In April 1986, Most Venerable Seiyu Kiriyama Thera came to Sri Lanka. The Founder of the Agon Shu Sector was in Sri Lanka at the invitation of the then President J R Jayewardene. To establish communication between the Sri Lankan President and the Most Venerable Thera, the Japanese Embassy relied on Somasiri Addara Pathirana. The brief stay of seven days with Addara Pathirana impressed the Japanese Thera. His punctuality was a notable feature.
Thus established connection lasted through the years until Addara Pathirana initiated the Sri Lanka Agon Shu Friendship Foundation.
“Because of my relationship with the Thera, I made several trips to Japan. He made a proposal for me to initiate a business. I was born to a poor family and came a long way thanks to a scholarship. So I know how it is like to be poor. I suggested to the Thera to initiate a scholarship.”
Addara Pathirana who is now the Director General of Sri Lanka Agon Shu Friendship Foundation recalls.
When the Agonshu Foundation was established in 1993, a promise was involved. The funds channelled should be properly put into use. The funds shall be given only if responsibility takes place.
“Then Venerable Thera suggested that I should be paid a monthly allowance as I am engaged in this. I said no need. I will strike a balance between my work and this. Then this workload grew up. But I did not accept a salary. Then he appointed me as a consultant of him with a salary. Then I had to go to Japan to attend certain events. But I worked from here. I thought the Thera must have thought it is not nice to get work done free from me. Then he appointed me as the consultant for South Asia. I visit Japan seven eight times a year. But I won’t get anything for the Foundation. I do it as a volunteer,” Pathirana notes.
In January 1994, Agonshu awarded the first scholarship to 50 children. The scholarship holders were chosen through the grama sevaka. It took sometime for the Foundation to realise the procedure followed is not proper. A certain methodology must be applied. The Foundation set a criterion. The children with financial difficulties who failed the Scholarship Examination would be chosen.
By 2017, the Foundation has offered 14385 scholarships. In 2018, the scholarship count will be 107. The scholarships will be offered up to A-Ls.
“We give all the facilities to schoolchildren. Everything a schoolchild requires. It includes a bag, three packs of uniforms, books, stationery, shoes and socks. Everything required at the beginning of the year. The parents do not have to spend a cent for the education. They always say the books are more than enough. They pass it on to the siblings.”
Most Venerable Kiriyama Thera maintained that no child should be deprived because of poverty. That was the stepping stone of the foundation. If someone asks for rice, offer them the path to earn a rice packet.
“In August, we take measurement. Then the clothes are sewn before handed over with the books. Once chosen for the university, the students would not need us as they have Mahapola. We offer books only to the Medical college recipients as it is an expensive venture,” Addara Pathirana concluded.
SM
Add new comment