31st May 2017: Students of Sri Lanka’s premier degree awarding institute, SLIIT held a fundraising walk and awareness programme titled ‘SLIIT Little Hearts Walk 2017’ recently in solidarity of children struggling with heart disease and other critical illnesses.
The event was coordinated by SLIIT’s Athwela Charity, the official charity arm of the Institute, which is managed and administered by student committees comprising of the Engineering, Computing and Business Management Faculties.
The primary objective of the event was to raise funds, collect donations and create awareness for the Little Hearts Fund; contributing towards the construction of the ‘Cardiac and Critical Care Complex’ – a ten-story state-of-art hospital wing to be built at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital ensuring every critically ill child in Sri Lanka has immediate access to quality care.
The well-organised event which began at the SLIIT Malabe Campus continuing through Battaramulla drawing a record number of students, participating with camaraderie and genuine enthusiasm, concluded at Rajagiriya. More than 1000+ students from SLIIT and several well-known personalities including International racing driver Racing Dilantha Malagamuwa and Inspector General of Police Pujitha Jayasundara actively joined in the SLIIT Little Hearts Walk.
A large number of people along the walk route also donated generously towards this noble cause. Contributing towards the overwhelming success of the event was Rev. Aludeniye Subodhi Thero of the Kaduwela Mahamewna Asapuwa and the Walk’s media partner ‘Shraddha TV’. The Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians also partnered the event. Support and advice by Dr. Lasantha Senevirathne and Dr. Gobithas Tharmarajah, Faculty of Engineering SLIIT were instrumental in initiating the event. Additionally SLIIT student bodies of the organsing faculties worked tirelessly towards the execution of the walk.
SLIIT continuously strives towards ensuing students have a combination of academics and soft skills moulding well-rounded youth. SLIIT’s Athwela Charity Programme comprises students as young volunteers who work in unison to bring a ray of hope in the life of many less fortunate in society. SLIIT has continuously engaged in several noteworthy social responsibility projects.
During the past three years, the students of SLIIT have provided 15 computers and the entire network requirements to Kudabolana Pagnaseeha Maha Vidyalaya in Ambalantota, 22 computers to Christ Church College in Baddegama and raised funds to install a water purifying system at the Padavi Sripura Hospital in Mahavilachiya,