President's Fund supports two students under Tsunami Education Programme

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in pursuance of her series of programmes to commemorate the 2005 Vesak Festival, has decided to release Rs. 100,000 each from the President's Fund to two needy students of the poorest of the poor in order to facilitate their future education. They are selected under the ?Tsunami Education Programme?.

The lass J. P. Nisansala Sandaruwani is a 15 year old displaced tsunami victim now languishing in a refugee camp in the Matara area. She survives on the meagre income her father ekes out as a cashew vendor. She was identified by veteran audio-visual artistes Buddhi Wickreme and Mercy Edirisinghe in the course of their activities under the Artistes Benevolent Services Programme. Their group took this girl to a team of specialists for consultation. The Ward 25 Group have undertaken to treat her at the National Hospital, Colombo. She will receive Rs. 100,000 under the President's Fund.

The other beneficiary is S. D. Kumarasiri, a 26 year old lad from the Sambodhi Children's Home of Magalla, Galle. He is deformed from birth. Born to poor parents, he lost his father in his early childhood. He spent his formative years in the Sambodhi Children's Home to which his mother entrusted him after his father's death. Unremitting endurance helped him enter the Ruhunu University through which he made his entrance to the Law College, Colombo. He is now living in a temporary boarding. The Law Students' Association brought his plight to the attention of the President on this enduring young man's prospective bright future. He too will receive Rs. 100,000 from the President's Fund to better his future education.