We met Pushparani in 28th January 2007, when we visited Koslanda Nenasala. She was teaching ICT to some kids.
Until that day she was an unknown Nenasala Operator, Innocent, humble and beautiful too. She could not speck much Sinhala or English But we communicated using all languages. She was wonderful Nenasala Operator with right education and commitment.
She had come to Nenasala as a one of the first students to Learn ICT. She did well under Srikanthan Teaching and later became Nenasala Operator and ICT teacher for Students. When we asked about her future plans, she said
that her aim is to learn more ICT, complete a degree and become a better ICT Teacher at Nenasala to develop the Children. Then today, I hear that she has passed away after meeting a tragic landslide accident created by last rain.
She became a Telecenter Operator as she wanted to serve. She didn't take a job offers came her way in Colombo. It may have been because she wanted to be in the community and with her family.
She served the one's who are least Served in Koslanda, a distant rural village from us. She delivered what we plan, She was the interface and the most important link to the community we serve. Her community was mostly poor estate children.
She may have taken only a small amount of money as an allowance. She gave her youth life totally committed to Nenasala and to develop her community.
When I met her again for the second time in May 2008, we didn't have much time for conversatio. She served us a home grown cup of tea. I can stil remember her as a happy smilling person, a one that needed by Telecenters.
She may have been the First ICT Teacher for many kids who will remember her kindness and what she thought. Someday some of these Kids will take her route in Nenasala Movement to become Nenasala Operators, or do more things to change the world.
In Coming January we had planned her to invite for e-BIT online degree programme by Colombo University, She was one of the good prospectus ith the need and commitment. Before she could not complete her Telecenter Journey, we hear that she's gone.
As I hear, Her house went under a landslide in heavy rain, her family has become homeless, now living in an orphanage, and she faced major injuries and fought for her life for several days. She was supposed to bring to Colombo National ospital when she closed her eyes for ever. I think we have had some way to help her when she was helpless in ICU of a rural hospital.
Life would have become different, if she left Nenasala and took the job in Colombo, or got married and left the community. However she choosed to be a Nenasala Operator until she crossed the line of living.
When Kids come to Nenasala for their next lesson of ICT, She is no longer there. Some Kids are so small to understand a death, will wait until she shows up and some may even stop coming to Nenasala.
When Pushpa Rani faced with the tragic accident of a natural disaster, she was doing her service, she was not known to many although she was member of a large community movement.
At least now we can recognize her service and contribution, which makes significant and a nobel act to up lift the sprit of Nenasla community. We have to remember her, because she represents many such silent Telecenter Operators, who serve the last, taking nothing but giving everything to develop our world.
She was not another person but a symbolic Telecenter Operator, a community leader, an ICT Teacher and a friend of many. Let us remember Pushpa Rani (Meaning the Queen of Flowers) as a continuing Spirit in Nenasala Movement.
At the sometime let us work towards to uplift other Nenasala Operator lives like Pusha Rani, before
it's too late to recognize them. May her attend Nirvana.
In Memory of Pushpa Rani
The Smiling Nenasala Operator of Koslanda
Niranjan Meegammmana
ShilpaSayura.org
10th December 2008
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