Murungahetikanda Maha Vidyalaya – Anuradhapura

On the 8^th of November, we arrived at Kekirawa, belonging to the Anuradhapura district. Here we visited the Murungahetikanda Maha Vidyalaya, which was the only school that attended the conference from the district.  Here we spent time with the students conducting an assembly followed by a workshop. The response we received was good, and even the younger students in the school showed immense interest and participated actively in all the activities.

However, we were also able to witness the level of poverty they lived in. The uniforms with patches, tattered socks and broken shoes were a sight that touched many of our hearts, allowing us to realize the privileges that we have which we don’t always think about. As a school in a district that once hailed as the country’s first ever capital, I think they deserve at least a fraction of the resources that most of urban Sri Lanka enjoys. But what was really impressive is, even under those conditions, these students cheerfully utilized the little they have to do the best they could.

We all returned from Murungahetikanda Maha Vidyalaya, saddened by their poverty yet inspired by their talents and skills, and encouraged by their cheerfulness. There is definitely a lot we could learn from them.