Generosity, the greatest wealth

Senali S.Perera

Today it is not easy to find a great personality with a great heart. It comes rarely, yes, but when it does it lightens the world and sets good examples for everyone. A bright lamp on a high stand, its light reaches miles of dull ground, washing it with pure gold light.

Vinitha Jayaweera, the former Principal of Sanghamitta Balika Vidyalaya, was generous enough to donate the car that was given to her by the staff of the school and the parents of the students on her retirement, to the Sri Lanka Maha Pirivena, Odé Temple, Colombo 10. “The oldest building of the Temple is Dharma Shalawa. We were planning to re-construct it but we had a lot of financial issues. That was when Mrs. Jayaweera volunteered to donate her car to the Temple,” Said Dr. Nagoda Amaravansa Thera, the Chief Incumbent, Western Province.

“This act is rare and noble. You can’t encounter it everyday in this society. It is a very good example for everyone,” said Amaravansa Thero further. The purpose of the donation is to use the money to rebuild the Dharma Shalawa. “It is estimated that it would cost over Rs.60 million to re-construct the Dhamma Shala and

Dhathu Mandhira. It is a great help that Mrs. Jayaweera decided to make this donation. It is greatly appreciated,” said Amaravansa Thera.

According to Mrs. Jayaweera, the Odé Temple and Sanghamitta Balika Vidyalaya

have had a very close relationship for a long time. “At the time, with this relationship,I could see that there was a certain need for financial support to re-construct these buildings. I decided to offer what I could in order to support the temple,” said Mrs.Jayaweera.

“I feel happy about the decision I made. My husband, Nandasena Madavannarachchi, agreed to this without having second thoughts” said Mrs. Jayaweera with sincere feelings. According to Amaravansa Thera, fifty monks are residing in the Odé Temple and over two hundred and fifty study there. “I hope that people

will follow the foot steps of this noble woman and volunteer to help to maintain the Odé Temple. We need their support.”

During the seven years of her service, Mrs. Jayaweera has been able to win many victories for the school with the support of the staff, the students and the parents. Because of this dedication, the school won the ISO 9001/2008 certificate in 2010 which Mrs. Jayaweera considers “a great success in my career”. Sanghamitta Balika Vidyalaya is the first school in the island to win this award.

“A successful school cannot be built overnight. It takes the dedication of the principal, the staff, the students and the parents,” said Mrs. Jayaweera. “Everything has to be flawless. The environment of the school has to be clean and eco-friendly; the students should be well disciplined and the results they obtain in their education have to be successful, there has to be a development in the staff, the students and the parents,” she said. And she proudly says that Sanghamitta Balika Vidyalaya has been able to fulfill these needs and as a result, the school has become complete and they achieved the victory they deserved when they won the ISO 9001/2008.

Sanghamitta Balika Vidyalaya won the National Productivity Award in 2005 securing the first place in the Western Province and third place in all island. The same award was won in 2006 and this time the school was able to win the first place in all island. In 2008, the school won the award for The Environment-Friendly School of the Year and in 2010 the same award was achieved as the second place in all island.

The National Green Award, awarded by the Sri Lanka Environmental Authority was won by the school in 2011. During her tenure, Mrs. Jayaweera made a successful attempt to bring the school to a higher level. She did so with her courage, dedication and the support of the staff, students and parents. With her guidance, the school now has a playground of its own. Mrs. Jayaweera had to face many difficulties in achieving this particular victory -the playground.

She was awarded the titles “Desha Shakti Vidhuthlaka Diriyamatha”, “Vidya Vibhushana” and was also honored with the award “Surabhiramani” by the Haritha Sansada. “I wouldn’t have come this far all by myself. I had the support of my husband and many others to reach where I stand today,” said Mrs. Jayaweera.

She sets a good example. And she is proof that with dedication, courage and hard work anyone can reach great heights. Win victories and lighten the world where light is needed in great bounds to kill the darkness. We only need to have the will.