VANA MEE KANDA
The very first project handled by SLBA was the development of an abandoned - neglected poor hamlet in the administrative district of Gampaha. This hamlet situated on the top of a hill is called Andagala Kanda . This literarily means the hill of the shape of an eel. We developed a liking to the hamlet enveloped by thick jungle and started calling it Vana Mee Kanda which means the hill of bee honey. It is about 65 Kilometers away from Colombo on the Colombo - Kandy (A1) Road. The distance from the main road A1 to this hamlet is about 5 kilometers. The land is rocky and arid with hardly any arable land. We Sri Lanka China Society first visited this place in May 2000. The approach road was narrow - winding and rugged. Out of the 43 families only four families possessed a proper dwelling house. The others lived in huts and temporary structures. Unemployment was rampant. There was no school close by Hence our first priority was housing and education
The only encouraging factors we saw was the availability of a voluntary organization called Sarvodaya Development Society and the availability of electricity over the hill in the hamlet.
Since this was crown-land we managed to get the necessary approval for the usage of the Land. An estimate was prepared for the construction of a building to run a pre-school for about 40-50 children. We also prepared a standard plan for a house with a capacity of about 700 square feet. Estimates were prepared to construct 15 new houses, to improve 12 houses and to construed 28 toilets. In the meantime we managed to get some business owners from Colombo to donate funds to construct 12 new houses. These project proposals with the relevant estimates were handed over to Adoptie Sri Lanka Belgium by Sri Lanka China Society on 9th November 2000. These projects and the estimates were approved by Adoptie Sri Lanka on 29th November 2000. There was a separate plan of a scholship scheme for all school going children in the village which mamboed to 67 at that time. The estimate for this scholship scheme was approved to be sponsored by Mr. John Van Dilck and Mrs. Line Van Dilck with their personal funds. Construction of the pre-school commenced in February 2001. Building was ready by the end of the year and the pre-school was declared (soft) open on 30th December 2001. The scholarship scheme commenced on 5th May 2001 with 20 students. Presently in 2013 we have 160 children supported under this scheme from Vana Mee Kanda and adjoining villages. We remember that we met Late Mr. Gaston Dillen the President of Adopitie Sri Lank on 5th February 2001 at Mr/Lavinia Hotel to discuss the Logistics and management of these projects. The hamlet of Van Mee Kanda did not have a female with educational qualification of G.C.E. Ordinary Levels. Therefore we had to employ a qualified lady from neighbouring village as the teacher in charge. The students are supplied with uniforms, shoes, books and stationery. The day time meal was prepared by the organisation of the mothers of the children. Two drinking water schemes were established in the village funded by Ms. ALINE MICHIELS MARTENG in May 2002 and February 2003.
A shrine room was constructed along with the school building as a place of worship for the villagers, A sampling of the sacred Bo-tree in Anuradhapura was ceremoniously brought to the village and planted by the shrine room which is venerated by the villagers.
A library with a large number of books was established to get the villages used to the habit of reading. The school going children in the villages made the best use of this library.