Other Ongoing

Rebuilding Lives

• Ethawetunuwewa is a remote village bordering the administrative districts of Anuradhapura, Vavunia, Killinochchi & Trincomalee. The villagers had been undergoing hardships mainly due to the constant threats from the LTTE terrorists who were carrying out their barbaric acts from the neighboring jungles with the sole aim of chasing these Sinhala villagers out from the area so as to widening their territory.

  In order to lend a helping hand at their hour of need to overcome economic challenges and social obstacles,‘ONBA’ volunteered to carry out some community development programmes under the ‘Dharma-Grama’ project which was launched in 2007.

  ‘ONBA’ has so far been able to donate the school books, bags, stationery, clothing & sports goods for the children and agricultural equipment to the farmers of the village through the Chief Incumbent of the temple.

  The association has undertaken to build a Shrine Room at the temple – Sri Udumbararamaya as at present there stands a makeshift shrine room which had once been damaged due to a mortar attack by the ruthless LTTE.

  The Association is also planning to conduct a Two Day seminar/workshop for the benefit of the venerable monks from nearly thirty six temples in the Padaviya, Parakramapura & Welioya areas.

  Project coordinator – Mr. Asanka Nanayakkara (0777 277 747)

Russian Higher Education Scholarships

• Under the patronage of His Excellency Mr Udayanga Weeratunga – Sri Lankan Ambassador in the Russian Federation, ‘ONBA’ has been able to offer higher education scholarships to students of Nalanda College who have obtained good results at the A/L exam held in 2008, to pursue their higher education in the disciplines of Medicine & Engineering – Power, Civil and Computer.As a beginning a scholarship was presented to Mr Kasun Kamaladasa to pursue his higher studies in Medicine in the Russian Federation. Kasun – a fellow Nalandian who sat for the Advance Level exam in August 2008, left for Russia in October 2009 and is now following his higher studies as an undergraduate at the University in Rostov.

  Project coordinator – Mr. Mohan Thilakawardhana (0773 552 343)

Supporting Youth – Scholarship Fund

• Together with the Social & Welfare Society of Nalanda Vidyalaya, ‘ONBA’ has been presenting scholarships to the less affluent students. A separate fund has been launched by the association in this regard and currently there are twelve students who have been receiving a monthly allowance of Rs. 1,000/- under this scheme. We are proud to say that this is the highest number of scholarships given by a single society, to the school.

  Project coordinator – Mr. Gamini Ranasinghe (0777 342 148)

Damma Discussion Sessions

• To cultivate essence and teachings of Buddhism in young minds of Nalanda Vidyalaya and also to make a bright future fir them, ONBA has been conducting damma discussion sessions with the assistance from well known facilitators, namely Mr. Bimal Rajakaruna, Mr. Gayan Chanuka and Mr. Prasanna Perera etc. Having started this program in 2008, A/L and secondary level students were mainly invited for these sessions. It was a great pleasure to see that students were very impressed about Damma sessions and they always make use of these sessions to clarify their doubts and sharpen the knowledge on Buddhism and the society.

  Project coordinator – Mr. Asanka Nanayakkara 0777 277 747