Gamata IT empowers Hatton

The latest town storming session on Microsoft Sri Lanka's quest to speed the dispersion of technology to rural communities through the Gamata IT campaign was held in Hatton with the participation of Zonal Hatton Education Office, Director Zonal Education M. Rengaraj.

The students of the Shannon Tamil Maha Vidyalayam, Hatton where the MultiPoint system is now installed, will now have the benefits of education aided by technology from a very early age. This town storming session is also the first on the Gamata IT route to touch a Tamil school.

The town storming campaign also saw the Nenasala felicitated continued training of teachers, Government agents and youth in the area, enabling them to pass on the benefits of technology throughout the community.

Hatton Zonal Education Office Director Zonal Education M. Rengaraj, said the benefits the community of Hatton would now have access to through the Gamata IT campaign. "Hatton is very thankful to be a part of the Gamata IT campaign.

Although we have had technology available, citizens have been reluctant to get involved in the usage of a computer due to language and access barriers. With the Sinhala and Tamil Language Interface Packs available for use, these barriers have now been overcome and we look forward to a great surge of development through the use of technology.

I would like to thank the Education Ministry and Microsoft Sri Lanka for making this happen".

Speaking on the benefits of the town storming campaign and the impact Gamata IT has had on the communities it has touched, Microsoft Sri Lanka Director Marketing, Manoji Samararatne spoke on the ripple effect Gamata IT. "Even though the campaign proper lasts only for a few weeks, the lives we touch go on to empower others in the community to benefit from technology.

Teachers who will pass on their learning to their students, Government Agents who will better serve their communities because of the efficiencies of technology and youth who are now aware of possibilities and opportunities beyond the confines of their villages are now able to make not only their own lives better but also the lives of those around them. We at Microsoft feel that it is in this that our greatest strength lies - passing on the benefits of technology through a community that will use it to become self-sufficient and thrive".

The Shannon Tamil Maha Vidyalayam, located on the Shannon Estate, Hatton, educates over 600 boys and girls from the Hatton community.

These students have thus far had only the slightest glimpse of technology and are now able to use it in every day activities to further their education and help them over develop confidence and fluidity in the use of technology.