Lionel Bandara | Deaf and Blind Aid Lanka

Donation from BAME & Forty Club

by Lionel Bandara | Mar 7, 2025 | Events

Sightseeing Tours

KALUTARA – Horetuduwa – Sri Chandrasekara School for the Deaf

A Heartfelt Thanks to Mike Arnold for His Generous Donation along with BAME & Forty Club members.

Mike Arnold, during his recent visit to Sri Lanka, made a generous donation of $200 and £140, amounting to 111,640 Sri Lankan Rupees. This contribution was made on behalf of Deaf and Blind Aid Lanka, with the support of some players from the Forty Club.

These funds are being utilized to take the children of Kalutara—Horetuduwa, Sri Chandrasekara School for the Deaf on a special day trip. This wonderful initiative will provide the children with an enjoyable and unforgettable experience.

As the committee and members of Deaf and Blind Aid Lanka, we extend our deepest gratitude to Mike Arnold for his thoughtful donation and his continued support of our mission. The funds were formally handed over to Mrs. Shirani Dissanayake, Managing Director of the school.

We look forward to sharing photos from this heart-warming trip on our site as soon as we receive them from the principal. Stay tuned to witness the joy this trip has brought to the children!

DABAL – Committee Meeting

by Lionel Bandara | Jan 25, 2025 | Committee Meetings

Report of Committee Meeting

Date: 25th January 2025

DABAL – Committee Meeting
Location: Indra Arulrajah’s Residence (one of our committee members)
The committee meeting commenced with a warm welcome at the residence of Indra Arulrajah, one of our esteemed committee members, who graciously hosted the gathering and treated everyone to delicious food.
Agenda Items Discussed: Adding Matale Koswana Special School to Donation List:

Donation school list for this year
1. Kandy – Senkadagala Deaf and Blind – Dodamwela
2. Matara – Rohana Special school – Welegoda
3. Gampaha – St Joseph’s School for the Deaf – Ragama
4. Kurunegala – Sandagala Special school – Uhumeeya
5. Matale – Koswana Special school – Kaikawala

The committee discussed the possibility of including Matale Koswana Special School in our donation list. Key considerations included the school’s needs and the potential impact of our support.

Future Projects:

The committee deliberated on upcoming projects and initiatives that align with our mission and vision. Various ideas were proposed, and further discussions will be held to finalise the plans.

Welcoming New Members:
Secretary Gaz Hameed: Officially welcomed as the new secretary.
New Committee Members: Shehan Pinidiya and Nanda Sandagiri were introduced and welcomed into the committee.

BUDS Charity Night visit by DABAL Trustees

by Lionel Bandara | Jan 4, 2025 | Events

BUDS – 2025

Chairman Lionel Bandara, Vice Chairman Ranjith Chandrasena, Treasurer Ruvini Ranatunga, and other friends from Deaf and Blind Aid Lanka charity organisation attended the Batticaloa Underprivileged Development Society charity night. Chairman Lionel Bandara was invited to light the candle during the opening ceremony. They were warmly welcomed, enjoyed traditional dancing, and had a delightful dinner. The trustees extended a warm welcome to the DABAL trustees as well.

BUDS is a non-governmental, non-religious, and non-profit organization committed to actively enhancing the dignity and quality of life of individuals, families, and communities by eliminating barriers to opportunity and helping people in need reach their fullest potential through the power of work and education.

DABAL representatives met Hon Sugath De Silva

by Lionel Bandara | Dec 2, 2024 | School-Projects

A meeting with Hon. Sugath De Silva in Sri Lanka

Since Shehan Pinidiya and I are in Sri Lanka, we managed to visit and have a meeting where we discussed useful information that we can utilise for our fourth round of a similar project within the same budget, which can be beneficial.

During our meeting, Hon. De Silva ( Hon de Silva is the first parliament member in the Sri Lanka history who selected to the current parliament on behalf of blind and Deaf people same like our Lord Colin Low) and the president Ms. Pathirage proposed the idea of ‘Smart Classrooms’ for children with hearing impairments, which we believe could greatly enhance their learning experience.

Additionally, we discussed the possibility of identifying objectives for blind children and understanding the current situation in the UK in similar schools.

As a trial, we can plan to implement smart classrooms in two schools with a higher number of blind children. If successful, this initiative could be expanded to other schools, benefiting not only hearing impaired children but also visually impaired children.

They need just a big screen and some other hardware devices with some cables. They agreed to provide more information to us, and we can discuss all in details in our next committee meeting before proceeding.

In a different note I am planning to travel on the 12th of December to Mathale to make sure if that new school is under our criteria to receive funds.

Lionel Bandara
Chairman – Deaf and Blind Aid Lanka

Christmas Carol – 24.11.2024

by Lionel Bandara | Nov 24, 2024 | Events

DABAL Advent Carol Concert 2024

DABAL extended a warm invitation to its Advent Carol Concert, held in the magnificent setting of St. John’s Church, Waterloo. The event commenced with a heartfelt Welcome Speech by the Chairperson of DABAL, followed by a choir Processional towards the altar.

The concert featured a diverse mix of solo and choral performances, showcasing music by classical composers such as Handel, Britten, Manz, and Adams. The audience also enjoyed well-known congregational and Nativity hymns, encouraging full participation.

The programme included:

Opening and Closing Prayers: Read by Canon Rev. Richard Truss
Bible Readings: Presented in both English and Tamil
Sinhalese Hymns: Performed by a Sinhalese choir
Tamil Hymns: Sung during the Bible readings
The event was a joyous occasion, bringing together a rich tapestry of musical and cultural expressions. It served as a fitting finale to DABAL’s charitable activities for 2024, leaving attendees with a sense of community and festive spirit.