Please download the Newsletter for April, 2008 PDF VERSION here or visit the HTML version here.

As always, Horizon Lanka Academy has been able to produce the best results for Ordinary Level English exam from Mahavilachchiya last December too. The results were out this month and you can see the results sheet below

Hanshi Sumedha        A
Chamara Pradeep      A
Dhananjaya Wijewikrama A
Gayani Sandamali         A
Tharanga Sampath       A
Damith Jayawardana    C
Vishwa Sampath          C
Anushka Udeshini       S
Randika Sudath           S

Credits for good OL results at Horizon Lanka should go to its English teachers, foreign volunteers, e-mentors and those who communicated with students in English electronically. We wish more volunteers to teach English (both local and foreign) could join Horizon Lanka Academy.

To strengthen English education further at Horizon Lanka Academy, the Academy tied up with prestigious European College, Colombo with the support of Accelerated Skills Acquisition Project (ASAP)- USAID. The new courses will start shortly. This will enable the students and youth in Mahavilachchiya to learn English faster and be prepared for the job market within a very short time at an affordable price.

Visit www.ontimetechnologies.net to read about OnTime BPO of Mahavilachchiya, Sri Lanka. This is the first rural BPO in Sri Lanka.

We at Horizon Lanka wish you a very happy Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

 

Please visit http://sasanijay.blogspot.com/2007/11/making-difference-horizon-lanka.html to read Sasni’s blog post about Horizon Lanka students’ blogging.

Newsletter Download the Horizon Lanka’s March newsletter (PDF Version) at http://www.horizonlanka.org/newsletters/2008/march/march_2008.pdf and the HTML version at http://www.horizonlanka.org/news/kasun/index.html

I am Radhika Nilupulee Rajapaksha, who studied at the Horizon Lanka Foundation, Mahavilachchiya, in the first batch until I reached senior student level.  I was just 9 years old when I first attended Horizon Lanka. Now, at 19 years of age, I am employed at Microimage (Pvt) Ltd., a Colombo based organization, as a trainee Web Designer.
I felt I had to write the story of how I got such an opportunity at this rather young age.
I learned Web & Graphic design at Horizon Lanka. I learnt about web design when I was in Grade 4, and was very keen to learn more about this. When someone asked me, “Radhika, what would you like to do in the future? What is your ambition?” I would answer, “I want to be a Web Designer. This was one of my greatest dreams. Today my dream has come true. I am truly happy to have reached my goal!

It started first of all when I used to dream about having my own computer. But I got my first PC when I was in Grade 8 through Horizon Lanka. Mr. Harsha Purasingha, the CEO of Microimage where I now work helped me to buy my first PC. I designed my first website on this PC ~ it was a simple one. After visiting my website Mr. Purasingha was very pleased. I learnt many things from my computer and used to work until midnight because I love to work with computers. Mr. Purasingha visited Mahavilachchiya a long time ago as the Chief Guest at the Horizon Lanka’s Prize Giving.  I was selected the Best Overall Performer and received my award from Mr. Purasingha.

Then I began to design websites for Horizon Lanka and for some other companies as well. I also designed a map for a local company. Having become aware of these things Mr. Craig Barrett, Chairman of Intel, invited us ~ Ruvini, Iresha and myself ~ to make a presentation. Again I met Mr. Purasingha on the stage at the Intel event. I was very fortunate to receive a brand-new laptop from the Chairman of Intel on this occasion.
Then in order to further increase my knowledge, having sat for my A/L examination, I attended a training program at the Eurocenter DDC in Colombo with the kind assistance of Mr. Mano Sekaram, the CEO. There I learnt about lots of web design tools and obtained a good knowledge of web designing. Having completed the training I re-designed my personal website with what I had learned at Eurocenter. Then I hosted it with the help of my friend and it can be viewed at: http://www.radhikanilupulee.com

Having visited my personal website Mr. Purasingha asked me to present myself at an interview for a Web/Graphic Designer and I was delighted to have been selected! I have been working at Microimage for two weeks now, and am learning new things as well. I never imagined I would one day be working for Mr. Purasingha, when I first met him as a youngster many years ago!

I would like to say ‘Thank you’ to everyone who helped me make my dream come true!

Kasun Harshalal, a senior student of Horizon Lanka Academy, Mahavilachchiya started a small computer lab on January 15, 2008 with the idea of starting a small business. He had to be satisfied with two old PCs one, a Pentium III and the other a Pentium I. Though many doubted his endeavor, all what Kasun knew was that one PC is enough to make an impact if there is determination and proper planning. After all Horizon Lanka too was started with a used 486 model PC ten years ago. So, why not try with two Pentiums after 10 years?

He rented an old abandoned house in the village for a small fee and started the computer lab. He named the computer center as Lakna.

To everyone’s surprise, within few weeks, more than 60 junior students enrolled to study computers at Lakna. He has just three used PCs now and teaches what he learnt from Horizon Lanka to the students in Tract 4 area of Mahavilachchiya. He started with Microsoft Windows Operating System and now teaching Microsoft Office. Soon he will teach other areas such as graphic and web designing as well.

Children come to Lakna Computer Center after school. Parents are happy that the children get a decent IT education for an affordable price. The students who learn the basics at Kasun’s computer center can join Horizon Lanka Academy to follow standard courses. This eases Horizon Lanka’s burdens of spending time on the basics.

Apart from IT teaching, Harsha also does some CD sales, typesetting, providing MP3 songs, images and wallpapers for mobile phones.

Kasun does not have a video camera or a still camera. But this man who does not know the word NO, used a Sony Ericsson K510i model mobile phone and got stills of a kid’s birthday party and made a movie with Windows MovieMaker software and charged a whopping 1,500 LKR (14USD) from the client. The client, the child’s parents were very happy about the quality of the movie and paid the fee without bargaining. (We will later upload the movie file to the site if the parents agree to show Kasun’s talents.)

Kasun needs few more PCs, a laser printer, a color printer, a video and still camera to introduce new services to the community. He also needs a network hub and some networking cables as well. He welcomes even used equipment. Horizon Lanka gave him a broken scanner which but Kasun has repaired it and now it works. Kasun also received some used computer parts and monitors from EuroCenter DDC, Colombo and now in the process of repairing them.

You are welcome to help this enterprising young man by giving him a helping hand. If he has a LankaBell CDMA phone, he can have access to the Internet and do more service to the students. He says there is potential even to start a cybercafé for the villagers when the computer classes are not held.

Horizon Lanka wants to see more enterprising youth to develop the village. It is these youth who will take the lead from us from now on. info@horizonlanka.org

Aruni Pradeepika Karunarathna and Duleeka Dilhani Edirisingha of Horizon Lanka successfully completed a three-month long training in the Human Resources Department of Slimline Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of MAS Holdings. The two girls were given exposure on corporate culture as well. They were extremely happy about the training they got and they have been changed from shy village girls to confident career women. Horizon Lanka thanks Mr Dian Gomes, the CEO of MAS Intimates and the staff of Slimline for giving this valuable opportunity for the two girls.
Both girls left Slimline and reached Mahavilachchiya today and both of them are confident in pursuing their higher studies while working for Horizon Lanka’s success from Mahavilachchiya.

February 2008 - Download the PDF NEWSLETTER here.

Horizon Lanka Academy of Mahavilachchiya joined hands with MMBL CyberSkills Pvt. Ltd., the Sri Lankan and the Maldivian franchisee of NIIT, India on February 03, 2008. This new partnership will enable the students and the youth in and around Mahavilachchiya to study ICT and English from the nursery to the Bachelors and Masters Degree levels at Mahavilachchiya. The youth in Mahavilachchiya will have the opportunity of studying at 12 NIIT-affiliated  leading universities in Australia, UK, USA, Canada and New Zealand in due course.

The launch of the new program took place at Horizon Lanka with a simple ceremony. Reverend Maraka Suseela Thero performed religious observances. Mr. J. W. S. Kithsiri, Divisional Secretary of Mahavilachchiya DS Division, Mr. Nandasiri Wanninayaka, CEO of Horizon Lanka Foundation, Mr. Chamila Algewatta, Manager, CyberSkills Pvt. Ltd, Anuradhapura, Mr. Chatura Thilanga Vijekoon, Manager of CyberSkills – Horizon Lanka Campus, Mahavilachchiya, Mr. H. A. Wickramasinghe, Principal, Ashoka Mala Public School, Kadurupitiya, and Mr. H. Jayathunga, Principal of Thakshila Public School, Mahavilachchiya graced the occasion.

40 students have enrolled in the institute. The courses are underway now.