The Pahala Halmillewa Vidyalaya School was completed in June, 2011
The New School!
Pahala Halmillewa Community Profile
Pahala Halmillewa Vidyalaya is located in Pahala Halmillewa, approximately 66 kilometers east of Anuradhapura Town, the provincial capital of the North Central Province. Pahala Halmillewa is approximately 306 kilometers northeast of Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka. It takes six to seven hours to reach school by car from the capital.
The North Central Province is situated in the northern part of Sri Lanka and consists of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa Districts. The province is economically depressed and not densely populated. Agriculture is the main economic activity in this province. Because the land tends to be dry tropical woodlands, hundreds of the largest irrigation tanks (Wewa) constructed in the past are used for agriculture. Anuradhapura, the largest district in this province and in Sri Lanka, is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka famous for its well- preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization. The city of Anuradhapura, now a UNESCO world heritage site, lies on the banks of the historic Malvathu Oya.
Pahala Halmillewa Vidyalaya is located in Pahala Halmillewa Village. The economy of this village, like many of the villages around Anuradhapura District, centers on agriculture. Most of the people in the village make their living by growing rice. Other economic activity include Chena cultivation, day labor, and public service (army/police). Many of the people in this village are very poor; the majority earns less than $1 USD per day.
The North Central Province is situated in the northern part of Sri Lanka and consists of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa Districts. The province is economically depressed and not densely populated. Agriculture is the main economic activity in this province. Because the land tends to be dry tropical woodlands, hundreds of the largest irrigation tanks (Wewa) constructed in the past are used for agriculture. Anuradhapura, the largest district in this province and in Sri Lanka, is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka famous for its well- preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization. The city of Anuradhapura, now a UNESCO world heritage site, lies on the banks of the historic Malvathu Oya.
Pahala Halmillewa Vidyalaya is located in Pahala Halmillewa Village. The economy of this village, like many of the villages around Anuradhapura District, centers on agriculture. Most of the people in the village make their living by growing rice. Other economic activity include Chena cultivation, day labor, and public service (army/police). Many of the people in this village are very poor; the majority earns less than $1 USD per day.
The Pahala Halmillewa School Project
The prior school has two classroom buildings, which provide enough space to hold only seven classes. However, the school currently teaches eleven classes ranging from grades one to eleven. Due to the limited space, some classes have to share the same classroom simultaneously, without any partition in between. To accommodate all of the students, the school needs additional classrooms and has asked Room to Read to help fulfill this need.
The completed School Room is a spacious, 1,500-square-foot building with a lot of light and ventilation. The learning space is 1,200 square feet, and the corridor space is 300 square feet. This is a single-story building with three classrooms and a storage room. Room to Read provided 60 desks and 120 chairs for the children and 3 tables and chairs for the teachers. The new School Room is painted to match the existing buildings at this school. It is an attractive addition to this community and draws a lot of positive attention.
The completed School Room is a spacious, 1,500-square-foot building with a lot of light and ventilation. The learning space is 1,200 square feet, and the corridor space is 300 square feet. This is a single-story building with three classrooms and a storage room. Room to Read provided 60 desks and 120 chairs for the children and 3 tables and chairs for the teachers. The new School Room is painted to match the existing buildings at this school. It is an attractive addition to this community and draws a lot of positive attention.
Early construction