Scholarships to students orphaned by tsunami

Himbutana Group Correspondent

A group of Japanese foster parents have offered scholarships to 117 Sri Lankan students orphaned by the tsunami to help complete their education.

A sum of rupees one thousand per month and an additional payment of six thousand rupees per year to meet the other educational needs of every such recipient of the award falling within the age range of 5 - 18 have been included in the programme.

The first such payment channelled through two Japanese organisations were made at a function held at the Nippon Centre at the Kotte Mahindarama Temple presided over by Dr. Ven. Ittepana Dammalankara Thera of the Kotte Sri Kalyana Dhamma Sangha Sabha. The Minister for Women's Empowerment and Social Welfare Sumedha G. Jayasena and leading officials from the respective Japanese organisations were also present at the event.

Speaking on the occasion the General Secretary of the Nippon Centre, Ven. Meegahatenne Chandrasiri Thera said that the generous gesture on the part of the foster parents from Japan was a meritorious act deserving the deep gratitude of the Sri Lankan people.

The philanthropic act was indicative of the genuine concern the people of Japan had towards the tsunami affected children of our country. He also thanked Minister Sumeda G. Jayasena for the personal interest evinced by her to expedite matters with regard to the programme in the course of her visit to Japan.