Miss Worlds in Zim

Written by Malaka Yapa

Wednesday, 02 December 2009

112 Miss World Contestants are travelling to Zimbabwe for Victoria Falls Children’s Charity Evening. Among the 112 contestants there is a special candidate this year that has raised over 3 MILLION US Dollars and worked 10 years as a community worker, a true Beauty with Purpose Introduction

Miss Sri Lanka 2009 Gamya Wijayadasa is an outstanding personality who began her
journey of volunteerism and social service at the age of 13. She started as a
volunteer journalist and ventured in to many avenues of social service where she
contributed to major community projects much before the Title of Miss Sri Lanka
was bestowed upon her.

Her desire to give back to the community is demonstrated by the number of
community work projects she has been involved in to help people in need in
her country and outside of her country.

Year 2009

In the year 2009, the scope and depth of Gamya’s community work grew
substantially.

The Laser Vision Eye sight Project to restore sight of people suffering from
cataracts raised over US$11,000

While studying for her Masters Degree in Melbourne, she formed the
‘Australian Sri Lankan Youth’ a non profit organization to serve Sri Lanka
and Sri Lankans. She foresaw the opportunity to collaborate the strength of
the Australian Sri Lankan youth for the betterment of the country.

Gamya was instrumental in conducting the IDP welfare appeal which raised
US$7,400 and $5000 worth of goods to help the people displaced by war in
Northern Sri Lanka in the final stages of the 3 decade long war in Sri
Lanka. Urgent medicines were distributed to Vavuniya base hospital. Also
conducted a car wash to create drinking water facilities for the IDPs.

A seminar on “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” was held in the newly
cleared post-war zone Wakare in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka for over
150 military personnel. This is the first time a Miss Sri Lanka has
visited the post war zone risking her life and shared the emotions of the
soldiers.

In recognition of a untiring of its and contribution, gamya was offered
the honor of become the goodwill ambassador for UN aids and the education
ambassador for the government youth projects


Miss Sri Lanka Gamya Wijayadasa Says
“ I’ve achieved things I thought were impossible through hard work, sheer
determination and infinite compassion for others. Having a purpose to my
being has been a way of life for me even before I knew what beauty was.

Education has been the biggest source of power behind me being able reach
beyond the visible horizons and making the impossible in to a reality.

Every child in this world deserves a right to an education. Not only does
it give them the opportunity of a better life but it will also give them
the focus and the discipline to reach beyond the life that was carved out
for them from birth by poverty, oppression and discrimination.

‘Tharunyata Hetak’ education program focuses on youth development
irrespective of race, ethnicity and gender. I’m so proud and humbled to be
the Ambassador for this benevolent cause where we reach in to every corner
of Sri Lanka especially those areas that were plagued by terrorism for
nearly 30 years.

We have raised over 3 Million US Dollars and improved not only education
but also areas such as sports, health and bonding within communities.
Free educational seminars are held island wide especially targeting rural
areas, corporate training is given free island wide, a book drive where
we donate books to libraries, efforts to uplift current forum of all
sports island wide, infrastructure development (largest swimming pool in
Northern Peninsula) and cultural development in rural areas.
Not only has our efforts improved the current education standards in the youth of
the areas that were subject to sever oppression in the past and even under the
threat of becoming child soldiers, we have strived towards equality as we work to
create peace and harmony among different ethnicities.

Sri Lanka has been freed from terrorism in the year 2009 and I’m honored to
be the first Miss Sri Lanka to represent my country at Miss World after our
second birth.
Children are the future of the world and they are the purest form of human beings.
My untiring efforts have been and will be focusing on improving the quality of life
for children across the world regardless of colour, race or religion. Beauty can be
used to serve one self or to serve others. I believe that true beauty queen should
be able to walk this slums as when as any red carpet at equal grace and competent
Thus, I will use my beauty for a purpose much bigger than serving myself and I can’t
wait to work harder than I ever have.”

http://www.zimgreats.com