඉහළ යන ජල ඉල්ලුම හේතුවෙන් මිරිදිය සම්පත් වඩ වඩාත් සීමා වෙමින් පවතින පසුබිමක, වැසි ජලය රැස් කිරීම මෙම වටිනා සම්පත සුරැකීම සඳහා සරල, ලාභදායී සහ පරිසර හිතකාමී විසඳුමකි.

මෙම පද්ධතිය ක්‍රියාත්මක වන ආකාරය
1. වැසි ජලය එකතු කිරීම
ආයතන ගොඩනැඟිලිවල වහලවල් මතට වැටෙන වැසි ජලය, ජලය එකතු කරන ප්‍රධාන ප්‍රදේශය (catchment area) ලෙස භාවිත කෙරේ.

2. පීලි සහ බානු (Gutters and Downpipes)
එලෙස එකතු වන වැසි ජලය පීලි සහ බානු ඔස්සේ ගලා ගොස්, ජල අස්වනු නෙලීමේ පද්ධතිය වෙත යොමු කෙරේ.

3. පළමු ප්‍රවාහය ඉවත් කිරීමේ කපාටය (First-Flush Diverter)
පළමු වැස්මත් සමඟ වහලයේ ඇති දූවිලි, කොළ රොඩු, සහ අනෙකුත් අපද්‍රව්‍ය එකතු විය හැක. First-flush පද්ධතිය මඟින් මෙම ආරම්භක අපිරිසිදු ජල ප්‍රවාහය වෙනතකට හරවන අතර, එමඟින් පිරිසිදු ජලය පමණක් ගබඩා පද්ධතියට ඇතුළු වීම සහතික කරයි.

4. පෙරීමේ ඒකකය (Filtration Unit)
ඉතිරි වැසි ජලය ගබඩා කිරීමට පෙර, එහි ඇති සියුම් අංශු සහ අපද්‍රව්‍ය ඉවත් කිරීම සඳහා පෙරීමේ පද්ධතියක් (Filter) හරහා යවනු ලැබේ.

5. ගබඩා ටැංකිය (Storage Tank)
පෙරන ලද ජලය ඒ සඳහාම සකස් කරන ලද වැසි ජල අස්වනු නෙලීමේ ටැංකියක ගබඩා කරනු ලැබේ. ජලයේ ගුණාත්මකභාවය ආරක්ෂා කර ගනිමින් ජලය දූෂණය වීම, ඇල්ගී වර්ධනය වීම සහ මදුරුවන් බෝවීම වැළැක්වීම සඳහා මෙම ටැංකිය සම්පූර්ණයෙන්ම වසා දමා ඇත.

6. බෙදා හැරීම සහ භාවිතය
ගබඩා කරන ලද මෙම වැසි ජලය භූමි අලංකරණය, ගෙවතු වගාව, මාවත් සහ ගොඩනැඟිලි පිරිසිදු කිරීම, වැසිකිළි සේදීම සහ අනෙකුත් පානීය නොවන (non-potable) අරමුණු සඳහා භාවිත කළ හැක. මේ තුළින් පිරිපහදු කළ නළ ජලය මත යැපීම සැලකිය යුතු ලෙස අඩු වේ.

මෙම මුලපිරීම හරහා විශාල පාරිසරික හා ආර්ථික ප්‍රතිලාභ රැසක් හිමිවේ. එය වටිනා මිරිදිය සම්පත් සුරකිමින්, වැසි ජල ගැලීම් සහ පාංශු ඛාදනය අඩු කරන අතර, ජල පරිභෝජන පිරිවැය පහත හෙළා ජල හිඟ කාලවලදී ඔරොත්තු දීමේ හැකියාව වැඩි කරයි. එහි ප්‍රායෝගික කාර්යභාරයට අමතරව, මෙම පද්ධතිය සජීවී පන්ති කාමරයක් ලෙසද ක්‍රියා කරයි. එමඟින් සිසුන්ට, සහ අනෙකුත් උනන්දුවක් දක්වන පාර්ශවයන්ට තිරසාර ජල කළමනාකරණය ප්‍රායෝගිකව දැකබලා ගැනීමටත්, ඔවුන්ගේම ප්‍රජාවන් තුළ මෙවැනි විසඳුම් ක්‍රියාවට නැංවීමට පෙළඹවීමක් ඇති කිරීමටත් අවස්ථාව සැලසේ.

මෙම ව්‍යාපෘතිය සාර්ථකව නිම කිරීමට හැකි වූයේ, ලංකා වැසි ජල රැස් කරන්නන්ගේ සංසදයේ (Rainwater Harvesting Forum) විධායක අධ්‍යක්ෂිකා ආචාර්ය තනූජා ආරියනන්ද මහත්මිය සහ ඇයගේ කණ්ඩායම විසින් ලබා දුන් වටිනා තාක්ෂණික සහාය හේතුවෙනි. එසේම, මෙම තිරසාර වැඩපිළිවෙළ යථාර්ථයක් බවට පත් කිරීම සඳහා ඔවුන්ගේ විශේෂඥ දැනුම හා සහයෝගීතාවය ලබා දුන් සර්වෝදය ග්‍රාමීය තාක්ෂණික සේවා (Sarvodaya Rural Technical Services) සහ සර්වෝ ටෙක් (Sarvo Tech - Pvt Ltd) ආයතනවල තාක්ෂණික කණ්ඩායම් වෙතද අපගේ අවංක කෘතඥතාව පිරිනමන්නෙමු.

SIHL බණ්ඩාරගම අප විශ්වාස කරන්නේ, අර්ථවත් පාරිසරික වෙනසක් ආරම්භ වන්නේ සරල ක්‍රියාවන්ගෙන් බවයි. මෙම වැසි ජලය සංරක්ෂණය කිරීමේ වැඩසටහන හරහා, වඩාත් හරිත හා ඔරොත්තු දෙන ඉගෙනුම් පරිශ්‍රයක් නිර්මාණය කිරීමට, සහ අපගේ පෘථිවියේ වටිනාම සම්පතක් අගය කිරීමට හා ආරක්ෂා කිරීමට අනාගත පරපුර දිරිමත් කිරීමට අප තවත් පියවරක් ඉදිරියට තබා ඇත.
අද අප සුරකින සෑම ජල බිඳුවක්ම, හෙට දවසේ තිරසාරභාවය වෙනුවෙන් කරන ආයෝජනයකි.
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துளி ஒவ்வொன்றும் முக்கியம்: SIHL பண்டாரகமை தனது முதலாவது மழைநீர் சேகரிப்பு கட்டமைப்பின் கட்டுமானப் பணிகளை நிறைவு செய்தது💧

பண்டாரகமையில் உள்ள சர்வோதய உயர்கல்வி நிறுவனத்தில் (SIHL), நிலையான தன்மை (Sustainability) என்பது வெறும் தொலைநோக்கு பார்வை மட்டுமல்ல; அது செயலில் காட்டப்படும் ஒரு அர்ப்பணிப்பாகும். பொறுப்பான நீர் நிர்வாகத்தை ஊக்குவிப்பதோடு, நிலையான வாழ்விற்கான ஒரு நடைமுறை கற்றல் மாதிரியாகவும் விளங்கும் எங்களது "மழைநீர் சேகரிப்பு கட்டமைப்பை" (Rainwater Harvesting System) அறிமுகப்படுத்துவதில் பெருமையடைகிறோம்.

மழைநீர் சேகரிப்பு என்பது, வீணாக ஓடி மறையும் மழைநீரைச் சேகரித்துச் சேமித்து வைக்கும் செயல்முறையாகும். காலநிலை மாற்றம், விரைவான நகரமயமாக்கல் மற்றும் அதிகரித்து வரும் நீர் தேவை காரணமாக நன்னீர் வளங்கள் பற்றாக்குறையாகி வரும் இக்காலத்தில், மழைநீரைச் சேகரிப்பது இந்த விலைமதிப்பற்ற வளத்தைப் பாதுகாப்பதற்கான எளிய, செலவு குறைந்த மற்றும் சூழல் நட்பு தீர்வை வழங்குகிறது.

இக்கட்டமைப்பு செயல்படும் விதம்
1. மழைநீர் சேகரிப்பு (Rainwater Collection)
கல்வி நிறுவனக் கட்டடங்களின் கூரைகள் மீது விழும் மழைநீர், நீர் சேகரிக்கும் பிரதானப் பகுதியாகப் (catchment area) பயன்படுத்தப்படுகிறது.

2. கூரைப்பீலிகள் மற்றும் இறக்குகுழாய்கள் (Gutters and Downpipes)
அவ்வாறு சேகரிக்கப்படும் மழைநீர் கூரைப்பீலிகள் மற்றும் இறக்குகுழாய்கள் வழியாக ஓடி, மழைநீர் சேகரிப்பு கட்டமைப்பை நோக்கிச் செலுத்தப்படுகிறது.

3. முதற்பாய்ச்சல் திசைதிருப்பி (First-Flush Diverter)
ஆரம்பத்தில் பெய்யும் மழைநீர் பெரும்பாலும் கூரையில் உள்ள தூசி, இலைகள், பறவைகளின் எச்சங்கள் மற்றும் பிற குப்பைகளைத் தாங்கி வரக்கூடும். 'ஃபர்ஸ்ட்-பிளஷ்' (First-flush) கட்டமைப்பு இந்த ஆரம்பக்கட்ட அசுத்தமான நீரைத் திசைதிருப்பி, சுத்தமான நீர் மட்டும் சேமிப்புக் கட்டமைப்பிற்குள் நுழைவதை உறுதி செய்கிறது.

4. வடிகட்டுதல் அலகு (Filtration Unit)
எஞ்சிய மழைநீர் சேமிக்கப்படுவதற்கு முன்பு, அதிலுள்ள நுண்ணிய துகள்கள் மற்றும் அசுத்தங்களை அகற்றுவதற்காக ஒரு வடிகட்டுதல் கட்டமைப்பு (Filter) மூலம் செலுத்தப்படுகிறது.

5. சேமிப்புத் தொட்டி (Storage Tank)
வடிகட்டப்பட்ட நீர், இதற்கென பிரத்யேகமாக வடிவமைக்கப்பட்ட மழைநீர் சேகரிப்புத் தொட்டியில் சேமிக்கப்படுகிறது. நீரின் தரத்தைப் பாதுகாக்கும் அதே வேளையில், நீர் மாசுபடுதல், பாசி படிதல் மற்றும் கொசுக்கள் பெருகுவதைத் தடுப்பதற்காக இத்தொட்டி முழுமையாக மூடப்பட்டுள்ளது.

6. விநியோகம் மற்றும் பயன்பாடு (Distribution and Use)
இவ்வாறு சேமிக்கப்படும் மழைநீர் நிலப்பரப்பு நீர்ப்பாசனம் (Landscape irrigation), தோட்டம் வளர்ப்பு, நடைபாதைகள் மற்றும் கட்டடங்களைச் சுத்தம் செய்தல், கழிப்பறைகளைக் கழுவுதல் மற்றும் பிற குடிக்க உகந்ததல்லாத (non-potable) தேவைகளுக்குப் பயன்படுத்தப்படலாம். இதன் மூலம் சுத்திகரிக்கப்பட்ட குழாய் நீரின் மீதான தங்கியிருப்பு கணிசமாகக் குறைகிறது.

இந்த முன்முயற்சி பல சுற்றுச்சூழல் மற்றும் பொருளாதார நன்மைகளை வழங்குகிறது. இது மதிப்புமிக்க நன்னீர் வளங்களைப் பாதுகாப்பதுடன், பெருக்கெடுத்து ஓடும் மழைநீர் மற்றும் மண் அரிப்பைக் குறைக்கிறது; நீர் நுகர்வுக்கான செலவைக் குறைத்து, நீர் பற்றாக்குறை காலங்களில் தாங்கும் திறனை மேம்படுத்துகிறது. அதன் நடைமுறைச் செயல்பாட்டிற்கு அப்பாற்பட்டு, இக்கட்டமைப்பு ஒரு நேரடி வகுப்பறையாகவும் செயல்படுகிறது. இது மாணவர்கள், கல்வியாளர்கள் மற்றும் பார்வையாளர்கள் நிலையான நீர் நிர்வாகத்தை நடைமுறையில் நேரில் காண்பதற்கும், அவர்கள் வாழும் சமூகங்களில் இத்தகைய தீர்வுகளைப் பின்பற்றுவதற்கான தூண்டுதலை ஏற்படுத்துவதற்கும் வாய்ப்பளிக்கிறது.

இந்தத் திட்டத்தின் வெற்றிகரமான செயலாக்கமானது, இலங்கை மழைநீர் சேகரிப்பு மன்றத்தின் (Rainwater Harvesting Forum) நிறைவேற்றுப் பணிப்பாளர் கலாநிதி தனுஜா அரியானந்தா மற்றும் அவரது குழுவினரால் வழங்கப்பட்ட மதிப்புமிக்க தொழில்நுட்ப உதவிகள் மூலமாகவே சாத்தியமானது. அத்துடன், இந்த நிலையான முன்முயற்சிக்கு உயிர் கொடுப்பதற்காகத் தங்களது நிபுணத்துவத்தையும் ஒத்துழைப்பையும் வழங்கிய சர்வோதய கிராமிய தொழில்நுட்ப சேவைகள் (Sarvodaya Rural Technical Services) மற்றும் சர்வோ டெக் (Sarvo Tech - Pvt Ltd) நிறுவனங்களின் தொழில்நுட்பக் குழுவினருக்கும் எங்களது மனமார்ந்த நன்றிகளைத் தெரிவித்துக் கொள்கிறோம்.

SIHL பண்டாரகமையில், அர்த்தமுள்ள சுற்றுச்சூழல் மாற்றம் சிறிய செயல்களிலிருந்தே தொடங்குகிறது என்று நாங்கள் நம்புகிறோம். இந்த மழைநீர் சேகரிப்பு முன்முயற்சியின் மூலம், மிகவும் பசுமையான மற்றும் மீளெழுச்சிமிக்க ஒரு வளாகத்தை உருவாக்குவதற்கும், நமது கிரகத்தின் மிக உன்னதமான வளங்களில் ஒன்றைப் போற்றிப் பாதுகாக்குமாறு எதிர்கால சந்ததியினரை ஊக்குவிப்பதற்கும் நாங்கள் மேலும் ஒரு படி எடுத்து வைத்துள்ளோம்.

இன்று நாம் சேகரிக்கும் ஒவ்வொரு துளி நீரும், நாளைய நிலையான எதிர்காலத்திற்கான ஒரு முதலீடாகும்.
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Every Drop Counts: SIHL Bandaragama Completes Construction of Its First Rainwater Harvesting System 💧

At the Sarvodaya Institute of Higher Learning (SIHL) Bandaragama, sustainability is more than a vision; It is a commitment reflected in action. We are proud to introduce our Rainwater Harvesting System, an initiative that promotes responsible water management while serving as a practical learning model for sustainable living.

Rainwater harvesting is the process of collecting and storing rainwater that would otherwise be lost as runoff. As freshwater resources become increasingly stressed due to climate change, rapid urbanization, and growing water demand, harvesting rainwater offers a simple, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly solution for conserving this precious resource.

How the System Works

1. Rainwater Collection
Rainwater falls onto the rooftops of the institute buildings, which serve as the catchment area.

2. Gutters and Downpipes
The collected rainwater flows through gutters and downpipes, directing it towards the harvesting system.

3. First-Flush Diverter
The first rainfall often carries dust, leaves, bird droppings, and other debris from the roof. A first-flush system diverts this initial runoff, ensuring cleaner water enters the storage system.

4. Filtration Unit
The remaining rainwater passes through a filtration system that removes fine particles and impurities before storage.

5. Storage Tank
The filtered water is stored in a specially designed rainwater harvesting tank. The tank is covered to prevent contamination, algae growth, and mosquito breeding while preserving water quality.

6. Distribution and Use
The stored rainwater can be used for landscape irrigation, gardening, cleaning pathways and buildings, toilet flushing, and other non-potable purposes, reducing dependence on treated water supplies.

This initiative offers multiple environmental and economic benefits. It conserves valuable freshwater resources, reduces stormwater runoff and soil erosion, lowers water consumption costs, and enhances resilience during periods of water scarcity. Beyond its practical function, the system also serves as a living classroom, enabling students, educators, and visitors to witness sustainable water management in practice and encouraging them to adopt similar solutions in their own communities.

The successful implementation of this initiative was made possible through the valuable technical assistance provided by Dr. Thanuja Ariyananda, Executive Director of the Rainwater Harvesting Forum, together with her team. We also extend our sincere appreciation to the technical teams of Sarvodaya Rural Technical Services and Sarvo Tech (Pvt) Ltd. for their expertise and collaboration in bringing this sustainable initiative to life.

At SIHL Bandaragama, we believe that meaningful environmental change begins with simple actions. Through this rainwater harvesting initiative, we are taking another step toward creating a greener, more resilient campus while inspiring future generations to value and protect one of our planet’s most precious resources.

Every drop we harvest today is an investment in a sustainable tomorrow.

18/06/2026

Why does work have to come with stress, traffic, noise, and long commutes?🍃

17/06/2026

Every day, thousands of professionals spend hours navigating traffic, noise, distractions, and stress before they even begin their work.

But what if productivity didn’t have to come at the cost of wellbeing?

What if work could happen in an environment that inspires focus, creativity, and balance?

The future of work is changing.

And perhaps it’s time to rethink where and how we work. 🌿

05/06/2026

World Environment Day 🌳🌍🍃

On World Environment Day 2026, the global call is clear: Climate Action is no longer a future goal, it is a present necessity. The Earth is sending undeniable signals, rising seas, heatwaves, wildfires, melting glaciers, reminding us that the 1.5°C threshold is being crossed. Yet, alongside these warnings, there are also powerful signs of hope: restored forests, expanding renewable energy, and communities reshaping how they live in harmony with nature.

This year’s theme challenges us to respond with urgency and intention to not only recognize the crisis, but to actively guide the transformation already underway. Climate action is about choices made today that shape resilience tomorrow.

In this context, Sarvodaya’s work remains deeply aligned with the global movement, strengthening village-level resilience, promoting sustainable livelihoods, supporting environmental restoration, and empowering communities to become active stewards of their own ecosystems. From grassroots mobilization to climate-conscious development, Sarvodaya continues to demonstrate that real change begins within communities.

As we mark this important day, let us reaffirm our collective responsibility: to listen to the signals of the planet, to act with compassion and urgency, and to build a future where people and nature thrive together.

03/06/2026

“SERELT” Project to Empower Rural English Language Teachers Marks Success of Training Initiative

Read More
https://lmd.lk/serelt-project-to-empower-rural-english-language-teachers-marks-success-of-training-initiative/

HSBC Sri Lanka, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, the Sarvodaya Institute of Higher Learning (SIHL), and the Postgraduate Institute of English

28/05/2026

Hajj is a reminder of humility, sacrifice, compassion, and the shared humanity that connects people across the world.

As millions gather in pilgrimage, may this sacred season inspire peace, understanding, and solidarity among all communities. May it also renew our collective commitment to kindness, service, and coexistence.

Wishing all those undertaking the pilgrimage a safe and blessed Hajj, and extending warm wishes to Muslim communities in Sri Lanka and around the world.

24/05/2026

Cultivating Sustainability at SIHL

A new chapter begins at the Sarvodaya Institute of Higher Learning (SIHL) with the launch of Phase 2 of the tea plantation initiative at the premises.

The land previously used for pineapple cultivation which successfully produced harvests across three seasons is now being transformed into a new tea-growing space with the planting of 2,400 tea plants sourced from a premium nursery in Ratnapura. This expansion builds upon the success of the initial half-acre pilot project, which continues to grow well.

Beyond cultivation, this initiative reflects a broader commitment to sustainable land use, practical agricultural learning, and strengthening local production within an educational environment. It also creates opportunities for students and the wider community to engage with long-term ecological and livelihood-oriented approaches to agriculture.

Looking forward to the day when SIHL proudly harvests its very own “SarvoTEA.” 🍃

16/05/2026

“SERELT” Awards Ceremony 2026
Empower rural English Language Teachers mark success of training initiative

HSBC Sri Lanka, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, the Sarvodaya Institute of Higher Learning (SIHL), and the Postgraduate Institute of English (PGIE) of the Open University of Sri Lanka, marked the successful completion of the Skills Enhancement of Rural English Language Teachers (SERELT) pilot programme with an award ceremony held on 13th May 2026 at the Postgraduate Institute of English (PGIE).
The event brought together key education and development stakeholders, including; Ms. Indumini Darshika, Deputy Director of English and Foreign Languages in the Ministry of Education; Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne, President of the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement; Dr. Romola Rassool, Director of PGIE, Mr. Haaziq Feroze, Head of English for Sri Lanka at Cambridge University Press & Assessment, and Mr. Tharanga Gunasekera, Head of Communication of HSBC Sri Lanka, alongside SERELT teacher trainers and beneficiaries.
Implemented across Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, Monaragala, and Vavuniya, the SERELT pilot programme trained 165 rural English language teachers, of whom 158 successfully qualified for SERELT certification jointly awarded by the Ministry of Education, SIHL, and PGIE. The initiative has reached approximately 150 schools, benefiting nearly 15,000 students in underserved communities.
A key component of the programme was the provision of 50 full scholarships for the internationally recognised Cambridge Teacher Knowledge Test (TKT) Module 1, supporting teachers to achieve globally benchmarked professional standards. The SERELT curriculum was designed to bridge international best practices with local classroom realities, integrating Cambridge TKT content with 21st century teaching skills and social-emotional learning (SEL). Programme evaluations indicate clear improvements in teaching methodologies, particularly in student engagement, activity-based learning, and collaborative classroom practices. A significant number of teachers reported increased confidence in applying these approaches, with many already integrating them into their daily teaching.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne stated, “What we see today is not just the completion of a training programme, but the beginning of a sustained transformation in how English is taught and experienced in rural classrooms. That is where real change begins.”
Mr. Tharanga Gunasekera, Head of Communications of HSBC Sri Lanka noted, “SERELT demonstrates the impact that targeted investment in teacher development can have on education outcomes. By equipping teachers with practical skills and internationally recognized training, we are contributing to stronger, more inclusive learning environments.”
The programme was supported by a comprehensive Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning framework aligned with international standards, with findings indicating increased student participation, improved confidence in spoken English, and more dynamic classroom environments.
Building on the success of the pilot phase, SERELT will now move into its next stage, expanding to new regions including the Eastern Province, covering Ampara and Batticaloa, as well as Hambantota, Nuwara Eliya, and Kalutara districts.

30/04/2026

වැසි ජලය රැස් කිරීම තුළින් ජල සංරක්ෂණය 🌧️
மழைநீர் சேகரிப்பின் மூலம் நீர் பாதுகாப்பு
Conservation through Rainwater Harvesting

දේශගුණික විපර්යාස වර්ධනය වීමත් සමඟ මිනිස් පරිභෝජනය සඳහා පවතින ජල සම්පත හිඟවීමේ අවදානම ඉහළ යමින් පවතී. මෙවන් කාලයකදී, ජල කළමනාකරණය කළ යුත්තේ කෙසේද යන්න නැවත සලකා බැලීම අත්‍යවශ්‍ය වී ඇත. ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ඉතිහාසගත ජල කළමනාකරණ පද්ධති අඛණ්ඩව රටට සේවය කරමින් පවතින නමුත්, ගෘහස්ථ හා ආයතනික මට්ටමින් ප්‍රායෝගික ජල සංරක්ෂණ ක්‍රම තවමත් පුළුල් ලෙස භාවිතයට ගෙන නොමැත.

මෙවන් පසුබිමක් තුළ, සර්වෝදය උසස් අධ්‍යයනය ආයතනයේ (SIHL) වැසි ජලය රැස්කිරීමේ ආදර්ශ ව්‍යාපෘතියක් ආරම්භ කිරීමට කටයුතු කරමින් පවතී. දේශගුණික වෙනස්වීම් හා එල්-නිනෝ (El Niño) තත්ත්වයන් හේතුවෙන් ඇතිවිය හැකි වියළි කාලවලට ප්‍රතිචාර දක්වමින්, ප්‍රායෝගික සහ පරිමාණය කළ හැකි ජල සංරක්ෂණ විසඳුම් ප්‍රවර්ධනය කිරීම මෙම මුලපිරීමේ අරමුණ වේ.

වැසි ජල රැස්කිරීම නව සංකල්පයක් නොවුවද, වර්තමානයේ එහි වැදගත්කම ඉතා ඉහළ ය. මෙම ව්‍යාපෘතිය ගෘහස්ථ හා ආයතනික භාවිතය සඳහා වැසි ජලය රැස්කර තබා ගැනීමට හැකි විශ්වාසදායක හා අඩු වියදම් විසඳුමක් වන අතර, භූගත ජලය හා පොදු ජල සැපයුම් පද්ධති මත ඇති පීඩනය අඩු කිරීමට දායක වේ. එමෙන්ම වියළි කාලවල බලපෑම් අවම කරමින්, ප්‍රාදේශීය මට්ටමේ ජල ආරක්ෂාව වැඩිදියුණු කිරීමටත්, තිරසාර හා විමධ්‍යගත ජල කළමනාකරණයටත් මෙය දායක වේ. සරල තාක්ෂණික ක්‍රම භාවිතා කරමින් පුළුල් ලෙස ක්‍රියාත්මක කළ හැකි විසඳුමක් වීම මෙම ව්‍යාපෘතියේ විශේෂත්වයකි.

මෙම ව්‍යාපෘතියේ පූර්ව සැලසුම් අදියරයේදී, වැසි ජලය රැස්කිරීමේ සංසදයේ විධායක අධ්‍යක්ෂ ආචාර්ය තනුජා ආරියනන්ද මහත්මියගේ සහ සර්වෝදය ග්‍රාමීය තාක්ෂණික සේවා හා Sarvo Tech (Pvt) Ltd ආයතනයන්හි තාක්ෂණික කණ්ඩායම් සමඟ එක්ව මූලික ඇගයීමක් සිදු කරන ලදී. මෙම සහයෝගිතාවය මඟින් SIHL ආයතනයේ වැසි ජලය රැස්කිරීමේ විවිධ තාක්ෂණික ආකෘති සහ ප්‍රායෝගික භාවිතයන් ප්‍රදර්ශනය කරන මධ්‍යස්ථානයක් ලෙස සංවර්ධනය කිරීමට අපේක්ෂා කරයි.

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ප්‍රජාවන් සහ ආයතන හරහා වැසි ජලය රැස්කිරීම පුළුල් ලෙස භාවිතා කිරීමට සහාය විය හැකි ප්‍රායෝගික ඉගෙනුම් අවකාශයක් නිර්මාණය කිරීමේ අරමුණින් මෙම ව්‍යාපෘතිය ලබන මාසයේ ආරම්භ කිරීමට අපේක්ෂා කෙරේ.
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மழைநீர் சேகரிப்பின் மூலம் நீர் பாதுகாப்பு 🌧️

காலநிலை மாற்றம் அதிகரித்து வருவதால், மனித பயன்பாட்டிற்கு கிடைக்கும் நீர்வளங்கள் குறைவதற்கான அபாயம் உயர்ந்து வருகிறது. இத்தகைய காலத்தில், நீர் மேலாண்மையை எவ்வாறு மேற்கொள்ள வேண்டும் என்பதை மீண்டும் சிந்திப்பது மிகவும் அவசியமாகியுள்ளது. இலங்கையின் வரலாற்றுச் சிறப்புமிக்க நீர் மேலாண்மை அமைப்புகள் தொடர்ந்து நாட்டிற்கு சேவை செய்து வருகின்றன. இருப்பினும், வீட்டு மற்றும் நிறுவன மட்டங்களில் நடைமுறை நீர் பாதுகாப்பு முறைகள் இன்னும் பரவலாக பயன்படுத்தப்படவில்லை.

இந்த பின்னணியில், சர்வோதய உயர்கல்வி நிறுவனம் (SIHL) மழைநீர் சேகரிப்பு மாதிரி திட்டத்தை ஆரம்பிக்க நடவடிக்கை எடுத்து வருகிறது. காலநிலை மாற்றங்கள் மற்றும் எல்-நினோ (El Niño) நிலைமைகள் காரணமாக ஏற்படக்கூடிய வறட்சி காலங்களுக்கு பதிலளிக்கும் வகையில், நடைமுறையில் செயல்படுத்தக்கூடிய மற்றும் விரிவுபடுத்தக்கூடிய நீர் பாதுகாப்பு தீர்வுகளை ஊக்குவிப்பதே இந்த முயற்சியின் நோக்கமாகும்.

மழைநீர் சேகரிப்பு புதிய கருத்தாக இல்லாவிட்டாலும், தற்போதைய சூழலில் அதன் முக்கியத்துவம் மிகவும் அதிகமாக உள்ளது. இந்தத் திட்டம் வீட்டு மற்றும் நிறுவன பயன்பாட்டிற்காக மழைநீரை சேமித்து வைத்துக்கொள்ளக்கூடிய நம்பகமான மற்றும் குறைந்த செலவுடைய தீர்வாகும். மேலும், நிலத்தடி நீர் மற்றும் பொதுநீர் விநியோக அமைப்புகளின் மீதான அழுத்தத்தை குறைக்க உதவுகிறது. அதேபோல், வறட்சி காலங்களின் தாக்கத்தை குறைத்து, பிராந்திய மட்டத்தில் நீர் பாதுகாப்பை மேம்படுத்துவதற்கும், நிலையான மற்றும் மையமற்ற நீர் மேலாண்மைக்கும் இது உதவுகிறது. எளிய தொழில்நுட்ப முறைகள் மூலம் பரவலாக செயல்படுத்தக்கூடிய தீர்வாக இருப்பது இந்தத் திட்டத்தின் சிறப்பம்சமாகும்.

இந்தத் திட்டத்தின் ஆரம்பத் திட்டமிடல் கட்டத்தில், மழைநீர் சேகரிப்பு சங்கத்தின் நிறைவேற்று இயக்குனர் டாக்டர் தனுஜா ஆரியநந்த அவர்களும், சர்வோதய கிராமிய தொழில்நுட்ப சேவைகள் மற்றும் Sarvo Tech (Pvt) Ltd நிறுவனங்களின் தொழில்நுட்ப குழுக்களும் இணைந்து ஆரம்ப மதிப்பீட்டை மேற்கொண்டனர். இந்த ஒத்துழைப்பின் மூலம், SIHL நிறுவனத்தை மழைநீர் சேகரிப்பின் பல்வேறு தொழில்நுட்ப மாதிரிகள் மற்றும் நடைமுறை பயன்பாடுகளை காட்சிப்படுத்தும் மையமாக உருவாக்க எதிர்பார்க்கப்படுகிறது.

இலங்கையின் சமூகங்கள் மற்றும் நிறுவனங்களில் மழைநீர் சேகரிப்பை பரவலாக பயன்படுத்த ஊக்குவிக்கும் நடைமுறை கற்றல் இடமாக இந்தத் திட்டத்தை உருவாக்கும் நோக்கில், இது அடுத்த மாதம் ஆரம்பிக்கப்பட உள்ளது.
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Conservation through Rainwater Harvesting 🌧️

With increasing climate variability and the growing risk of water scarcity, it is becoming essential to rethink how water is managed at all levels. While Sri Lanka’s historic hydraulic systems continue to serve the country, practical water conservation methods at household and institutional levels are still not widely adopted.

In this context, a Rainwater Harvesting Demonstration Project is being initiated at the Sarvodaya Institute of Higher Learning. This initiative aims to promote practical and scalable approaches to water conservation, particularly in response to climate change and anticipated drought conditions linked to El Niño patterns.

Rainwater harvesting is not a new concept, but its relevance today is greater than ever. It provides a reliable, low-cost method of collecting and storing rainwater for domestic and institutional use, reducing pressure on groundwater and public water supply systems. It also helps mitigate the impacts of drought, improves water security at the local level, and contributes to more sustainable and decentralized water management. Importantly, it is a solution that can be adopted widely with relatively simple technology.

As part of the preparatory phase, an assessment visit was carried out with the participation of Dr. Thanuja Ariyananda, Executive Director of the Rainwater Harvesting Forum, together with the technical teams from Sarvodaya Rural Technical Services and Sarvo Tech (Pvt) Ltd. The collaboration aims to establish SIHL as a demonstration site, showcasing different technical models and practical applications of rainwater harvesting.

The project is expected to commence next month, with the intention of creating a practical learning space that can support wider adoption of rainwater harvesting across communities and institutions in Sri Lanka.