MSU student founds center in Sri Lanka

When chemistry doctoral student Ajith Karunarathne was growing up in rural Sri Lanka, a picture of Thomas Edison in his village inspired him to become a scientist.

Karunarathne, 34, now wants to inspire Sri Lankans to follow their dreams by providing them the educational tools they need to succeed.

Karunarathne received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. In 2005, he moved to Detroit and attended Wayne State University, and in 2007 he enrolled at MSU.

“I met many kids who are really talented,” Karunarathne said. “They don’t have any motivation.”

When Karunarathne returned home after completing his studies at Sri Jayewardenepura, he realized his rural village was behind the larger cities in Sri Lanka.

“There were no library facilities, no telephone facilities, no Internet, nothing,” he said. “Many people give up their education and go work on the farm or something.”

In 2003, he helped found the Prabhavi Resource Center in his hometown of Ampara.

The center has an information technology center and a library with more than 2,000 books and more than 20 computers.

Chemistry graduate student Chintha Subasinghe decided to help Prabhavi after meeting Karunarathne.

“He told me what they were doing and I thought I could help,” said Subasinghe, who’s from the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo.

“I give some of my own money for scholarships.”

Lansing Community College student Lasantha Ratnayake also is a Sri Lankan native who helps Prabhavi.

“I found it on the Internet,” Ratnayake said. “I talked to Ajith and donated some things, like books.”

Prabhavi is a Sinhalese word meaning “rising sun” — an analogy for how the globalization of information can help educate people all across the world.

“We have been living in this area for centuries,” Karunarathne said. “But no one has seen us. We need to rise by ourselves.”

Published on Tuesday, October 7, 2008