Soon children of Mahavilachchiya, village of Sri-Lanka can check their e-mail, do research for their homework assignments and read local news on their computers. Mahavilachchiya has become the Sri-Lanka’s first e-Village and boasts the highest computer density of any other village in the country.
The Horizon Lanka Foundation, a local NGO has made the Mahavilachchiya project possible. The Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) through a partnership with Enterprise Technology (Pvt) Ltd (ETPL) and a grant from the Pan Asia R&D Grants Program was responsible for the implementation of the project. In Mahavilachchiya the Horizon Lanka Academy has provided numerous students with access to ICT. The Foundation also features laptops, internet connectivity and an extensive computer lab; resources found in less than 10% of Sri Lankan schools and previously only available in affluent areas. The e-Village project aims to increase opportunities for growth and provide a better quality of life for people in rural communities. The e-Village project is setting new standards for the nation as well as bridge the digital divide for other countries.
