The ‘Ranaviru Sampath Kendraya’ (Resource Centre for War Heroes) at Hekiththa, Wattala, the latest welfare project, meticulously designed exceptionally for disable War Heroes to provide them with productive vocational training saw its ceremonial birth on Friday (24) as the country illuminates with the splendours of Vesak, the thrice-blessed day.
At the invitation of the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary Defence and Urban Development who has been behind the realization of this mega project after he heard that the old Leprosy Hospital complex was lying unattended and neglected, graced the opening ceremony as the Chief Guest.
This new ‘Ranaviru Sampath Kendraya’, an exclusive project, perhaps unheard among any of the armed forces in the world, is to provide hundreds of disable War Heroes with various community-oriented vocational training in trade spheres, like motor mechanism, Carpentry, Computer Hardware, Horticulture, Information Technology, electronics, electric work, etc under the direct supervision of the Army Directorate of Rehabilitation, headed by Major General R.V Samaratunge, Director Rehabilitation.
The day’s agenda began with uncovering of the new ‘Ranaviru Sampath Kendraya’ signboard by the Chief Guest, renaming the whole complex which traces its roots to the colonial times when Leprosy at that period of time lacked proper medicine.
Next, was the Guard Turnout accorded to the visiting Secretary Defence by soldiers of the 4 Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment (VIR) as a military formality.
The Chief Guest then unveiled the special plaque that records the historic transformation of the venue, from an abandoned hospital to be a fountain of resources for the benefit of war veterans who are leading the rest of their lives with varying forms of disabilities.
Hoisting of the National Flag, Army Flag and National Vocational Training Authority Flag, added symbolic national and respective significance to the phenomenal project which turns a milestone in the sphere of rehabilitation of disable War Heroes in the Army.
After lighting the traditional oil lamp by the Chief Guest, Commander of the Army and other representative invitees, Mr Rajapaksa, together with the guests, went to see different vocational training branches, established in renovated hospital wards, now fully set to provide technical skills.
Renovation and reconstruction of this 13-building project, carried out by the Army Engineer Service Regiment (ESR) cost the Army about Rs 90 million, upon total completion of the project, according to the Directorate of Rehabilitation.
At the initial stage, the resource centre is to provide vocational training to some 300 disable War Heroes and plans are afoot to open its doors to Officers and Soldiers who are to retire from the Army in near future, after the entire project eventually takes shape in a couple of weeks.
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