The story of the rebuilding of Dharmarama School in Ahangama is a typical example of the virtues of positive thinking and how most things can be achieved if one has the will to do so.

The school was one of those totally destroyed by the tsunami of December 2004 and needed to be relocated to a safer site.

After many months of searching for a suitable piece of land, the Rotarians of Sri Lanka in consultation with the Ministry of Education, decided to use the only land available – a long disused and abandoned paddy field.

The land belonged to the local temple and was very generously gifted to the Ministry for the construction of the new school.

After nearly 14 months of work, the newly completed Dharmarama Junior School is ready to welcome its students and teachers. The lush green paddy fields around it provide a picturesque setting for the sparkling new buildings.

Now 781 lucky boys and girls will be able to continue their education in their brand new School equipped with all the modern facilities to help them in their studies including a state of the art Computer Center, a well stocked library, toy room, and play ground.

As always, the first item on the agenda was the unveiling of the special monument and commemorative plaque.

The visitors were then taken on a conducted tour of the new school before returning to the Assembly Hall for a formal meeting.

“Whenever I participate in the opening of a school I am amazed at the wonderful results people can achieve by working together”, said Chief Guest Ravindran.

Ravindran also thanked the Standard Chartered Bank and the sponsor American Jewish JDC for their willing support in the project.

“It has been a pleasure to partner Rotary in this great project” said Clive Haswell, CEO of Standard Chartered Bank. “Youth and Education are key areas of support for Standard Chartered globally. We believe that by focusing on children, we are investing in the future and greatest asset of any nation”.

The sentiments of all those present was summed up by Michal Strahilevitz the Representative of the sponsor American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee when she concluded her address quoting a Jewish proverb:
“If you want to feed a man for a day – plant wheat, If you want to feed him for years then plant a tree and if you want to feed him for generations then give him education”