“Ranaviru
Neth Pahana”
A Beacon Light to War- Heroes
From
Mānel Mal Movement
Project
Proposal
RANAVIRU NETH PAHANA PROJECT
AIM
This is yet another project initiated by the Manel Mal Movement to raise the morale of our brave personnel in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police and the Civil Security Force. It is they who sacrifice the most in blood, sweat tears and toil, sometimes even their very life and limb to eradicate LTTE terrorism from our country and to usher in peace and prosperity for all of us.
We have observed that many of their children study with the aid of a bottle lamp, as most of their homes do not have electricity. The bottle lamp is not only dangerous as many deaths have been caused by bottle lamp accidents; the smoke emitted by a bottle lamp is also injurious to the health. While the bottle lamp is unable to provide a bright light for children to study, the rising cost of kerosene used in a bottle lamp is also fast becoming an economic burden to many of these families.
Should we not be a shame that the children of those who are making such a great sacrifice on our behalf have to continue with their education under such difficult conditions using bottle lamps? Do we not feel sorry for these children? If so, what should we do? What is the solution to this problem?
Most of these families live in remote villages that have not been supplied with electricity. The cost of providing electricity from the national grid to such remote villages is far beyond the means of the Manel Mal Movement. However, the Manel Mal Movement had no intention of casting this problem aside as an impossible task. We looked for alternatives to solve this problem and the Ranaviru Neth Pahana project was the solution to this problem that we found.
INTRODUCING THE
PROJECT
Mr. Udaya Hettigoda an innovative young local engineer was motivated to manufacture a study table with an overhead lamp, as a solution to this problem. This table has been so designed that two children can study at this table, utilizing the overhead lamp. The lamp is provided with electricity from a battery that is recharged with a dynamo driven by a paddling device, very much similar to that of a sewing machine.
The children have to use very little energy for paddling, which is in itself an exercise for their calf muscles. Half an hour of paddling will result in the storage of five hundred hours of electrical energy in the battery. This amount of electrical energy is adequate for two weeks to light not only the study lamp, but also two other additional lamps anywhere in the house with extension wiring. The battery has a guarantee period of two years and is available for purchase in the open market at Rs.450/=. There is a series of bulbs used to provide light in the study lamp. Each of these bulbs can be purchased for Rs.5/= in the open market.
The package also provides a portable light with another six volt rechargeable battery that can provide light for any outdoor work such as to fetch water from a drinking water well or for use in a toilet found away from the house. There is provision to charge this additional battery too from the dynamo fixed to the study table.
Most of the homes where electricity is not available in remote villages are very small in size and the Ranaviru Neth Pahana table will be able not only to provide a good source of light at night for the education of children, but would also be able to provide additional light to meet the necessary requirements of a small house at night. The cost of a Ranaviru Neth Pahana table with all the accessories mentioned above will amount to only Rs.10000/=.
Manel Mal Movement has paid an advance to the manufacturer for the production of one hundred tables. We hope to make the first donation of these tables in February 2008 to one hundred selected families from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police and the Civil Security Force that do not have electricity in their homes and are currently using bottle lamps. The service will be further extended depending on the response we receive for this project from the business community, the expatriates and the general public. All of us need to show our appreciation to those who have sacrificed their life today to provide us with a better life tomorrow.
HOW TO CONTRIBUTE
TOWARDS THIS PROJECT
Your contribution can be deposited in the name of the Manel
Mal Movement in our Peoples Bank Borella account No.078100143688412. If you
deposit funds in the above account please be kind enough to post a photocopy of
the deposit slip to our office at No.18,
You could also hand over your donation to any of our steering committee members that are known to you and they will provide you with a receipt from Manel Mal Movement for your contribution as soon as possible. Inquiries in this regard could also be made from Mr. Anura Atapattu at our office. His telephone number is 011-2667512. Arrangements could be also made to display the name of the establishment or the donor on each Ranaviru Neth Phana table if a request is made in this regard to our office when contributions are made.
You could also obtain more
information on this project by E-mail. The Manel Mal E-mail address is manelmal@sltnet.lk. You could also obtain
information with regard to the Manel Mal Movement from our website www.manelmal.org or from Mr. S.L.
Gunasekara, Attorney at Law, The Convener of the Manel Mal Movement. His E-mail
address is algunasekara@yahoo.com.
Steering Committee Member