Student jamboree Sri lanka institute of architects - 2017

The Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA), under the Board of Architectural Education (BAE), has successfully held the Student Jamboree 2017 at the CHE Adventure Park in Hanwella from 15th to 17th September 2017. This year, the annual event was held for the 6th time, and form year 2012 of SLIA conducted its annual Student Jamboree for the students of two accredited schools of architecture in Sri Lanka, namely the University of Moratuwa (UOM) and the City School of Architecture (CSA). Including the event held in 2017, all previous events were a great success, with many benefits to the students, the community and new friendships fostered. A total of 100 selected architecture students from the two schools participated in this programme.
The objective of this programme, with regard to the students who expect to be practicing architects in the future, is mainly twofold: Development of leadership skills and confidence building, and Creating awareness and sensitivity towards social responsibilities. The 3-day event showcased planned initiatives around a focused theme to include sporting/physical training activities (with the objective to bring out talent, team spirit and competitiveness); a personality & leadership training programme conducted by trained staff in the selected Jamboree venue; and a social responsibility project (community service).

In creating awareness on social responsibilities (SR), the student undertook to renovate a building in an underprivileged school in an area in close proximity to the Jamboree site. This year, the proposed SR project was to renovate a selected building in Akarawita Maha Vidyalaya, Kosgama, Hanwella, with the assistance of 100 architecture students and their fellow mentors through socially responsible construction, on a volunteer programme that allows all participants to get involved in a variety of ways. The paint required were sponsored by Akzonobel Paints (Lanka) Pvt Ltd.

In In addition to this, with the assistance of The Merrill J Fernando Charitable Foundation Moratuwa, its special trainer Mrs. Rehana Wettasinhe conducted a skills development programme for the grade 1, 2 & 3 students of the school, and many students actively participated in the programme with their parents. Another programme was conducted for the students of grade 4, 5 & 6 by a retired principal Mrs. Hema Gunawardene about how to plan their future, and she provided the essential guidance to keep focus on education activities. With the kind sponsorship of Samson Rajarata Tiles limited (a subsidiary of DSI), all the students were provided a quality school bag and a drinking water bottle during the SR programme. National Savings Bank (NSB) has sponsored to open “Hapan” savings accounts to all the students by depositing the initial deposit by the bank itself. The manager of NSB Hanwella Nalin Wickramanayake handed over the savings pass books to the principal of the school Mr. Welikala. SLIA and the students of both architecture schools were able to fulfill another essential need of the school by donating four desktop computers for the school’s computer lab, where there was no working computers available. It is also to be mentioned that, through this SR programme, the students of both architectural schools donated all the necessary books to the school library as per the list obtained from the principal. This SR programme was a great opportunity to educate our students on community service, and let the young students at Akarawita Maha Vidyalaya interact and appreciate adult volunteers in their school, and see firsthand how members of their community value education and support their local school by fulfilling the essential and long-time unfulfilled needs.

For further development of the Student Jamboree program 2017, thanks to the voluntary dedication of the SLIA, the BAE, Jamboree committees and the administration. The BAE has been successful in achieving the said objective and has, over the years, recognised the spirit of corporation and camaraderie between the students of the two schools personally or over social media. As noted by the past chairpersons of the Jamboree Committees, many students have given positive feedback related to the respective Student Jamborees, which in turn have created unity and strengthened the will to serve the SLIA, working together in committees and groups as future professionals, helping and working for the benefit of the profession and the community in their environments. We achieved the same in the 2017 Student Jamboree.