After I sat for my Advanced Level examination I was selected to participate in a two-month course on web designing at a software company called Eurocenter in Kollupitiya. The knowledge I obtained during these two months was most beneficial to me. If I had not been a student at Horizon I would not have had the opportunity of realizing my dream.
The course was indeed very interesting. Most students complain that such courses are boring and uninteresting. Having completed the course with success, I cannot agree with them. Web designing was made interesting by the varied teaching methods implemented by the instructors. At first, with the guidance of our instructors, we successfully designed a web site for the Eurocenter sports club. With the experience we gained we learned how to manage a project, meet with customers’ requirements, manage time for new ideas, work with a time table, work in a team and how a company functions etc. At Eurocenter we also learned to play Table tennis and even took part in a tournament.
My thanks go to my dear Eurocenter friends who were kind and friendly and made our stay quite pleasant.
Oh yes, I almost forgot to mention that I took part in a delightful Christmas party and also in their year-end gathering. I have never been to a Christmas party before. It was really nice and joyful. Santa was there too! He gave me a gift and the office staff sang carols. The year end party which was held at the Holiday Inn Hotel was one of my nicest experiences.
I shall never ever forget these wonderful two months and once more I would like to thank all the staff members of Eurocenter especially the CEO Mr Mano Sekaram and Mr Johann De Cruz for giving this chance to us.

I feel certain that most readers of this article have heard of Mahavilachchiya, a rural village in the midst of Wilpaththu National Park.  We were a happy and fortunate community before the war started in Sri Lanka, ours being the most developed e-village in the country.  But now misfortune has come upon us.  You may ask why I pose this question.  A very prominent farmer and loving father of four children, Mr. Karurathana, has been kidnapped, most probably, by the LTTE.
He worked by the sweat of his brow to earn a living and provide for his wife and for his children, all of whom are talented students.  His eldest daughter is a student at the Colombo University.  Aruni, his second daughter who is a classmate of mine is quite clever and was hoping to enter university this year.  Unfortunately due to the disappearance of her father she was not able to concentrate on her studies.  During her preparations for her examinations, her father who had gone out to oversee his paddy crops failed to return home at the usual time. Her Mum was anxious about his delay and sent her son to look out for him.
Meanwhile two home guards broke the sad news to them that Mr Karunarathana had been forcefully taken away by the LTTE.  Aruni and her sister have made several appeals to the public to be of help but there has been no response.
If anyone can be of help please do not hesitate to contact us.

Today all of you know that I am a girl living in the rural village of Mahavilachchiya.  But if I was not living in this village would anyone know about me?  Now, I think I’m quite a lucky girl.  I am proud to say that I am a member of the first batch of students at the Horizon Lanka Foundation.   This is my story about how I came into contact with Horizon Lanka. When I was in grade 4 we met the founder of HLF, Mr. Wanni.  At that time he was our English teacher.   His method of teaching was so interesting that we engaged in extra activities in English, making it our favorite subject.  Most of the students in the rural villages were not happy to see an English teacher in their class room.  It was not the students’ fault.  The teachers should have created an interest in the students for English and Mr. Wanninayaka is a brilliant example of knowing how to attract the interest of the students.   He made English our favorite subject at school. I am sure all of you have read about the history of our HLF and I won’t waste too much time repeating all that!  But I’m sure you will like to know how my life changed with the help of the Horizon Lanka Foundation.  For a start I must confirm that with HLF my education was a great success.  I was given an inestimable education in English for which I had an “A” pass in the Ordinary Level examination.  This gift was given to me by HLF. 

Horizon Lanka also provides students with scholarships.  It helped me to improve my education and with the help of my scholarship I was able to attend extra classes in preparation for our A/Ls.

If I did not have the chance of joining HLF I would, perhaps, have never seen a computer.  But now we are fortunate that computers are part of our day to day life.  Thanks to HLF I can operate a computer like others operate a TV.  Of course the credit goes to HLF.  I was given the chance of becoming the first Digital Butterfly and became the first Digital Ambassador.  With the help of the Horizon projects, Digital Butterflies and Digital Ambassadors, I was given a desktop computer and a laptop computer.  This means that I can further my IT training and hope to be a success in the future. With the help of MESH technology at Horizon my home got free internet access 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  I can now check my mails, communicate with friends and donors and develop my IT knowledge.

I want to thank Mr. Wanni and all others who helped to create Horizon and who provided us with all the educational opportunities.

Most of educationists are presenting different comments about Education and usage of education. With their assistance education system has been designed. Although there are many difficulties to get a proper education, many students could achieve high level educational qualification. But after they got their degree, they have to stand in a queue to get a job. Is it the best education system? All human like to get a great job with a very good salary. But in Sri Lanka students have to spend money to get jobs which is more than they spent for their education. Because they have to pay a lot of money for getting extra qualifications like ICT, Management, English, etc. But most of them do not get as match with their educational qualifications.

As far as I am concerned, our education system should be responsible for this. Our education system should be change. It should be changed according to our country. Present education system provides job opportunities in overseas but not in motherland. The government spends money for giving an education to the people in the country and once they finish it, they go aboard for a job. It is not their fault. They go to make their future successful.

Our education system should be changed. It should create job opportunities. After that we can develop our country as well.

For that, parents have high hopes about their children. Children like to do different activities in their childhood. It will create their future. So parents have to search it carefully and at the suitable age child should get a standard education. Stranded education should help develop their childhood talents. Parents should talk to teachers about children’s talents and their preferences. And then teachers can guide them. Since students have different talents education system should be capable to identify their talents. Some children are talent for building things, creating new things, finding some new things, etc. So our education system should change like this. So then we can develop our country.

I am a girl in remote village of Mahavilachchiyaya village. It is 40 kilometers away from Anuradhapura city. At the suitable age I started my schooling. I like studies very much. Every day I go to school. When I was in grade 4 a new teacher came to our class. He started checking our nails. He advised us to keep our bodies clean. He taught English songs and English dramas. We liked them. Later we knew he was our English teacher. His name is Mr. Nandasiri Wanninayaka. He taught us English well. Before his arrival, we didn’t like English. But after his arrival English became our favorite subject. Soon we stared a journal.. Its name was Horizon. That was begun of Horizon Lanka Foundation. I belong to the first batch of Horizon Lanka students . My name is Iresha Dilhani and completed my 18 on the 4^th of November. My first education discontinuity succeed in 2004. It was the Ordinary Level examination. My results were best. I could get 4 “A” passes include English and 5 “C” passes. I am found to say that if I wasn’t a Horizon student, I will not get “A” pass for English. Now I am Advanced Level student in our village school in Arts stream. I am doing Political Science, Sinhala and Buddhist civilization. My favorite is Political science why the society becomes our lab. Then we can do some research with happy.       My parents are farmers. They work had to make our lives a success. I think my parents are the best in this world. I hope to treat them well after becoming a successful citizen in this country. It is my duty. My family members are living happily. We have some problems. But we not moved. We live happily.  I have many hobbies like reading books and newspapers, collecting stamps and articles about animals and birds, writing to pen pals and e-friends, talking to friends in English and cracking jokes, playing, dancing, participating in debates and making handicrafts.I have selected reading books as my hobby since it helps me to concentrate the mind. And also we can collect many facts about the world by collecting stamps and articles. And we can improve our writing by writing to pen pals. By talking to friends in English we are able to improve our English knowledge. Participating in debates is also a fine hobby that gives us knowledge. Usually I participate in all debates in our school.

I hope to live in the society respectfully. Therefore, I would like to improve my inborn talent for speech. I am training my self for that particular purpose. That is because I hope that it will assist me in my future career. I get the assistance of my teachers, parents, and friends for this. So, I should be thankful to them. My best computer program is Programming. It is very interesting why we can crate own ideas. Unfortunately I couldn’t get regular education about programming. At the moment Mr. Nirosh who a teacher in Horizon Lanka Academy teaches when his is free. I wanna follow a reputed programming course. I try to in my best to succeed it.  Then I can become a good programmer in the future.

I am doing more activities in different. First I glad to say about my academic work. I could get best results on my Ordinary Level examination in 2004. My results were, for English, for Sinhala A, for buddhist  A, for healthy A,for science C, for mathematic C, for social Studies C for commerce C, and for Arts C. I am the wife president of school debit team. We could win more competitions those between schools. Also I am participating speaking competition. In 2005 I won the Second place in whole district organized by education ministry of Anuradhapura. In 2006 I could win first place the competition organized by healthy community of Anuradhapura. I am doing sports too. I am a netball player in my school team.December, 2005 is a month that I never forgot that I got a special chance to meet Intel CEO in live. During his first visit in Sri Lanka there was an invitation to Horizon Lanka foundation. There for I was lucky get this grate opportunity. We were 4 members including Mr. Wanninayaka who CEO of Horizon Lanka foundation. We did a live presentation with Dr. Craig R. Barrett. After the presentation he was very happy about us and donated 4 brand new laptops for us. We thank to him.