21/09/2019
End of a successful project !!! 🙏🙏🙏
**********************************
"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country – John F Kennedy"
🌳13 year old Kalindi Wanigasooriya brought the idea of helping the Wilpattu reforestation project carried out by the Sri Lanka Army.The main objective of her project was to raise funds to donate 1000 clay pots for the proposed clay pot irrigation system of Wilpattu forest reserve. The cost estimated was 2 lakhs.
🌳 To fulfil this idea we all got together and the project “මිහි මවට පුංචි අපෙන්” by Whyteleafe" was launched in August 2019. Director of Whyteleafe Mr. Nalaka Swarnathilaka guided us to plan the things by ourselves. After our project planning we started collecting funds using tills made by our 11 year old Whyteleafian Thanudi Kumaradasa. We collected funds in many areas including Colombo, Nugegoda, Borella, Kohuwala, Baththaramulla, Wellawatta, Bambalapitiya, Kolpetty, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kandy. We stepped into trains, busses, markets, offices, institutes too. Further several well wishes gave their generous contribution making us motivated through this mission.
🌳 With great enthusiasm and dedication of the team together with their leadership qualities, the project succeeded beyond expectations within a month. Surprisingly, the fund-raising surpassed expectations and rose to Rs 4 lakhs, instead of the targeted Rs 2 lakh expenditure for pots.
🌳 After purchase of those 1000 clay pots from Nochchiyagama area we handed them to Lieutenant Colonel Bhathiya Jayaweera, General Staff Officer -1 (Coord), 54 Division on 13th September 2019. The project “මිහි මවට පුංචි අපෙන්” by Whyteleafe" wouldn't have been completed in a true sense, without stepping into the affected area in Wilpattu. We went to Wilpattu and planted trees that were suitable for the dry weather. Then we buried 2 clay pots that can retain about 7 liters of water close to each plant, filled them with water and covered them with coconut shells.
🌳 We decided to donate the excess 2 lakhs collected to “Thuruliya wenuwen Api” program. In order to do this on 18th September 2019 we met the Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva at the Commander's office. Commander welcomed us and spoke to us in a fatherly tone and stimulated by presenting appreciative mementos to each of us and commended our thoughtfulness and act. Meeting the Commander who is a real leader and listening to him was a memorable experience.
🌳 The beauty is that the entire process of project initiation to ex*****on and eventually the completion was handled and managed by a set of small children. This could possibly be the first of a kind in Sri Lanka. We believe that this will be a trend setter and a good example for the children in our country. The journey until the completion of the project was a huge learning experience. What makes it priceless is that they won't get such an experience in the national school curriculum. We are blessed to learn these skills at Whyteleafe which is our wonder school.
🌳This marked the end of a successful project and we thank each and everyone who supported this worthy cause and without your help we wouldn’t go this far. We believe we all can be equally happy that we did a good cause to our mother Lanka. We are grateful to the Sri Lanka Army for their service to our mother nature and allowing us to be a part of it.
THANK YOU!!!! 🙏