This was reported by Mahalakotuwa eVillage. http://www.mahalakotuwamv.sch.lk/Newsinbrif/bpo.html

The first school base BPO in Sri Lanka starts from Mahalakotuwa.

Among the new trends of the world of Information Technology, which is rapidly developing it is going to be popular providing services through internet (BPO).It is one of the purposes of facilitating a rural village with Information Technology, to make familiar the village community with the new trends of the world and to give a strength to their economy too.
The children in Mahalakotuwa who are in a rural village in the central province, by the present have stepped to the occupations, providing their services through internet.This is remarkable because this is the very first time, a school in Sri Lanka has experimented such thing.
A Srilankan engineer Mr.Aruna Yasamanna living in Australia, co-ordinate this and enable the adult children  in this village to provide their services being in the village it self and doing occupations.Mr.Sudesh Nandasiri a businessman in Switzerland is served by the children in Mahalakotuwa.He has selected those children for above purpose specially by observing their talents and deeds.
Prasanna Pradeep Bandara a student who has faced his O/L examination has engaged in this job, to input and upgrade the Mr.Nandasiri’s business web sites. It is to give jobs for another four children in the future.
We offer our heartiest thanks to Mr.Sudesh Nandasiri,Who gave the opportunity for this and Mr.Yasamanna, who coordinated this and we expect to expand the occupations related to this field.

Please visit the Mirahawatta eVillage website at http://www.mirahawatta.org/

Please visit Mirahawatte eVillage blog at http://mirahawatta.wordpress.com/

Following schools from Western Province were selected to eVillage – Sri Lanka project.

1. Pili/Kothalawalapura M.V.    Rathmalana
2. Ho/Millakanda Tamil M.V.    Bulathsinhala
3. Minu/Al Aman Muslim M.V.    Galloluwa, Minuwangoda

Following schools from North Central Province were selected to eVillage – Sri Lanka project.

1. A/Pahalamaragahawewa Public School, Pahalamaragahawewa, Anuradhapura
2. A/Thakshila Public School, Mahavilachchiya, Anuradhapura
3. A/Wimalagnana Public School, Thanthirimale, Anuradhapura

Two more eVillages from Central Province join eVillage – Sri Lanka project. The following two schools were selected to carry out eVillage programs.

1. K/Wimaladharma Public School, Kaluntenna, Bopana
2. N/Ruphaha Public School, Halgranoya, Nuwara Eliya

Two more eVillages from Sabaragamuwa join eVillage – Sri Lanka project. The following two schools were selected to carry out eVillage programs.

1. Ke/Maththamagoda Rathnawali Public School, Maththamagoda, Kannanthota
2. R/Theppanawa Kumara Public School Theppanawa

Visit www.opatha.org the website of Opatha eVillage.

Opatha   is a remote village situated in the southern part of Sri Lanka and it belongs to the Thawalama division in Galle district. In the former set up   it was a part of Hinidum Patthu . It is surrounded by beautiful mountains. A vast stretch of green tea estates and paddy fields are two of the attractions.  Ugudu dola and Hulanda-ela  stream flow away with glistening water through the green fields .This village seems calm and quiet and there are about three thousand and two hundred of population .  It is divided in to four Gramasewa   areas   as   North, South, East and West.
Today   the population is increasing in this area because of the job opportunities that are from the tea plantation. Most of the people have privilege   lives   having   electricity   light, water supply and telephone facilities etc.
The main road is to access this village is Udugama – Akuressa road. There are good roads as well.

This info will be useful for young eVilllage leaders.

The search is on for the young community leader awards 2008, where all Sri Lankans who had done community services to his/her best ability would be selected according to the services he or she had done under a wide range of categories which could be;

* Peace building
* Human Rights
* Women’s Rights
* Child Rights
* HIV-AIDS
* Community Health
* Employment – Livelihood Development
* Youth Empowerment
* Culture and Arts
* Sports
* Agriculture and Irrigation
* Environmental Sustainability
* Education
* Disaster Management
* Information Communication Technology

The winner will receive a one million project grant and apart from the winner, the organisers are also appreciating the other individuals and will in fact choose three individuals from each category and reward them with gold, silver and bronze medals for their talent of helping the helpless with a lot of commitment.

The Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) – Youth Empowerment Division are finding the exact person who had reached the underprivileged in order to build a cohesive Sri Lanka.

The event is open for those between 15-30 years of age.

Application forms can be collected from BCIS-YCL Awards Secretariat or can be downloaded from www.bcis.edu.lk/ycl.

The Youth Services Officer affiliated to the National Youth Services Council through the AGA offices.

The applications are also available at the main office and the regional offices of the following; Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association, Sri Lanka Scouts Association, Young Men’s Christian Association, Young Women’s Christian Association, All Ceylon Buddhist Congress, Rotary Club, Family Planning Association, Young Entrepreneurs Sri Lanka, All Ceylon Hindu Congress, Muslim Peace Secretariat.

Applications close on May 10.

For more details contact the BCIS-YCL Awards Secretariat, Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies, BMICH, Colombo 7, Tel.: 011-2698019, 077-3988093, E-mail: ycl@bcis.edu.lk, Visit: www.bcis.edu.lk

Visit www.batuwangala.org to see the Batuwangala eVillage website. Batuwangala blog is at http://batuwangala.wordpress.com/.