Gamata IT empowers Hatton

The latest town storming session on Microsoft Sri Lanka’s quest to speed the dispersion of technology to rural communities through the Gamata IT campaign was held in Hatton under the auspices of M. Rengaraj, Director Zonal Education, Zonal Education Office, Hatton.

The students of the Shannon Tamil Maha Vidyalayam, Hatton where the MultiPoint system is now installed and up and running will now have the benefits of education aided by technology from a very early age. This town storming session is also the first on the Gamata IT route to touch a Tamil school. The town storming campaign also saw the Nenasala felicitated continued training of teachers, Government agents and youth in the area, enabling them to pass on the benefits of technology throughout the community.

Speaking on the event Mr. Rengaraj emphasized the benefits the community of Hatton would now have access to through the Gamata IT campaign. “Hatton is very thankful to be a part of the Gamata IT campaign. Although we have had technology available, citizens have been reluctant to get involved in the usage of a computer due to language and access barriers. With the Sinhala and Tamil Language Interface Packs available for use, these barriers have now been overcome and we look forward to a great surge of development through the use of technology. I would like to thank the Ministry of Education and Microsoft Sri Lanka for making this happen”.

Speaking on the benefits of the town storming campaign and the impact Gamata

IT has had on the communities it has touched, Manoji Samararatne, Director

Marketing, Microsoft Sri Lanka, spoke on the ripple effect Gamata IT has been proven to have. “Even though the campaign proper lasts only for a few weeks, the lives we touch go on to empower others in the community to benefit from technology. Teachers who will pass on their learning to their students, Government Agents who will better serve their communities because of the efficiencies of technology and youth who are now aware of possibilities and opportunities beyond the confines of their villages are now able to make not only their own lives better but also the lives of those around them. We at Microsoft feel that it is in this that our greatest strength lies – passing on the benefits of technology through a community that will use it to become self sufficient and thrive”.

The Shannon Tamil Maha Vidyalayam, located on the Shannon Estate, Hatton, educates over 600 boys and girls from the Hatton community. These students have thus far had only the slightest glimpse of technology and are now able to use it in every day activities to further their education and help them over develop confidence and fluidity in the use of technology.

S. Paramanathan, Principal of the Shannon Tamil Maha Vidyalayam, speaking on the occasion of the MultiPoint launch in the school said that his students now had a whole world of possibilities open to them. “We are very happy to be selected and are grateful to the Ministry of Education and Microsoft for identifying us to receive the MultiPoint system. I believe it will benefit our students and help them better adjust to a future with the use of technology”.

In addition to the activities at the school, the Gamata IT campaign saw the successful training of over 50 Teachers, Youth and Government agents at the local Nenasala. These individuals will continue to receive training to keep them informed on the latest developments in technology to enable them to pass on their knowledge to their students, co-workers and families.

Speaking on the successful completion of the training S. Vasanthan, Manager, Hatton

Nenasala said, “The entire community shows a great deal of interest in this programme. They are eager to learn and are constantly looking to enhance their knowledge. We are continuing the training for teachers on MultiPoint and the community at large is already showing signs of enhanced development thanks to the technology they now have access to”.

Additionally, two fixtures of the Gamata IT agenda: the Singer townstorming Bus and the establishment of an IT club for the youth of the Hatton area were also featured in this leg of the townstorming campaign. Singer Sri Lanka’s continued support and partnership have made the Gamata IT town storming sessions a true success. While the establishment and furnishing of the IT club with CD’s and various other technology implements in addition to continued engagement by the Microsoft team from Colombo ensures that the youth of the area continue to benefit long after the campaign itself is over.