Motherland at Heart…

… SCATS move Forward.

Though in down under, Sri Lankans in Australia continue to support and assist their motherland in diverse ways. One such prime organization dedicated to the cause of Sri Lanka is the Sri Lanka Study Centre for the Advancement of Technology and Social Welfare Inc (SCATS). Founded in March 1992, SCAT is a charitable non-profit community organization with branches across Australia

  Objectives

The objectives of SCATS are clear and precise; it will endeavour to achieve social, economic and cultural development of Sri Lankans in Australia and Sri Lanka. SCATS have earmarked social welfare towards the youth, elderly and the disadvantaged; economic progress through programmes of appropriate technologies and transfer and cultural development by educational programmes.

  10^th Anniversary

Year 2002 is special; SCATS celebrate 10 years of its formation. Many special activities will mark the occasion. From March 2002 through December 2002, SCATS have organized a diverse range of special activities. Foremost among them area the:

Ø     Seminar on International Women’s Day – March ‘02

Ø     Seminar on Aged Care – May ‘02

Ø     Science & Technological Competitions – June – September ‘02

Ø     Identification of Young Talent in Victoria – March – Sep ‘02

Ø     International Seminar on Education – Oct ‘02

Ø     Award Ceremony and  Sri Lankan Cultural Festival

Ø     Documentary Film on SCATS – Dec ‘02

  During the decade of existence, the road has not been smooth. By mutual consensus and by working towards the clearly defined objectives, SCATS have overcome such problems. Today, it is at the pinnacle of the Sri Lankan community in Australia, actively supporting the socio-economic and cultural advancement of Sri Lanka and its inhabitants living especially in Australia. Proof of success is endorsed by the formation of sister branches in Melbourne, Sydney, Affiliated associations in Brisbane, Canberra & Perth and the Sri Lanka office in Colombo. Efforts are underway to form sister branches in countries with high Sri Lankan migrant population. With the March 2002 opening of the SCATS International Resource Centre in the premises of the Bellanwila Community Development Foundation, Attidiya, the concept of SCATS is further consolidated for future growth.

During the decade of existence, SCATS capabilities of organizing diverse activities have been well demonstrated. In line with the objectives, activities of SCATS have concentrated on either children’s  welfare,   education & health, technology transfer programmes, exposition and exploitation of latent talent especially of migrant Sri Lankan youth in Australia and recognition of the indispensable service rendered by the aged, disadvantaged and women in Sri Lanka society.

Appeal for the LRH

Foremost among SCATS children  welfare activities is the Appeal for the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital, the prime specialist  paediatric hospital in Sri Lanka. This activity is coordinated by the SCATS ‘Appeal’ Organizing Committee with the input from the  Director of the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital and run as an Annual Appeal since year 2000. Modelled on famous 70 year old ‘Good Friday’ Annual Appeal for Royal Children’s Hospital  in Melbourne, Australia,  the objectives of the LRH  Appeal have been set  to help the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital a) To purchase essential  medical equipment which have not been funded otherwise  and b) To provide facilities, training & opportunities  for research activities related to childhood illnesses in Sri Lanka.

Initially the appeal was launched  in Australia by SCATS Australia and it is expected that this will be supported by Sri Lankan associations and Sri Lankan  expatriate community  living in other countries  as well to run  this as an International Annual  Appeal. In fact some Sri Lankans in Singapore and New Zealand already participated in this appeal by sending  their donations. SCATS also  have plans to organise the appeal in Sri Lanka in future with the help of SCATS Sri Lanka with the sponsorship of business community and media. SCATS will also look at avenues available for establishing a ‘LRH Foundation’ in Sri Lanka with the help of Lady Ridgeway Hospital, the Ministry of Health and other government authorities in Sri Lanka.

The Trust Council consisting of eminent personnel from within and outside SCATS, overlooks programmes which has a targeted donation of medical equipment to the value of $50,000 in first three years. Launched in March 2000, in the first year alone, 03 cardiac monitors and 03 infusion pumps valued at $19,000 were donated to the LRH. Another consignment of  an advanced cardiac monitor, a medical microscope and a Standard ECG monitor valued at over $10,000 is on the way to the LRH. Sri Lankans living in Australia have responded magnanimously to this meritorious  deed by participating various fundraising activities organised by SCATS Victoria, SCATS New South Walse, affiliated bodies in other states and few sister associations and voluntary groups. It is expected that the  ‘first three year’ target will be achieved before this year ends, with the staging of the ‘Millennium Bazaar’ (a modern ‘kadamandiya’, with food, music and entertainment), tele-films and dramas and many other fund raising activities in the year 2002.

  Foster Parent Scholarship Scheme

Alongside the LRH Appeal, the Foster Parent Scholarship Scheme nurtures and gives hope to children left orphaned or destitute, resulting from poverty, civil war in Sri Lanka or by other means. Foster Sri Lankan parents in Australia are already the step-parents for over 165 children in Sri Lanka. Each foster child receives a minimum of $ 20.00 (Rs 950.00) every month in addition to other benefits in kind. This scheme is becoming increasingly popular among Sri Lankans resident in Australia.

  Other welfare projects to Sri Lanka:

Other than the major projects, SCATS have organised numerous  small projects and donations to Sri Lanka over the years. Donation to ‘rana viru sevana’ welfare project, various clothing and other  donations to displaced civilians in 90s, donation  of toys to Children wing of the Dambulla District  Hospital, donation of Orthopaedic chairs to Kandy Hospital  were some of the  other noteworthy small projects  during last few years.

  Youth Talent

SCATS have taken special interest to exploit the organizing and performing skills of Sri Lankan youth in Australia. The youth wing of SCATS, consist mainly of undergraduate Sri Lankan students. They have come forward to use their organizing talents to collect funds for the needy in Sri Lanka. Their annual dinner dance ‘Koththu Night’, well patronized even by youth of other South Asian countries, has become a permanent event in the youth calendar. The youth also played major roles in the two SCATS sponsored dramas – Bakmaha Akunu (1999) and Ridmanjalee (2001). They were instant successes calling for repeat performances.

  Technology Transfer

SCATS projects on technology transfer aimed mainly at helping under priviledged and disadvantaged, had enabled rural youth of selected areas and schools to keep pace with the changing technologies. This has been achieved by donating computers and text books to rural schools including to a few universities, helping Sri Lanka to formulate policies on environment, technology &  education sectors  with its access to vast network of professionals and resources in Australia and by organising competitions among Australian  youth to develop appropriate technologies to Sri Lanka. The most recent donation of computers was to the Bellanwila Development Foundation to coincide with the opening of the SCATS International Resource Centre in Bellanwila. SCATS also  have been providing  computer literacy, internet training  and VCE Maths assistance programs,  to Melbourne youth.

Elders’ Care and Women’s Role

SCATS recognition of elders in the Sri Lankan community in Australia is well

demonstrated by the formation of the Sri Lankan Elders Welfare Association, popularly  called ‘ SCATS SEWA’, in 1998/99. A very active organization, the Elders meet every Monday in their own premises at Doveton (a suburb in Victoria), recollecting memories of their heydays intermingled with popular Sri Lankan folk songs and rice and curry. SCATS Vanitha is the youngest of the affiliated organizations. They take pride in educating women on gender related topics. Much is expected from them in the coming years.

Cultural Programs:

  SCATS have been in the forefront of preserving the Sri Lankan cultural traditions  among Sri Lankans  living in Multi-cultural Australia. SCATS through its ‘Cultural Council’ have organised scores of  cultural activities throughout last 10 years. The first ever   Felicitation Ceremony    organised by Sri Lankans living  in an overseas country  for Pandith Amaradeva    was one of the most significant cultural event for SCATS . Further SCATS have so far invited many talented  leading  Sri Lankan artists such as  Visharada Nanda Malini, T.M. Jayarathne, Nita Fernando, Sriyani Amarasena and Linton Semage in recent years.  SCATS also invited ‘Vikurthi’ drama team headed by Mrs Somalatha Subasinghe to Melbourne  in 2000 and gave the opportunity for Sri Lankan youth to admire the quality Sri Lankan  stage drama.

  SCATS Cultural Council  also staged  several own productions of ‘Bak Maha Akunu’ , ‘Rydmanjali’ and several variety shows and ‘Rasa Kalasa’ programmes that helped many talented artists and youth trained  and  to perform Sri Lankan music, drama and  traditional dancing.  SCATS has undoubtedly   fulfilled one of its major objective; to take steps to sustain Sri Lankan cultural tradition among Sri Lankan in Australia and to promote Sri Lankan culture in multi-cultural Australia.

Conclusion

SCATS story of success, in a nutshell, is the result of having well defined objectives of serving Mother Lanka towards socio-economic and cultural advancement. Giving back little of your time and knowledge to your motherland is indeed meritorious. Seeing renowned Sri Lankan professionals, businessmen, artists, housewives and men of different walks of life working together, shedding all barriers, with Sri Lanka in mind, are a life long experience.

You are welcome to enquire about SCATS. Please contact its offices in Sri Lanka (01 518 893),  In Australia- Victoria (03 9700 6671), or New South Wales (02 9833 7616). Fax: +61-3-9337 9468 Web: www.vicnet.net.au/~slanka/    email : slanka@vicnet.net.au Postal address: GPO Box 4229 NN, Melbourne 3001, Australia