Pallama experiences IT marvels:

'Gamata IT' arrives in NW province

The second Microsoft 'Gamata IT' town was held in Pallama, an area in the Puttalam district recently. The Gamata IT program is designed to provide the greatest benefit to the residents of the village it touches. The people of the Pallama village including students, youth and professionals from the public and private sector were given IT training.

The launch of the MultiPoint enabled classroom at the Thamarakkulama Kanishta Vidyalaya in Pallama

The event featured the ceremonial launch of the day's activities. Marketing Director, Microsoft Sri Lanka Ms. Manoji Samararatne at the Pallama Nenasala Centre Secretary to Deputy Speaker of Parliament Garunayake, Provincial Secretary S.M.L.P. Kumari, Former Director of Education North Western Province B.M. Asoka Jayasinghe, Anamaduwa Teacher Training Centre Manager Gamini Kumarasinghe, In Service Advisor for Information Technology M.I.M. Naushad and other Local Government and Ministry of Education representatives were present.

Secretary to Deputy Speaker of Parliament Garunayake said, "We are happy to be a part of an initiative with a vision to empower rural communities in our country, an initiative that is directly in line with the President's vision for the Year of English and IT. We take this opportunity to thank Microsoft Sri Lanka and ICTA for choosing the right villages such as Pallama, where this kind of investment and attention is needed and appreciated by a community that possesses a great resource of untapped potential that can be used to uplift the livelihood as well as to take an active role in energizing the national economy.

An 'IT Club' catering to the IT savvy youth in the village, was also launched as yet another milestone of the Gamata IT initiative. The IT club was installed to empower its members, especially the youth in Pallama with the objective of enhancing their knowledge and exposure to IT, thus bridging the digital divide existent between rural communities and the rest of the world. The club aims to create a positive interest in the field of IT and educate the youth of Pallama about new developments that will help them keep abreast of the latest in the field of IT.

Marketing Director Ms. Manoji Samararatne of Microsoft Sri Lanka, said "Our efforts are to bring every village to the same IT platform as the rest of the country. Through bridging the digital divide Microsoft Sri Lanka aims to empower communities to face the 21st century with confidence. We believe that through the continued empowerment of rural communities like Pallama, we are providing the residents with a means to uplift themselves". Nenasala Manager Nandana Wanigasinghe in Pallama said, "I sincerely thank Microsoft for selecting Pallama for the Gamata IT second phase.