E News

A joint bulletin by The Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka & The Rotaract Club of Kowloon Golden Mile, Hong Kong MAY 2011

E DITORS N OTE It gives a great pleasure for us to publish this newsletter. The idea of a joint newsletter was first incepted when the Rotaract Club of Kowloon Golden Miles, Hong Kong completed its international understanding trip to Sri Lanka, with the Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka being the hosts. Thus, here is the first edition. We believe that through the newsletters the relationship between the two clubs and the two cultures will enhance more day by day and the friendships we built will grow from strength to strength. We would be able to share what we do, not only with each other but with the family of rotary, which spreads through the entire globe. Viva La Rotaract.
Rtr. Jennie Wong ,President, Rotaract Club of Kowloon Golden Mile Rtr. Sandamali Devadithya, Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa

I NSIDE .. FOSTER INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING OVER CONTINENTS HANDZ: THE INTELLECTUAL TASK FORCE KGM AND R.I.DISTRICT 3450 TO REBUILD SOCIAL HARMONIZATION IN A MODERN HONG KONG COMMUNITY SOME THINGS YOU CANNOT FIND IN WIKIPEDIA ABOUT HONG KONG SRI LANKA A LAND LIKE NO OTHER

Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa

Rotaract Club of Kowloon Golden Mile

FOSTER INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING OVER CONTINENTS

Thomas Chan, International Service Director, Rotaract Club of Kowloon Golden Mile and Rtr. Dulitha Wanniarachchi, Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa

C OMMUNITY S ERVICE P ROJECTS IN P OLLONNARUWA

Rotaract Club of Kowloon Golden Mile completed international service trip to Sri Lanka from Dec 27, 2010 to Jan 3, 2011, in collaboration with the host club, Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa in RID 3220. With the sponsorship from Rotary Club of Kowloon Golden Mile, two community service projects have been successfully implemented in the Polonnaruwa Kuruppu Handiya village. In deploying theses projects the KGM teamed up with the HandZ (one of the best community service projects initiated by the Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa.) KGMs funds to construct drinking water facility and lavatory By providing funding to construct the drinking water facility and lavatory in their town hall, the villagers can make full use of the place to conduct various educational, cultural and religious events. This well equipped centre will promote unity and harmony within the villages, and provide necessary infrastructure which were seriously lacking in the past. Drinking Water facility was declared open by the presidents of the two clubs and the first stones were laid for the lavatory for the Community Centre of the village. Preceding these events there was a very warm welcome by the villagers and their society for both Rotaract clubs of KGM and UoM and we were escorted to the community centre with a procession. There was a colorful ceremony including dances of pre-school children in the village. The donation of six laptops and over 300 elementary English books to the Lankapura education zone in Polonnaruwa, comprising of

At Pollonnaruwa Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa Rotaract Club of Kowloon Golden Mile

6692 school children in 17 schools, helps to connect the underprivileged students to the world and provide opportunities to those who are hard-working and eager to learn. The laptops were awarded to the very top students in Polonnaruwa and the books were distributed among schools to build up their local library. Amidst difficulties caused by rain the rotaractors from both clubs were so enthusiastic in taking part of the event and so were the school children, principals of respective schools as well as the Directors of the zonal education offices. Ceremony was once again filled with colorful events where there was traditional Kandyan Dancing.

I NTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP

BETWEEN

KGM R OTARACTORS & COUNTERPARTS

FROM

S RI L ANKA

Rotaractors from KGM participated in a joint meeting with RotaractMora in Colombo before leaving to Pollonnaruwa for the above mentioned community service projects. Members from both clubs enjoyed music and songs along the journey to Pollonnaruwa. A camp fire was also organized as the rotaractors began to count down for the dawn of 2011 in Kandy. A visit to the temple of Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha was also arranged. Delegation also visited Sigiriya, Pinnawala Elephant orphanage and other sites in Kandy such as the University of Peradeniya. Rotaractors from University of Moratuwa guided the counterparts from Hong Kong in these places as it fostered cultural exchange. Back in Colombo, the delegation spent a day at a Childrens home, bringing smiles to the faces of the little children who were less fortunate. A farewell dinner was arranged in the beach side as the two clubs marked a new beginning of a relationship in the family of Rotaract. Video of the whole project: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBxFIBZk-ns

Celebrating the New Year

Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa

Rotaract Club of Kowloon Golden Mile

M ORE M EMORIES

The joint meeting

Smiles at the children's home

Leisure time at Colombo

Organizers at Sigiriya

Two Presidents

Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa

Rotaract Club of Kowloon Golden Mile

HANDZ: THE INTELLECTUAL TASK FORCE

HandZ, a community service project initiated by the Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa is not just another community service project. HandZ is unique in its own way and in recognition of its virtues HandZ has been selected the Rotaract Outstanding Projects: South Asia Districts Winner by the Rotary International. HandZ does not believe in material donations itself for we believe that they will tend to weaken the ability of the community to stand up on their own feet. Which is why the donations we do is such that it will compliment the service rendered by our volunteers; and the day-to-day life of children and villagers for a better future. One of the most effective yet inexpensive methods that we found to address the quality of life issues of beyond the suburbs is to uplift the education levels of the community through focusing on the next generation; children of schooling age. For this noble feat, it was recognized that the North Central province of the country is the most suited to focus our initial efforts on. Situated almost 200km away from Colombo, the North Central province is one of the largest provinces in the island with the majority of its population being based in agricultural villages with low average income levels and minimum education facilities. It has been a year of successful endeavors for the Handz with its annual theme being on Rural Education Development. With the multiple phases conducted under the Handz project portfolio, the Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa was able to directly impact over 1000 school children with its educational seminars, workshops, counseling and mentoring programs. The programs were not only meant to uplift their educational standards but also their mentality and motivation. The library facilities of 19 schools that

Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa

Rotaract Club of Kowloon Golden Mile

cater to over 4000 children were uplifted with nearly a 1000 books being donated.

Furthermore, through its efforts, Handz with the collaboration of another project under the International Understanding umbrella; namely the Sri Lankan visit of Rotaractors of Kowloon Golden Mile (KGM), Hong Kong reached out to hundreds of families through contributing to their childrens education with book donations, laptop donations, and also through the provision of water/ sanitary facilities for the village community center.

Through HandZ, we believe that we have contributed immensely to the communities and individuals in need of our help. In spite of the heavy schedules of the university, we found time to lend our hands to those who needed our support to stand on their feet. This is just the beginning and we have already made a memorable difference in a community which is also a part of us. In years to come, we believe that HandZ would climb up the ladder and make a difference in all the lives that crosses its path.

KGM AND R.I.DISTRICT 3450 TO REBUILD SOCIAL HARMONIZATION IN A MODERN HONG KONG COMMUNITY
Jennie Wong, President , Rotaract Club of Kowloon Golden Mile 2010-11

Hong Kong is facing various social problems such as long working hours and aging population. Lacking communication leads to family tragedies up to an alarming level. In November and December 2010, Rotaract Club of Kowloon Golden Mile organized a two-day project named Care of Our Neighbors, Share Our Love including group games, magic shows and a half-day outing in a local farm to encourage parentchildren communication; then an elderly-children Gala Party on the second day to bring happiness and harmony to the neighbourhood. This project is selected to be sponsored by DSG (District Simplified Grants) in RID 3450.

Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa

Rotaract Club of Kowloon Golden Mile

In the upcoming World Rotaract Week, RID 3450 also integrates the youth and elderly in one community service project from February to April 2011, with the active participation of Rotarians and Rotaractors. A series of cultural exchange events will bring forward the idea of social harmonization to various age groups in Hong Kong. The three events from 26 February to 2 April 2011 are Traditional Food and Handicraft Making: Make traditional local snacks and handicraft with the guidance of staff and students of Shine Skills Centre, which provides vocational training for disabled in Hong Kong. World Rotaract Week (WRW): Celebration among Rotarians, Rotaractors, volunteers and project participants. Hand-made special souvenirs will be sent to needy in Mongolia as distant blessings. Treasure Hunt: Led by Rotaractors and Rotarians, groups of elderly and children will participate in a Treasure Hunt on a cultural trail to experience local history and encourage team building and the inheritance of intangible culture among different age groups.

Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa

Rotaract Club of Kowloon Golden Mile

SOME THINGS YOU CANNOT FIND IN WIKIPEDIA ABOUT HONG KONG

Simon Kwong, Professional Development Director, Rotaract Club of Kowloon Golden Mile 2010-11 From Wikipedia, you will know that HK was a British colony until 1997 when sovereignty was handed over to the Peoples Republic of China; HK now has a population of over 7 million, among which 95% are Chinese and 0.2% are of South Asian origins including Sri Lanka; most of the local people practice a mixed of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism with 8% of the population are Christians; HK has a humid subtropical climate with hot and rainy summers and cold and dry winters; etcThis article is about some things you cannot find in Wikipedia about HK.

HK S U NIVERSITY S TUDENTS
HK now has 9 public universities and numerous tertiary institutions, providing around 15,000 graduates with bachelor degree each year. While most of our university students are brilliant in academic performance, there are recent concerns that they are not mature and tough enough to survive in the working environment after graduation. The story of Mr. Juicy Tea, a graduate who have obtained a master degree in statistics in a local university, occupied the headline of a local newspaper last week. He had a notorious record of failing to get a job after 200 plus interviews. A human resources manager after interviewing him commented that he was in total lack of social skills, self-confidence and direction in career development. The assistant of the said human resources manager asked him coffee or tea? before the interview. He said, I want a cup of juice. When further asked Sir, we just have coffee or tea , he replied then tea please, err do you have juicy tea? It is hoped that he, and indeed other university graduates, know whats wrong with that attitude.

Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa

Rotaract Club of Kowloon Golden Mile

HK S W OMEN
HK was one of the earliest Chinese societies which embraced the principal of equality between men and women. The Sex Discrimination Ordinance was enacted in 1995 prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex, marital status and pregnancy and promoting equal opportunities in education, career development and social status between men and women. Usually having better skills in handling inter-personal relationships and more details-oriented, many HK women are enjoying better career development than their male counterparts and are occupying important positions in the government, in the business sector and even in international institutions. One successful example is Ms. Margaret Chan the present Director General of the World Health Organization who was the Director of Health of the HK Government before she took up that post.

However, some of the HK women are also being criticized as too materialistic, sarcastic, picky and even bitchy. They are categorized as Kong Girls an over-generalized and prejudicial stereotype of all Hong Kong women. While some of the HK girls dislike the label as expected, some of my friends are proud of being dubbed a Kong Girl (for unknown reasons). Anyhow, I can assure you that none of the girl members of Rotaract Club (KGM) have the said characteristics of Kong Girls and all of them are independent, caring, tough and kind.

HK S E CONOMY

AND

S OCIETY

Being the largest IPO (initial public offerings) centre and the freest economy in the world last year, HK has everything to be proud of as an international financial and trading centre. However, being the city with the highest Gini Coefficient in Asia and one of the most expansive cities in the world, HK has everything to be shameful of being one of the hardest places to live for the under-privileged. The HK government is always being criticized as doing little, if any, to reduce the ever widening income gap between the rich and the poor and implementing policies heavily titled in favour of the land developers in HK. The richest men in HK are all land developers, including Mr. Li Ka Shing the richest person in Asia and the 14th richest person in the world. He is the head of a large business conglomerate with business in shipping, telecommunication, retailing, property, and anything you can think of which is related to our daily life. Some HK people suggest that HKSAR (the short name of The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) should be renamed as LKSAR, i.e. Li Ka Shing Administrative Region to show who is the real ruler of HK.

Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa

Rotaract Club of Kowloon Golden Mile

Recently, Hong Kong has won the laureate again. A survey conducted by an international urban planning consultant firm declares that HK beats London, New York and San Francisco as the worlds most unaffordable city in buying a flat - unaffordable in terms of the median house price relative to the median income of Hong Kong people. We simply have to work for the whole life for a small flat! Hong Kong has just passed a law on minimum wage and is debating a competition bill in the legislature. Lets wait and see how they are going to change the socio-economic landscapes of Hong Kong. Times up for this issue. Do let me know if anything you want to know about HK that you cannot find in Wikipedia. See you next time!

SRI LANKA A LAND LIKE NO OTHER

Rtr. Sandamali Devadithya, Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa Early morning, the sun worships the sacred Samanala peak three times before waking up this beautiful island. At the Samanala peak starts several water streams including the vein of the country the Mahaweli River. These streams flow down the mountains, against the barriers of rocks and trees finding its way towards the ocean, making up huge rivers which add more colour to the beauty of the island. Covered all around by the seas of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is known as the pearl of the Indian Ocean. It is indeed a pearl, with tall waterfalls, seen as if coming from heaven; the mountains, holding up the pride of the nation; beaches all around, giving the sense of serenity; and of course the trees and the animals to complete the picturesque view.

Samanala Peak

Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa

Rotaract Club of Kowloon Golden Mile

Over the past years Sri Lanka was on world news due to the terrorist activities. But now after thirty years the people in Sri Lanka live freely with no threats of bomb explosions or terrorism. During those hard time people in Sri Lanka stood as one, helping others and giving strength and support to gain that victory to Mother Lanka. Though each individual may hold different personal view as a nation Sri Lanka is united. It was very much evident during the recently concluded Cricket World Cup 2011, where Sri Lanka was a co host. Cricket is the life of Sri Lanka. Play grounds, vacant lands and even roads which are not busy are always occupied by children and adults playing cricket. At the exciting finals of the world cup, when Sri Lanka got defeated disappointment was evident in the country. But nevertheless the Runners Up team was welcomed and honored with so much love where we showed the world the spirit of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has a magnificent history of over 2500 years. The stories of Kings and Queens which we listened to in our childhood days will never be forgotten. When travelling in Anuradhapura and Pollonnaruwa the dagabas, ruins of castles, huge water tanks show the skills and the technology ancient Sri Lanka owned. It gives an innocent pride to hearts of Sri Lanka.

Captain of the cricket team, warmly welcomed

Sri Lanka owns a rich culture. The biggest cultural event is the Kandy Perehara, a pageant to respect the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha, happening in the month of August. The dancers and drummers with a unique Kandyan style, baby elephants walking playfully, the magnificent tusked elephants dressed in beautiful costumes is indeed very beautiful sight which must be witnessed. The people in Sri Lanka are blessed with humanity. Whenever there is a disaster or even a small trouble, all people in Sri Lanka get together to help the community in need. Whether it is a sad occasion or a joyful event, the neighbors are seen getting ready to share the sorrows or joy. In Sri Lanka rarely anybody feels alone. Hospitality has been practiced by Sri Lankans over the years. No guest will leave without being treated like a king. But the best thing of Sri Lankan people is their smile. Sri Lankan people are always in smiles and that smile reflects what Sri Lanka is all about.

Sri Lankan leopard

Captures from the Kandy Perehara Ancient Sri Lanka

Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa

Rotaract Club of Kowloon Golden Mile