i4d award winner Shilpa Sayura wants CSR to help 400 villages Children

Source: www.shilpasayura.org         Location: Colombi, Sri Lanka
Created By: ictsrilanka on 29-Nov-2007 5:43 PM

PRESS RELEASE
29 - Nov - 2007
i4d award winner Shilpa Sayura wants CSR to help  400 villages Children

The Shilpa Sayura Project Initiated by e Fusion, as a Digital Self Learning Solution for handicapped rural students of Sri Lanka, gained international recognition winning the prestigious i4d award at the eINDIA 2007 conference in New Delhi, now seek CSR support to replicate the system in 400 rural villages of Sri Lanka. Shilpa Sayura also has become a finalist for The Stockholm Challenge GKP Awards to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on December 13, 2007.


Shilpa Sayura developed in Sinhala Language and successfully piloted in 20 Nenasala Tele Centers, facilitating Digital Self Learning for 8 GCE Ordinary Level Subjects in the National Curriculum as an alternative educational solution for lack of teachers and resources in rural villages.  Shilpa Sayura was initiated with a grant of Rs. 5m from ICTA e-SDI.

This innovative home grown local language solution which created a Sri Lankan hallmark in the international arena seems a new ICT limelight for developing rural education. As well as a fine solution for over 400 Island wide Nenasala Tele Centers and School ICT Labs lacking Sinhala Educational Content.  A demo of the systems is hosted on
www.shilpasayura.org

Shilpa Sayura creates a hope in rural children to come up in life on their own to develop careers in ICT and Business. It can help developing most needed manpower for Sri Lankan economy.

Shilpa Sayura Foundation is now being formed to enable multi stakeholder participation for expanding Island wide villages and invites Corporate Citizens and NGOs to become a stakeholder in developing education in rural villages.

"We tried to innovate something through ICT that can change lives of rural students operating Shilpa Sayura in 20 villages. The i4d award has entrusted us with a new responsibility to expand Shilpa Sayura Island wide villages needing a better education, We need to reach corporate CSRs and NGOs for help to build a foundation" says Niranjan Meegammana, Shilpa Sayura. Project Director.

The quality of Shilpa Sayura has been commended by National Institute of Education, Universities of Colombo and Moratuwa and appreciated by Teachers, Parents and Students. 

Shilpa Sayura has demonstrated the usability of Sinhala Unicode endorsed by Sri Lanka, marking a milestone in the history of Sinhala Language. It directs local education to a new path indicating how rural communities can be developed through digital means.

"We got lot of support form ICTA, NIE, Nenasala, Teachers , Village Communities, Students, Professionals and Volunteers for the pilot, It has actually become a fashion for all us to do something for our country in return for the free education we all have had." further said Niranjan Meegammana, Project Director of the Shilpa Sayura.

More information of Shilpa Sayura availalable at www.shilpasayura.org

A media and Shilpa Sayura felicitation event to be held on Nov 29, 2007 at Excel word at 3.00 PM , and a CSR Fund Raising Event to be held on 30 th Nov, 2007 at 6.00 PM followed by Traditional Village "Sokari  Mangalyaya"  organized for special invitees

Background

The Shilpa Sayura project initiated by e Fusion received a grant of Rs. 5 Million from the ICTA e-SDI fund in 2006. Shilpa Sayura Digital Self Learning System is the brain child of Niranjan Meegammana, a pioneer in R & D of local language ICT and educational content in Sri Lanka. 

Shilpa Sayura provides an interactive means of self study and helpful as a learning resource to children in remote, rural areas who do not have adequate educational resources and teachers. Even children who do have access resources can refer to Shilpa Sayura for self study and to better understand a subject that is being taught in school.


Shilpa Sayura addresses a burning global problem of rural student education providing am innovative digital solution in a local context.
The content of Shilpa Sayura includes text, supported by animations, photos, audio, video and interactive exercises.  It is therefore go far beyond a textbook's ability to impart subject knowledge. Further more Shilpa Sayura also provides a platform on which students can interact with one another, share and exchange knowledge.

The content of Shilpa Sayura has been generated and reviewed by a panel of teachers from around the country and piloted with school children and teachers from 20 Nenasala communities. The feedback received has been used to further upgrade subject matter and improve its delivery.

Shilpa Sayura also been demonstrated to His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa, National Institute of Education (NIE), Universities Colombo and Moratuwa as well as Computer Society of Sri Lanka. Shilpa Sayura has been awarded prestigious i4D award at e-INDIA conference 2007 at New Delhi and become finalist in the Stockholm Challenge GKP Awards to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on December 13, 2007.

Shilpa Sayura designed to be deployed on a local network of rural tele centers, schools or even on a single PC at a temple or home. It follows the GCE Ordinary Level National Curriculum of the NIE, and currently supports learning 11 subjects for O/L including English, ICT, Science, Math, Sinhala, Tamil, History, Geography, Environment, Sinhala, Art, Dance and Music.

The Shilpa Sayura pilot project successfully piloted in 20 Nenasala Tele Centers has created a great demand from other rural communities and rural schools with ICT labs. The project seeks assistance from corporate CEOs and NGOs to expand it to 400 other Nenasala Tele Center communities and to increase content subjects.

Shilpa Sayura is the first home grown Sinhala Language Digital Self Learning System conforming to the Sri Lanka Standard SLS 1134 standard known as Sinhala Unicode, which is officially endorsed by the Government of Sri Lanka. It is also the first Sinhala Language Digital Learning Solution which received an international recognition winning i4D award in India and becoming a finalist in Stockholm Challenge.

Shilpa Sayura opens a new path and an alternative mean for rural education development, creating an opportunity for handicapped but talented rural students to reach their full potential. Shilpa Sayura success should be an eye opener for Corporate CSRs, NGOs and ICT based Education projects.

Comments

Reshan Dewapura, COO, ICTA commending the achievement says, "To receive the ICT4D award at e-INDIA 2007 is very prestigious. The fact that it was only one of two projects out-side India to win an award makes it even more significant. This really is a tribute to e-Fusion, the e-Soc team at ICTA and everyone else who contributed to this effort. It goes to show that we can develop home grown, bottom-up applications that can make a difference in our rural societies."

Dr. Prasanna Lokuge, The vice president of Computer Society of Sri Lanka says "A Sinhala education software receiving recognition in India which is an ICT giant, should be an eye opener for Sri Lankan software industry and education sector"

"This is a very good initiative for curbing rural education issues" says Dr. I. L Ginige, director technology of the National Institute of Education.

"The content in shilpa sayura is very good" says Dr. Ajith Pasquql, Head of Telecommunications Faculty of Moratuwa University.

"We plan to work with Shilpa Sayura to reach grass roots for ICT ecducation" says Dr. K.P. Hewagamage, Head of E Learning Center University of Colombo.

Shilpa Sayura Teachers group coordinator Yamuna Ratnayaka says "It's a very happy moment for us, having being involved in a project that won an International award. It's even more valuable as it really helps rural children to come up in life."

e Fusion CEO Gamini Pathirana says "I was there at e India 2007, when the award was given to Niranjan, the atmosphere was amazing. All the people cheered for Sri Lanka. The recognition received was great. I felt great to be a Sri Lankan. It's time that we start believing in our own local solutions and innovations like Shilpa Sayura. It should be replicated in Villages Island wide"

e SDI Head Chithrangani Mubaraq says "We have received many requests from Nenasala Tele Centers, to implement Shilpa Sayura in their community, It's e fusion's commitment made the project a success."

"I see the horizon of ICT is being extended through projects like Shilpa Sayura." Says Chandralal Wickramapatirana, esenze and former President of Computer Society Sri Lanka.

Kandiyapitawewa Nenasala Operator Sampath Millagahatenna Says "Children coming to our Tele Center has doubled with Shilpa Sayura, and they love it, It also has created great interest in poor parents who has to send their children 35 km in case if they want to provide a good education"

Madumadini a Student at Walawa Nadee School, Padalangala says "I selected Shilpa Sayura to help me with my studies, Specially the English, Math and Science has helped me to improve a lot"

Rajiv Ranjan , Consultnt ICT4D, Chairman e-SDI focus group says "Shilpa Sayura has addressed a global problem in a local context, it needs expansion into more villages"

"We have shown that ICTA's investment of Rs 5 Million for a pilot has become fruitful. Our ICT innovation for rural education development has brought our country fame, we could do much more, if the project can get support from CSRs and NGOs and policy makers" urges Niranjan Meegammana.

www.shilpasayura.org

 

Web Site: http://www.shilpasayura.org

Contact Name: Niranjan

651 people have read this article