Welcome to Lak Aruna
We’re a small learning centre offering free English and IT skills classes for children and young adults in the rural Sri Lanka and rely on volunteers and donations to help our students excel. Every year more and more students graduate from the Lak Aruna Foundation with strong English language skills and the confidence to share their talents. This gives them a stronger application for university studies and future job opportunities.
What we offer
We provide English language classes to students aged 6 to 24 and develop reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. Take a look at the Education section of our website to learn more. Classes are free but we appreciate any contributions towards the cost of learning materials (such as pens and paper) or donations to the overall running of the centre.
Our Story
The Lak Aruna Foundation started life in 2002 as a basic IT skills workshop for children who lived near the home of Janaka Simral in Hingurukaduwa, Sri Lanka. As they showed their talent the organisation grew, in spite of a lack of internet connection. The students entered a national IT competition in 2005 which attracted the attention of international news and television outlets. As a result, people from all over the world began donating computers and even a building where we hosted classes. Two years later, the World Bank Organisation provided us with internet connectivity which improved the learning experience for students. We were nominated as the best Rural IT Project in South East Asia. At the time, we didn’t know this was just the beginning.
Due to conflict in Sri Lanka in 2009, our village lost internet connection so we couldn’t continue the IT classes. Instead we focussed on English classes. The students showed a great appetite for learning and the centre has since grown to become the best provider of English classes in the Monoragala area. As our internet connection remains unstable we haven’t been able to relaunch our IT skills classes to the level we operated at before. In addition to unreliable internet connectivity, the area has limited transport facilities, variable road conditions and is also the poorest district in Sri Lanka.
In 2008 we were lucky to receive a great sign of generosity; our students created a website for an Australian expatriate who, on hearing about Lak Aruna’s story, donated funds for a building in Hingurukaduwa. To this day, this is where we host classes every Saturday and some weekdays with a team of paid and volunteer teachers. We also engage with around 100 international volunteers each year to deliver speaking practice with English speakers.
The challenges we face
We are now outgrowing our building in Hingurukaduwa and have opened a second centre in the nearby village of Dewathura. Still, we regularly run classes outside under temporary shelters at both venues. We cannot enrol all the children who apply to study with us and we would like to change this. We have begun construction work to extend our learning centre at Hingurukaduwa but this can only continue if donations continue to arrive. The future of the Lak Aruna Foundation is bright, but we can only achieve this with the help of supporters to ensure our future becomes a reality.
Extending the program with our 2nd and 3rd subcenters
Our Mission
To provide essential IT and English education to children in Sri Lanka’s rural communities, creating pathways to higher education and meaningful careers that break the cycle of poverty.
Our Vision
Inspired by the proverb, “teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime,” we envision a future where every child has the skills and opportunities to achieve their full potential in a digital world.
Our Values
- Empowerment
- Community
- Opportunity
- Resourcefulness