Kaluwandura Exhibition at Waga, Hanwella.

The last planned activity of Kaluwandura Conservation Pilot project initiated by Dr. Rudy Rudran has come into end. The second exhibition for Kalu wandura Project was held on the 24^th August 2008 at Sri Pemananda Dharma school in Waga,Hanwella.

ECO-V and Kaluwandura Conservation team visited the temple the day before the exhibition and started making the exhibits with the help of the youth team whom we met during the first presentation. Initially we met only 4 boys but now there are around 15 youngsters who ended up volunteering to our activities. Jaliya, Srinath, Sampath and Pethum are some of them who never said “no” to any work. We all were so pleased about their enthusiasm and they gave us more energy to work in the future.

The high priest at the temple was the mentor of this youth group and always helped us by encouraging and supplying food and tea during work.

The chief guest at the exhibition was the Chairman of the Central Environmental Authority who appreciated our effort in conservation of this fast vanishing species and promised the state support and patronage for the future .

Kanchana also participated in a work shop organized by the South Asian Youth Environmental Network (SAYEN). SAYEN is a network among all the SARRC countries and trying to achieve a common goal in their respective countries. ECO-V also agreed to become a member of SAYEN as we also can contribute to achieve these goals through our environmental programmes for youth groups. During this workshop we all contributed to make the strategic plan for coming 5years to achieve the objectives of SAYEN.

Kanchana met Mr. Udaya Gammanpila, the Chairman to central Environmental Authority for the second time in the past week. She went to meet him with the invitation of Mrs. Shyamani Periapperuma the assistant Director to the Post consumer Polythene project of Sri Lanka. She requested ECO-V to conduct a survey to evaluate the situation of the recent policy on Polythene career bags at Supermarkets. This survey was a high priority for the Chairman of CEA and he personally thanked ECO-V for agreeing to do this survey voluntarily.

Kanchana and Thushara became fully involved with the strategic planning of ECO-V during the week end. After finishing the main activities for Kalu Wandura Pilot project we wanted to have some timn for us to plan the future work which we have been postponing for past few months. We are fully determined to organize all the work before we shift into the new office of ECO-V at the beginning of October.