Purnima Pilapitiya

The Stromme Foundation also set up pre-schools in the village, and just like the co-operative society this too is now a community effort. A volunteer worker at the pre-school, Ranmalee Fernando said, “Many didn’t quite know what a preschool was like.”

Being trained by the Foundation to teach and also having gone through other training offered by the Fisheries Ministry Ranmalee says she took part in awareness campaigns such as promoting health. “We were taught how to analyse a problem and find solutions, of the values we required and even the exercise of patience and tolerance. It is because of this that we were able to survive this long and these values are still with us.”

These values of equality and fairness in the community have stood strong. “Leadership is raised from the members of the society and no bias or favour is shown. The AGM ensures that the leadership reflects the views of the majority. Though a steering committee is present control is vested in the membership,” she says.

Ranmalee believes that although offic- ers from Stromme helped set it up, it was the people of the village that strengthened the society. “Just like how these buildings were put up and completed the village too has been built up from the ground.” Reflecting on the integrity and commitment of their founders she says, “Honesty is also important for civil society. It is because of everyone’s honesty and dedication to the development that it has been a success.”