eGood evening, ladies and gentlemen, and
thank you for attending our much anticipated auction night at the lovely
Maniumpathy House.

A little bit about why we have gathered
here today – Appé Lanka is a charity organisation, founded by Shaan Corea, to
make a difference to the lives of people living in rural communities and
provide them with the support and encouragement they need to live wholesome and
happy lives. This auction night is funding one main project in particular –
‘Let them bloom, give them water.’ This project is currently focused on giving
Poonakary safe, usable water and thus removing the need to depend on bowsers.
We aim to provide over 6400 students in 24 schools with clean drinking water.
So far, Appé Lanka has donated purification systems to 18 of those schools, and
so we have still have some work to do.

A little bit about why I got involved; I
heard of the work Shaan has been doing in Poonakary from a family member and
have been impressed with Appé Lanka since then. Even though they are a
relatively small organisation, the impact they have had on the community up
North has been quite commendable. The project has opened my eyes to the lack of
necessities in many communities that you and I take for granted, and how deep
 an effect war and violence can have in an area. It has showed me that, as Sri
Lankans, we have a civic duty to help those less fortunate than us and give them
a gentle nudge in a progressive direction for them to discover their full
potential. Even though I have been with Appé Lanka for a short while before I head

back to university, I have learnt a lot from Shaan and everyone I have worked
with at Appé Lanka. For that I am very grateful and admire the difference
they are making.

I hope you all here tonight are inspired to help our cause and support us in our efforts to provide a better and healthier way of living to the communities of Poonakary and their neighbours. Have a wonderful evening, and let’s get bidding!

– Insiyah Adamjee-