Samma Wayama – Project by PGDC students
As the Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling students of the 2023/24 batch at the Faculty of Education, University of Colombo, we embarked on a journey to make a meaningful impact. Under the guidance of our Head of Department of Educational Psychology, Mr. Chinthaka Chandrakumara, we set out to support under-resourced schools across Sri Lanka with the creation of our “Samma Wayama” project.
With many of our batchmates being teachers from all corners of the country, the response was overwhelming. Fifteen schools shared their needs, requesting resources ranging from musical instruments, drama equipment, and sound systems, to library books and educational supplies. Two schools, urgently in need of water facilities, now benefit from projects we were able to complete.
A Special Mission: Millaththewa Maha Vidyalaya
One story that touched us deeply was Millaththewa Maha Vidyalaya in Girandurukotte, Mahiyanganaya. When we visited last year to deliver educational equipment, we were struck by the sight of students studying in temporary sheds. Parents had laid a small foundation, hoping to build a classroom with their limited resources. They approached us for help to raise Rs. 450,000, a sum that would complete the structure and provide a secure learning space.
Seeing the dedication of these parents and students, we couldn’t walk away. With over a thousand students and only temporary structures, this school urgently needed a better learning environment. So, “Samma Wayama” pledged to build an 80×20-foot school building, adding four classrooms to serve these bright young minds.
With support from the State Development and Construction Corporation and the generous contributions from the Masco ’86 Friendship Guild of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and “Kalana Mithuru Hamuwa,” we completed the construction in just ten months. Together, we transformed a vision into reality.
With unwavering dedication and the guidance of the Department of Educational Psychology, our 2023/24 batch has successfully completed this project, knowing that these new classrooms will foster dreams and empower a brighter future for every student who walks through those doors.
Samma Wayama is more than a project—it’s a promise that no dream should be limited by circumstance, and every child deserves a place to learn, grow, and thrive
