The Social Service Union dedicated a week off the May calendar to advocate support and bring attention to assisting those who are less fortunate. Dedicated from the 15th to 21st May, this week was aptly named the ‘Social Service Week’ and was organised around the theme “I am, because we are: rediscovering our connectedness”. This appealed to every student to step up selflessly, appreciating humanity with empathy and assisting those in need devoid of age, race and gender differences.
This week was organised against the backdrop of the recently completed T150 Sesquicentennial Anniversary of Trinity College, where ‘serving community’ was reiterated as one of the four core value pillars on which Trinity celebrated its 150th anniversary.
The activities of the Social Service Week were driven by 06 identified value objectives:
- Raise awareness
- Encourage community service
- Foster empathy and compassion
- Build community connections
- Develop leadership and teamwork skills
- Promote a culture of service
Reminiscing history, it is apparent that social service is not a novel concept to Trinity. The words of Mr.Hilary Abeyratne, one of the greatest Trinitians of the last century was asked what defines ‘Trinity Spirit’. He replied with one word; “Service!”
Further a Trinity historian looks into the services of former Principal Norman Phillips Campbell, “The word makes deeper sense as one learns more about Norman Phillips Campbell and the work of the Social Service Union. Perhaps, it is not too far-fetched to imagine that David Paynter, who’s murals at the Chapel brought to life the essence the Trinity Spirit of Service, may have been an active member of the Union, or that he may have heard the story about how Norman Campbell and his students had once gotten into faeces ridden drains in the Mahaiyyawa slums to unclog them, while conducting a survey of the slum. Perhaps those stories and experiences inspired him to pick the scenes of the Good Samaritan and Washing of the Disciples Feet with local subjects as models?”
The contribution of the Junior School
Students from grade 1 to 5 extended their support to those facing socio-economic challenges in various ways. They provided stationery packs comprising school essentials to 404 children who lacked educational opportunities in 5 different schools. The aim was to equip them with the necessary tools for learning and accommodating them to attend school. The number of packs donated and the schools that benefited are as follows:
Gohagoda Primary school – 20 packs
Udawalawa Kanishta Vidyalaya – 219 packs
Senarathgama Primary School – 50 packs
Yatihalagala Sumanatissa School – 35 packs
Sivananda Tamil Maha Vidyalaya – 80 packs
During that week, the Cub Scouts of the Junior School also made a valuable contribution. They provided the necessary supplies for a newly formed cub pack consisting of 29 cubs at Siddartha School Wattegama. Additionally, 32 Cub Scouts accompanied by 7 Akelas visited the school, engaging in dancing, singing, and games. Through these activities, the young Cub Scouts developed their leadership and teamwork skills, which are invaluable for their personal and professional growth. Recognizing the importance of supporting our wider community, the staff members of the Junior School rallied together. With their collective efforts, they provided lunch and essential necessities to 29 children residing in the Singithi Sevana orphanage in Aruppola. This act of kindness aimed to bring comfort and relief to those in need. Furthermore, as responsible members of the school community, the Junior School did not overlook the socio-economic challenges faced by the families of our support staff members. As an expression of gratitude for their invaluable service to the school, we donated 12 stationary packs to the children of the Support Staff.
Social Service Week activities from Middle and Upper School
In line with the theme, which is self-explanatory, Trinity strives to instill the value of ‘caring’ as an integral component of all round education. It is with great appreciation that we note that the contribution to this week’s activities were not limited merely to the members of the Social Service Unit but extended to students of both the middle and upper school.
The projects carried out from the Upper School Classes are:
- Class 10C donated rations to the Sigithi Sevena Children’s’ Home, Dharmashoka Mw, Kandy
- Class 13T2 provided snacks for the Trinity College minor staff
- Class 11H helped by providing essential needs to the school of Kirimattiya Tamil School Thalathuoya
- Class 10A donated stationery and snacks to Dambawela School, Ampitiya
- Class 10E helped the children at the Tikiri Sewana Orphanage
- Class 13E4 provided essentials to Keppatipola Vidyala, Kandy
- Class 11A provided charity for the cancer ward at the Kandy National Hospital
- Class 10H donated essentials to Sigithi Sewana in Aruppola
- Class 13S4 donated stationary to Madduma Bandara College
- Classes 14S3, S4, S5, E3, E4, T2 renovated a library and provided refreshments to the Namadagala Udawela Primary School
Similarly, the students of the Middle School gave their helping hand for the success of the week,
- 6A, 6B – Providing the morning snack to children and their parents who comes for the Child Neurology Clinic
- 6C, 6H – Donating food items for Tikiri Sewana Orphanage
- 6D, 6F – Donating detergent packs and providing a morning snack for Elders home
- 6E, 6G – Donating stationary items to Rasindev Vidyalaya Kandy
The Grade 7 classes went with the concept: “Family”
- 7A, 7C – Donations of required items for a needy family in Ampitiya
- 7B, 7F – Donations of required items for 2 needy families in Kadugannawa
- 7D – Donation of requested items for a disabled child & for two unmarried elderly sisters in Mawilmada
- 7E – Donation of requested items for a family in need in Welikandha
- 7G, 7H – Donation of baby items to a group of preganant mothers in Gampola
- We thank all the students and the staff coordinators for supporting the cause and making this first effort of a Social Services Week a success while working alongside the 3rd pillar of the T150 Sesquicentennial Anniversary, “Serving Humanity”.
- “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” – Mother Teresa
The Grade 8 classes went with the concept: “Helping the support staff of the school”
- 8A – Helping the needy within our community
- 8B – Lending a helping hand
- 8C – Helping hand for our daily help friends
- 8D – We rise by lifting others
- 8E – Trinty Seth Karuna
- 8F – Food drive
- 8G – Lending a helping hand to the poor
- 8H – Helping Hands
- 9A, 9D – Donation the Singithi Sewana Children’s Home with school uniforms and school supplies
- 9B – Donation of school supplies to Hindu Vidyalaya
- 9C – Donation to the Cancer Ward in the Kandy Hospital
- 9E – Donating the students of Dharmavijaya Vidyalaya with school supplies
- 9F – Grant of aid to a student
- 9G – Donation of school supplies to a family with low financial stability
We thank all the students and the staff coordinators for supporting the cause and making this first effort of a Social Services Week a success while working alongside the 3rd pillar of the T150 Sesquicentennial Anniversary, “Serving Humanity”.
“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” –
Mother Teresa
Reviewed by Yeshan Ranatunga (Web Content Team)
