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"I'm really proud of this program and being a Muslim. I realized that unity, peace and purity are common to both this project and Islam. These words emphasize living together in harmony. In this way, RYS strives to connect people beyond religion, race, caste and culture. I consider this experience a steppingstone in my life and my wishes go to the RYS team to continue this process. Thanks RYS."
Badulla, Sri Lanka -The minorities in Sri Lanka felt that they were in the dark, but our RYS project sparked new hope and dreams in their lives, as well as ours!
The project location, Badulla, is situated in the hill country of Sri Lanka, about 275 kilometers from the capital city Colombo. According to Buddhist folk stories, Lord Buddha visited this city.
The Blackwood Village in Beragala, Badulla did not have pipe-borne water. Religious Youth Service volunteers helped renovate the existing mini reservoir which had been abandoned in recent times, thus restoring the pipe-borne water way. RYS also supported the road repair, including the reconstruction of a bridge which was badly damaged, on the roadway that lead to the Hindu Kovil, which was also in a very dilapidated state.
The service component of this project, themed "Light of Hope in the Dark," directly benefitted the villages of Haldamulla in Badulla district, but the education component and cooperative work experience benefitted the participants, helping them to change their attitudes positively toward intercultural and interreligious harmony and to embrace a wider concept of world peace.
August 21-28, 2009