At the end of a
presentation programme held at the London Buddhist Vihara on
Sunday, Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley Fernando from London undertook to
pay the total cost for a home to be built for Sri Lanka
Tri-services personnel, under the scheme “Apiwenuwen Api Housing
Project”. Mr. And Mrs. Fernando presented the pledge in writing
to Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe, chief organiser of the London
fund raising programme. Head of London Buddhist Vihara Chief
Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain Most Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala
Nayaka Thero was also present at the event Api Wenuwen Api Fund
is a collaboration between the The Ministry of Defence and the
Central Bank of Sri Lanka. Aim of this unique effort is to build
50,000 houses with moder facilities for the Tri-Service
personnel.The project is phased over five years, with 10,000
houses to be completed each year. Already 1620 housing units are
being built in Ipolagama, and are expected to be completed soon.
Stage two will begin in Horowpathana.
Each housing
project also includes schools, shopping complexes, gymnasiums,
and other facilities. These, along with new roads and other
services will ensure that the surrounding region will also
benefit from significant infrastructure development.
In his introduction Brigadier Samarasinghe said that “The gift
of housing is one of the best and most tangible ways to
demonstrate our gratitude and appreciation. This is the time for
all Sri Lankans to support our brothers and sisters who are
committed to bringing peace to our motherland.This is not a
programme connected in any way to the on going war in our
country. This is a programme allowing us to show our
appreciation for the tremendous sacrifices our brave men and
women of the armed forces making every day. All contributions
from the campaign and fund raising events will be donated only
to “Api Wenuwen Api Housing Project” in Sri Lanka. He further
said that the fund raising programme in the UK has received an
unexpected response from all the expatriate communities. We have
received “the biggest contribution of the day” during the
Festival of Cricket day held just a week ago. Many people came
forward to take part in the fund raising event. It was heart
warming to see the unprecedented respect and gratitude every one
of them showed towards the brave service personnel of our
country.”
Brigadier Samarasinghe urged every one to attend the three fund
raising cultural programmes to be held in London, Birmingham and
Manchester in September this year.
(
Date: Sunday, 20nd July 2008)
Api Wenuwenn Api Stall at Festival of Cricket 2008
Festival of Cricket
in London is the largest Sri Lankan carnival in UK. It was held
for the 20th consecutive year on 13th July 08 and over 5000 Sri
Lankans were attended.
Health minister Nimal Siripala de Silva and main sponsor Mr.Sam
Chandrasena also attended to encourages api wenuwen api team and
visitors. Their attendances were highly appreciated by Brigadier
Samarasingha and team members.(
Date: Saturday, 13th July 2008)
Api Wenuwen Api Presentation at the London Thames Vihara Corydon
Surrey
Special Api Wenuwen
Api presentation was held at Thames Buddhist Vihara in Croydon
Surrey. Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe, The Defence Advisor of
London's Sri Lanka High Commission explained the fund raising
project and how it benefits to the our brave soldiers who
dedicated their lives for our motherland. Head of Thames
Buddhist Vihara Ven Pahalamaga Somarathae Thero pledged the
maximum
support for the Api Wenuwen Api project. Large number of Sri
Lankan expatriates attended the presentation and supported the project by
contributing, buying raffle tickets and cultural show
tickets.
(
Date: Sunday, 22nd June 2008)
President Mahinda Rajapaksa extends his best wishes to Api
Wenuwen Api Campaign in UK
Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe (Defence Adviser London) met with
His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa in London on 12th
June to introduce the Api Wenuwen Api fund-raising campaign in
the UK for the Ministry of Defence project of building 50000
houses for disabled and serving tri services personnel.
The Defence Adviser made special mention of the input of Sri
Lankan expatriates living in the UK who have co-operated in
organising and supporting such a worthy campaign. This resulted
in a significant increase in the number of volunteers who have
opted to support this noble campaign and numbers are steadily
rising.
Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe also demonstrated the campaign's
official website www.apiwenuwenapi.co.uk to the President and
explained the various links on the web pages including an online
payment system for donations and ticket purchases. The President
admired the design and structure of the website, which was
generously orchestrated and donated by Dushmantha Wijekoon and
designed by Amal Weerathunge.
Methods of fund raising through the upcoming Legendary Cultural
& Musical shows organised in London, Birmingham and Manchester,
raffle ticket sales, various types of donations and sponsorships
were highlighted.
President Rajapaksa mentioned that it is a necessity in
providing housing for those who dedicated their lives to bring
peace to our motherland Sri Lanka. He wished the project every
success. (
Date: Thursday, 12th June 2008)
Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe demonstrating the campaign's
official website www.apiwenuwenapi.co.uk to the H.E. President.
Ranaviru day commemorated at Kingsbury Temple on 7th June
Venerable Galayaye Piyadassi Maha Thera said Sri Lankan
expatriates should slow down on expensive parties on their
cocktail circuit and contribute, at least, part of that money
for the mother who nourished them, and brought them to the
present affluence in the first world.
“Our mother land- Sri Lanka gave us free education, like no other
country in the world that helped everyone living in the West
more affluent than our own brothers and sisters back at home.
Please remember we owe much to Sri Lanka, especially the
soldiers who lay their lives to protect the country at this hour
of crisis,” Piyadassi Mahathera said addressing a large crowd
assembled to commemorate the Ranaviru Day at the Saddhathissa
Buddhist Centre in Kingsbury London.
June 7 was commemorated as a remembrance day for Sri Lanka’s
fallen soldiers and the ones disabled in the current war in the
country.
He said time has come up for those who put up affluent parties
among Sri Lankan expatriates, by allocating at least part of
that money for the country who made them educated enough free of
charge to become what we are in the West, Piyadassi Maha Thera
said.
He said he was satisfied by the tremendous service done by the
armed forces of Sri Lanka to save part of our population from
the jackboot of Fascism and deliver back their democratic rights
to them. The Maha Thera said it was the prime duty of all
expatriates to look after the disabled soldiers who are being
treated at rehabilitation centres and the children of the brave
soldiers who have been felled by the bullets of the enemy.
Venerable Samanaliye Piyadassi, Veenerable Wanduramba Kassapa
also took part in the memorial service. Military Counsellor of
the Sri lanka High Commission Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe also
participated.( Date: Saturday, 07th June 2008 )
For Api Wenuwen Api housing project, California expatriates
donates SLR.12.5 million
A cheque worth Sri Lankan Rupees 12.5 million from the funds
raised by Sri Lankan expatriates in California USA was
handed over to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to go into the
50,000 houses for soldiers program now in progress in the
country.
Chairman of the Ranaviru Foundation in Los Angeles Dr. Mohan
Kumararatne handed over the money at a brief function in the
Temple Trees, the official residence of the President.
Picture: Dr. Mohan Kumararatne handing over a cheque worth
Sri Lankan Rupees 12.5 million at a brief function in the
Temple
Trees to President Mahinda Rajapaksa (Photo by Sudath
de Silva)
The funds were raised under the leadership of the former Los
Angeles Consul General Jaliya Wickramasuriya in largely
attended and well organized cultural shows and musical
extravaganzas where mostly talented artists, dancers and
musicians from the armed forces showed their talents.
Wickramasuriya, who is now the ambassador-designate to
Washington graced the occasion.
The President said the expatriates should be congratulated
for gratefully remembering the soldiers who have laid their
lives for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the
nation.
The program christened, (Api Wenuwen Api ) has already built
1620 housing units at the cost of 2.4 million each at
Ipologama, near the ancient city of Anuradhapura .
The second phase of the housing scheme would come up in the
same area in Horowpathana.
The government expects to spend one million Rupees for a
house and the soldiers who would eventually own the houses
would pay a sum of 800,000 Rupees in a phased out amount
spanning during a period of 20 years. The rest would come
from philanthropists.
Secretary of Defense Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Raja
Edirisooriya who helped the program in California
participated in the event.
The Ranaviru Commemoration Day falls on the 7th of June every
year, and is a National Event. The main event on this day is
held at the beautiful Ranaviru Remembrance Park at Mailapitiya -
Kandy. By tradition, the incumbent President of Sri Lanka is the
Chief Guest at this Event.
Many family members and loved ones of those Killed and Missing
in Action congregate at Mailapitiya to commemorate their heroes.
This is a very detail oriented and solemn event where those who
laid down their lives while protecting the territorial integrity
of Sri Lanka are remembered with gratitude.
On every Ranaviru Commemoration Day, the public is requested to
light a lamp at 7:00PM in their homes, temples or other
religious places to commemorate these valiant servicemen, bestow
merit upon their souls. They sacrificed their tomorrow for our
today.
This year, it is our intention to make this commemorative lamp
lighting event worldwide. As Sri Lankan Patriots, this is a
wonderful opportunity for us to spend a few minutes of our time
on the 7th of June, to show our gratitude to the 22,000+
servicemen killed or missing in action.
Therefore, you are earnestly requested to light a simple lamp to
commemorate these servicemen. This can be done individually in
your homes or as groups/associations at places of worship,
public parks etc. 7th JUNE at 7:00PM
Api Wenuwen Api Fund - Ministry of Defence reaches Rs. 200
Million
People give true meaning to Be Together for All.
With the unconditional support of the public, the joint venture
between the Ministry of Defence and the Central Bank of Sri
Lanka known as the Api Wenuwen Api Fund, has now officially
reached the Rs. 200 million mark. Sri Lankans both at home and
abroad have rallied around to give true meaning to the term Be
Together for All, contributing generously towards providing
permanent housing to the those dedicated men and women of Sri
Lanka Armed Forces.
The funds solitary aim was to raise funding for a total of
50,000 houses. Currently 1,620 houses have been constructed and
are awaiting distribution in the town of Ipalogama. Within the
next few weeks, a handing over ceremony will be held to mark the
official transfer of deeds. ( Date:
Friday, 9th May 2008 )
“Api Wenuwen Api” fund raising campaign in UK was ceremonially
launched on 6th May 2008, at the Sri Lanka High Commission in
London, with the hand over of the first raffle ticket book by
Major (retired) N L C Perera, who had served the Sri Lanka Army
for 26 years since 1949, to Her Excellency Kshenuka Senewiratne,
Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the UK.
The objective of the campaign is to raise a minimum of 100,000
sterling pounds, towards the housing project for serving the
disabled service personnel.Three Sri Lankan musical and cultural
shows will be held in September 2008 in London, Birmingham and
Manchester featuring artists drawn from the Sri Lankan Armed
Forces.
Donation towards this project could be contributed to “Api
Wenuwen Api” / HSBC account number 31676121 (branch sort code 40
- 05 - 19), or by cheque in favour of “Api Wenuwen Api”
addressed to Defence Adviser, Sri Lanka High Commission, London
W2 2LU.
Construction of 1620 houses are nearing completion under the
first phase of this project in Ipalogama, Anuradhapura. The
contribution from UK will be utilized for the second phase under
which houses will be built near Horowpatana in the same
district. These housing projects will provide for schools,
shopping complexes, a gymnasium and other amenities. The cost of
such housing units for a family has been estimated inclusive of
infrastructure development at approximately at £11,500. All
funds will be managed by the Ministry of Defence, Public
Security, Law and Order in Sri Lanka. For more information on
the project please visit websites
and
(Date: Tuesday, 6th May 2008)
