About the fund
Devshan Weerasekera is no more but everything he stood for in education and extra- curricular activities lives on through the ‘Cure Devshan Fund’ which has metamorphosed into the Devshan Weerasekera Memorial Trust Fund (DWMTF).
The DWMTF is seeking applications from Principals to award educational grants of Rs. 2,500 a month each for the full period to needy students after the 2019 Ordinary Level (O/L) examination results are released, who wish to continue their Advanced Level (A/L) studies.
For more information contact: Devshan Weerasekera Memorial Trust Fund, 5/2 Good Hope Residencies, No. 37, Sagara Road, Colombo 4. Email: cweerase69@yahoo.com
The DWMTF is managed by many eminent people including Devshan’s parents. Chaired by Prof. Amala de Silva, the others comprise Dr. Ruwangi Dissanayake, Shaktha Amarathunga, Dhammika Nanayakkara, Manjula Makumbura and Supun Jayasinghe.
Launched on August 17, 2018, it supports children who have passed the O/L the previous year and done extra- curricular activities. Starting initially with a monthly grant of Rs. 2,000, now it has been increased to Rs. 2,500, for these children to pursue the A/Ls in a Sri Lankan school. Even for the December 2017 and 2018 O/L batches, their grant is to be increased by Rs. 500 per month for the remaining period.
Nirupa explains how the DWMTF took shape.
“All those whom we could trace who had sent funds to the ‘Cure Devshan Fund’, we contacted after Devshan passed away. To anyone who wished to have their contributions back, we returned it to them. The balance amounting to Rs. 12 million we turned into the DWMTF.”
Adds Chandrasiri: “We have placed the funds in fixed deposits and are disbursing the grants from the interest that is generated.”
In 2018, five grants had been provided to students from Royal College who sat the O/L in 2017 and 20 grants to children from areas such as Anuradhapura, Galle, Ratnapura, Kandy and Colombo. In 2019, five more had been provided to Royal students who sat the O/L in 2018 along with 25 from other areas with the reach being expanded to Jaffna and Gampaha.
“The selections are based on the criterion of good academic performance at the O/L, extracurricular activities and need,” says Prof. de Silva, adding that Devshan was an all-rounder, representing Royal at hockey and cricket, keen Scout and active member of the Media Club shining as a photographer and compere. This is why it seemed right that the grant focused both on academic abilities and extra- curricular activities.
Meanwhile, the DWMTF is also offering two prizes at the Royal
College Annual Prize Giving in Devshan’s name – to the Scout with the best O/L results and the hockey player with the best O/L results.